61. He Grants Princess Kami-naga to His Son Oho-sazaki

1The Heavenly Sovereign, hearing of the beauty of Princess Kami-naga, daughter of the Duke of Muragata in the land of Himuka, and thinking to employ her, sent down for her, whereupon the Heir Apparent His Augustness Oho-sazaki, having seen the maiden land at the port of Naniha, and being charmed with the grace of her appearance, forthwith directed the Prime Minister the Noble Take-uchi, to intercede for him in the great august presence of the Heavenly Sovereign, and make [the latter] grant to him Princess Kami-naga, whom he had sent down for. Then on the Prime Minister the Noble Take-uchi requesting the great commands, the Heavenly Sovereign forthwith granted Princess Kami-naga to his august child. The way he granted her was this:—the Heavenly Sovereign, on a day when he partook of a copious feast, gave Princess Kami-naga the great august liquor oak- [leaf] to present to the Heir Apparent. Then he augustly sang, saying:

2“Come on, children! oh! the fragrant flowering orange-tree on my way as I go to pluck the wild garlic,—to pluck the garlic,—has its uppermost branches withered by birds perching on them, and its lowest branches withered through people plucking from them. But the budding fruit on the middle branch, like three chestnuts,—the ruddy maiden, oh! if thou lead her off with thee, it will be good, oh!”

3“Driving the dyke-piles into Lake Yosami where the water collects, my heart (ignorant of the pricking of the stumps of the water-caltrop, ignorant of the creeping of the roots of the Brasenia peltata), being more and more laughable, is now indeed repentant!”

4Having thus sung, he bestowed [her on the Heir Apparent]. So after having been granted the maiden, the Heir Apparent sang, saying:

5“Oh! the maiden of Kohada in the back of the road! though I heard of her like the thunder, we mutually intertwine [our arms] as pillows.”

6“I think lovingly ah! of how the maiden of Kohada in the back of the road sleeps [with me] without disputing.”