28. Tajima-mori Brings Back the Orange from the Eternal Land

1Again the Heavenly Sovereign sent Tajima-mori, ancestor of the Chiefs of Miyake, to the Eternal Land to fetch the fruit of the everlasting fragrant tree. So Tajima-mori at last reached that country, plucked the fruit of the tree, and brought of clubmoss eight and of spears eight; but meanwhile the Heavenly Sovereign had died. Then Tajima-mori set apart of clubmoss four and of spears four, which he presented to the Great Empress, and set up of clubmoss four and of spears four as an offering at the door of the Heavenly Sovereign’s august mausoleum, and, raising on high the fruit of the tree, wailed and wept, saying: “Bringing the fruit of the everlasting fragrant tree from the Eternal Land, I have come to serve thee;” and at last he wailed and wept himself to death. This fruit of the everlasting fragrant tree is what is now called the orange.