59. He Divides the Inheritance Between His Three Sons

1Hereupon the Heavenly Sovereign asked His Augustness Oho-yama-mori and His Augustness Oho-sazaki, saying: “Which think ye dearer, an elder child or a younger child?” (The reason why the Heavenly Sovereign propounded this question was because it was his intention to make Uji-ni-waki-iratsuko rule the Empire.) Then His Augustness Oho-yama-mori said: “The elder child is the dearer.” Next His Augustness Oho-sazaki, knowing the august feeling which made the Heavenly Sovereign deign to ask [the question], said: “The elder child, having already become a man, gives no trouble; but the younger child, not being yet a man, is the dearer.” Then the Heavenly Sovereign said: “My lord Sazaki’s words agree with my thoughts,” and forthwith ordained the division [of the inheritance] thus: His Augustness Oho-yama-mori to administer the government of the mountains and the sea, His Augustness Oho-sazaki to take and deign to report on the government of the realm, and Uji-no-waki-iratsuko to rule the succession of Heaven’s sun. So His Augustness Oho-sazaki was not disobedient to the Heavenly Sovereign’s commands.