20. War with King Take-hani-yasu

1Again in this august reign His Augustness Oho-biko was sent to the circuit of Koshi, and his son, His Augustness Take-nuna-kaha-wake, was sent to the twelve circuits to the eastward to quiet the unsubmissive people. Again Hiko-imasu was sent to the land of Taniha to slay Kugamimi-no-mikasa (this is the name of a person). So when His Augustness Oho-biko was going away to the land of Koshi, a young girl wearing a loin-skirt stood on the Pass of Hera in Yamashiro, and sang, saying:

2“Now then! Oh Prince Mima-ki-iri! Oh Prince Mi-ma-ki-iri! Ignorant that they, to steal and slay one’s life, cross backwards and. forwards by the back-door, cross backwards and forwards by the front door and spy,—Oh Prince Mima-ki-iri!”

3Hereupon His Augustness Oho-biko, thinking it strange, turned his horse back, and asked the young girl, saying: “These words that thou speakest, what are they?” The young girl replied, saying: “I said nothing; I was only singing a song,”—and thereupon she suddenly vanished, none could see whither. So His Augustness Oho-biko returned up again [to the capital] and made a report [of the matter] to the Heavenly Sovereign, who replied and charged him [,saying]: “Methinks this is a sign that my half-brother, King Take-hani-yasu, who dwells in the land of Yamashiro, is planning some foul plot. [Do thou,] uncle, raise an army, and go [after him].” When he forthwith sent him off, joining to him his Augustness Hiko-kuni-buku, ancestor of the Grandees of Wani, they set sacred jars on the Pass of Wani, and went away. Thereupon, when they reached the River Wakara in Yamashiro, King Take-hani-yasu, who had raised an army, was waiting to intercept [their passage], and [the two hosts] stood confronting and challenging each other with the river between them. So the place was called by the name of Idomi,—what is now called Idzumi. Then His Augustness Hiko-kuni-buku spoke, begging the other side to let fly the first arrow. Then King Take-hani-yasu shot, but could not strike. Thereupon, on His Augustness Kuni-buku shooting an arrow, it forthwith struck King Take-hani-yasu dead. So the whole army was routed, and fled in confusion. Then the [Imperial troops pursued] after the fugitive army as far as the ferry of Kusuba, when, harrassed by the pursuit, exierunt [hostium] excrementa, quæ bracis adhæserunt. Quare isti loco impositum est nomen Kuso-bakama. In prœsenti nominatur Kusu-ba. Again, on being intercepted in their flight and cut down, [their bodies] floated like cormorants in the river. So the river was called by the name of U-kaha. Again, because the warriors were cut to pieces, the place was called by the name of Hafuri-sono. Having thus finished [the work of] pacification, they went up [to the capital] to make their report [to the Heavenly Sovereign].