49. The Old Woman Oki-me

1His Augustness Woke-no-ihasu-wake dwelt at the palace of Chika-tsu-Asuka, and ruled the Empire for eight years. The Heavenly Sovereign wedded the Queen of Naniha, daughter of the King of Ihaki. He had no children. At the time when this Heavenly Sovereign was searching for the august bones of the King his father, King Ichinobe, there came out from the laud of Afumi [to the palace] a poor old woman, who said: “The place where the prince’s august bones are buried is specially well known to me, and moreover [his skeleton] can be known by his august teeth.” (His august teeth were teeth uneven like a lily.) Then people were set to dig the ground and search for the august bones; and the bones having been forthwith obtained, an august mausoleum was made on the mountain east of the Moor of Kaya, and they were interred, and the children of Kara-fukuro were made to guard the august mausoleum. Afterwards the august bones were brought up [to the Capital]. So having returned up [to the Capital, the Heavenly Sovereign] sent for the old woman, praised her for having, without forgetting, kept the place in mind, and conferred upon her the name of the Old Woman Oki-me: thus did he send for her into the palace, and deign to treat her with deep and wide kindness. So he built a house for the old woman to dwell in close to the palace, and always sent for her every day. So he hung a bell by the door of the great hall, and always rang it when he wished to call the old woman. So he composed an august Song. That Song said:

2“Oh! the far-distant bell tinkles when she has past the moor with its low eulalias and the little valley. Oh! Oki-me must be coming!”

3Hereupon the old woman said: “I am very aged, and would fain depart to my native land.” So when the Heavenly Sovereign let her depart according to her request, he saw her off and sang, saying:

4“Ah Okime! Okime from Afumi! from to-morrow [onwards] wilt [thou] be hidden behind the deep mountains, and alas! not seen!”