35. Yamato-take Slays the Idzumo Bravo

1Forthwith entering the Laud of Idzumo, and wishing to slay the Idzumo bravo, he, on arriving, forthwith bound [himself to him in] friendship. So, having secretly made [the wood of] an oak [-tree] into a false sword and augustly girded it, he went with the bravo to bathe in the River Hi. Then, His Augustness Yamato-take, getting out of the river first, and taking and girding on the sword that the Idzumo bravo had taken off and laid down, said: “Let us exchange swords!” So afterwards the Idzumo bravo, getting out of the river, girded on His Augustness Yamato-take’s false sword. Hereupon His Augustness Yamato-take, suggested, saying: “Come on! let us cross swords.” Then on drawing his sword, the Idzumo could not draw the false sword. Forthwith His Augustness Yamato-take drew his sword and slew the Idzumo bravo. Then he sang augustly, saying:

2“Alas that the sword girded on the Idzumo bravo, and wound round with many a creeper, should have had no true blade!”

3So having thus extirpated the [bravoes] and made [the land] orderly, he went up [to the capital], and made his report [to the Heavenly Sovereign].