68. Ama-no-hi-boko Crosses Over to Japan

1Moreover of old there had been [a man] called by the name of Ama-no-hi-boko, child of the ruler of the land of Shiragi. This person crossed over here [to Japan]. The reason of his crossing over here was [this]: In the land of Shiragi there was a certain lagoon, called by the name of the Agu Lagoon. On the bank of this lagoon a certain poor girl was [taking her] midday sleep. Tunc solis radii, cœlesti arcui similes, in privatas partes impegerunt. Again there was a certain poor man, who, thinking this occurrence strange, constantly watched the woman’s behaviour. So the woman, having conceived from the time of that midday sleep, gave birth to a red jewel. Then the poor man who had watched her begged [to be allowed] to take the jewel, and kept it constantly wrapped up by his side. This person, having planted a rice-field in a valley, had loaded a cow with food for the labourers, and was getting into the middle of the valley, when he met the ruler’s son, Ama-no-hi-boko, who thereupon asked him, saying: “Why enterest thou the valley with a load of food upon a cow. Thou wilt surely kill this cow and eat her.” Forthwith he seized the man and was about to put him into prison, when the man replied, saying: “I was not going to kill the cow. I was simply taking food to the people in the fields.” But still [the ruler’s child] would not let him go. Then he undid the jewel [which hung] at his side, and [therewith] bribed [the ruler’s child]. So [the latter] let the poor man go, brought the jewel [home], and placed it beside his couch. Forthwith it was transformed into a beautiful maiden, whom he straightway wedded, and made his chief wife. Then the maiden perpetually prepared all sorts of dainties with which she constantly fed her husband. So the ruler’s child [grew] proud in his heart, and reviled his wife. But the woman said: “I am not a woman who ought to be the wife of such as thou. I will go to the land of my ancestors;”—and forthwith she secretly embarked in a boat, and fled away across here [to Japan], and landed at Naniha. (This is the deity called princess Akaru, who dwells in the shrine of Hime-goso at Naniha.) Thereupon Ame-no-hi-boko, hearing of his wife’s flight, forthwith pursued her across hither, and was about to arrive at Naniha, when the Deity of the passage prevented his entrance. So he went hack again, and landed in the country of Tajima.