11. Nihon Shoki I — 11
1When the Sun-Goddess heard this, she said:—'Though of late many prayers have been addressed to me, of none has the language been so beautiful as this.' So she opened a little the Rock-door and peeped out. Thereupon the God Ama no Tajikara-wo no Kami, who was waiting beside the Rock-door, forthwith pulled it open, and the radiance of the Sun-Goddess filled the universe. Therefore all the Gods rejoiced greatly, and imposed on Sosa no wo no (I. 47.) Mikoto a fine of a thousand tables of (articles of) purification. Of the nails of his hands they made things abhorrent of luck, and of the nails of his feet they made things abhorrent of calamity. Then they caused Ama no Koyane no Mikoto to take charge of his Great Purification Liturgy, and made him recite it. This is the reason why the people of the world are careful in the disposal of their own nails.
2After this, all the Gods upbraided Sosa no wo no Mikoto, saying:—'Thy conduct has been in the highest degree improper. Thou must, therefore, not dwell in Heaven. Nor must thou dwell in the Central Reed-Plain Land. Thou must go speedily to the Bottom Nether Land.' So together they drove him away downwards. Now this was at the time of continuous rains. Sosa no wo no Mikoto bound together green grass, and made of it a broad hat and rain-coat, and in this garb asked a lodging of the assembled Gods. They said:—'Thy behaviour has been filthy and wicked, and therefore thou hast been banished. How canst thou ask of us a lodging?' In the end they unanimously repulsed him. Therefore, although the wind and rain were very violent, he was unable to find a resting-place, and went downwards, suffering bitterly. Ever since that time all the world has avoided entering the house of another wearing a broad hat and a grass rain-coat, or bearing a bundle of grass on the back. For a breach of (I. 48.) these rules an expiatory fine is certainly imposed. This is an institution which has come down to us from remote antiquity.
3After this, Sosa no wo no Mikoto said:—'All the Gods have banished me, and I am now about to depart for ever. Why should I not see my elder sister face to face; and why take it on me of my own accord to depart without more ado?' So he again ascended to Heaven, disturbing Heaven and disturbing Earth. Now Ame no Uzume, seeing this, reported it to the Sun-Goddess. The Sun-Goddess said:—'My younger brother has no good purpose in coming up. It is surely because he wishes to rob me of my kingdom. Though I am a woman, why should I shrink?' So she arrayed herself in martial garb, etc., etc.
4Thereupon Sosa no wo no Mikoto swore to her, and said:—'If I have come up again cherishing evil feelings, the children which I shall now produce by chewing jewels will certainly be females, and in that case they must be sent down to the Central Land of Reed-Plains. But if my intentions are pure, then I shall produce male children, and in that case they must be made to rule the Heavens. The same oath will also hold good as to the children produced by my elder sister.' In this way the Sun-Goddess first of all chewed her ten-span sword, etc., etc.
5Sosa no wo no Mikoto straightway unwound, coil after coil, the complete string of five hundred jewels entwined in the right knot of his hair. The jewels chinked as he rinsed them on the surface of the true well of Heaven. Then he chewed their ends, and laid them on his left palm, thus producing a child, who was called Masa-ya-a-katsu-katsu-haya-hi-ama-no-oshi-ho-ne no Mikoto. After this he chewed the left jewels, and placing them on his right palm, produced a child, who was called Ama-no-ho-hi no Mikoto. He is the ancestor of the Idzumo no Omi, of the Musashi no Miyakko, and of the Hashi no Muraji. There was next (I. 49.) produced Ama tsu hikone no Mikoto, the ancestor of the Mubaraki no Miyakko and of the Nukada Be no Muraji. Next was produced Iku-me tsu hikone no Mikoto, and next Kumano no Oho-sumi no Mikoto—in all six male Deities. Then Sosa no wo no Mikoto spoke to the Sun-Goddess, and said:—'The reason why I came up a second time was that, having been condemned by the assembled Gods to banishment to the Nether Land, and being about to take my departure thither, I could never bear to become separated from my elder sister without having seen her face to face. Therefore it is truly with a pure heart, and not otherwise, that I came up again. Now that our interview is over, I must return hence for ever to the Nether Land, in obedience to the Divine behest of the assembled Deities. I pray that my elder sister may illuminate the Land of Heaven, and that it may spontaneously enjoy tranquillity. Moreover, I deliver to my elder sister the children which, with a pure heart, I have produced.' Having done so, he returned downwards."