46. Princes Ohoke and Woke Are Discovered

1Then Wodate, Chief of the Mountain Clan, when appointed governor of the land of Harima, arrived just at [the time of] a rejoicing for the new cave of an inhabitant called Shizhimu. Hereupon, when the feasting and the drinking were at their height, they all danced in torn. So two young children [employed] to light the fire sat beside the furnace. These young children were made to dance. Then one of the young children said: “Do thou the elder brother dance first.” The elder brother likewise said: “Do thou the younger brother dance first.” When they thus yielded to each other, the people who were met together laughed at their manner of yielding to each other. So at last the elder brother danced, [and when he had] finished, the younger when about to dance chanted, saying:

2“On the bamboos on the mountain-slope, behind which are hidden as soon as they appear my warrior-mate’s sword, on whose hilt red earth was daubed, for whose cord red cloth was cut, and his red flags that were set up!:—Beggarly descendants of King Ichinobe-no-oshiha, august child of the Heavenly Sovereign Izaho-wake, who ruled the Empire as it were cutting the [bamboos’] roots and bending down their extremities, and like playing on an eight-stringed lute!”

3Then forthwith Chief Wodate, starting at the sound [of these words], and rolling off his couch, drove away the people of the cave; and, having set the two princes [one] on his left knee and [the other] on his right and wept and lamented, he collected the people together, and having built a temporary palace, and set [the two princes] to dwell in that temporary palace, he sent a courier up [to the capital]. Thereupon their aunt, Queen Ihi-toyo, delighted to hear [the news], made them come up to the palace.