2. Nihon Shoki I — 2

1Now the male deity turning by the left, and the female deity by the right, they went round the pillar of the land separately. When they met together on one side, the female (I. 6.) deity spoke first and said:—"How delightful! I have met with a lovely youth." The male deity was displeased, and said:—"I am a man, and by right should have spoken first. How is it that on the contrary thou, a woman, shouldst have been the first to speak? This was unlucky. Let us go round again." Upon this the two deities went back, and having met anew, this time the male deity spoke first, and said:—"How delightful! I have met a lovely maiden."

2Then he inquired of the female deity, saying:—"In thy body is there aught formed?" She answered, and said:—"In my body there is a place which is the source of femineity." The male deity said:—"In my body again there is a place which is the source of masculinity. I wish to unite this source-place of my body to the source-place of thy body." Hereupon the male and female first became united as husband and wife.

3Now when the time of birth arrived, first of all the island of Ahaji was reckoned as the placenta, and their minds took no pleasure in it. Therefore it received the name of Ahaji no Shima.

4Next there was produced the island of Oho-yamato no Toyo-aki-tsu-shima.

5Here and elsewhere 日本 (Nippon) is to be read Yamato.

6(I. 7.) Next they produced the island of Iyo no futa-na, and next the island of Tsukushi. Next the islands of Oki and Sado were born as twins. This is the prototype of the twin-births which sometimes take place among mankind.

7Next was born the island of Koshi, then the island of Oho-shima, then the island of Kibi no Ko.

8Hence first arose the designation of the Oho-ya-shima country.

9Then the islands of Tsushima and Iki, with the small islands in various parts, were produced by the coagulation of the foam of the salt-water.

10It is also stated that they were produced by the coagulation of the foam of fresh water.

11In one writing it is said:—"The Gods of Heaven addressed Izanagi no Mikoto and Izanami no Mikoto, (I. 8.) saying: 'There is the country Toyo-ashi-hara-chi-i-wo-aki no midzu-ho. 'Do ye proceed and bring it into order.' They then gave them the jewel-spear of Heaven. Hereupon the two Gods stood on the floating bridge of Heaven, and plunging down the spear, sought for land. Then upon stirring the ocean with it, and bringing it up again, the brine which dripped from the spear-point coagulated and became an island, which was called Ono-goro-jima. The two gods descended, dwelt in this island, and erected there an eight-fathom palace. They also set up the pillar of Heaven."

12Then the male Deity asked the female Deity, saying:—"Is there anything formed in thy body?" She answered and said:—"My body has a place completely formed, and called the source of femineity." The male god said:—"My body again has a place completely formed, and called the source of masculinity. I desire to unite my source of masculinity to thy source of femineity." Having thus spoken, they prepared to go round the pillar of Heaven, and made a promise, saying:—"Do thou, my younger sister, go round from the left, while I will go round from the right." Having done so, they went round separately and met, when the female Deity spoke first, and said:—"How pretty! a lovely youth!" The male Deity then answered and said:—"How pretty! a lovely maiden!" Finally they became husband and wife. Their first child was the

13leech, whom they straightway placed in a reed-boat and sent (I. 9.) adrift. Their next was the Island of Ahaji. This also was not included in the number of their children. Wherefore they returned up again to Heaven, and fully reported the circumstances. Then the Heavenly Gods divined this by the greater divination. Upon which they instructed them, saying:—"It was by reason of the woman's having spoken first; ye had best return thither again." Thereupon having divined a time, they went down. The two deities accordingly went again round the pillar, the male Deity from the left, and the female Deity from the right. When they met, the male Deity spoke first and said:—"How pretty! a lovely maiden!" The female Deity next answered and said:—"How pretty! a lovely youth!" Thereafter they dwelt together in the same palace and had children, whose names were Oho-yamato no Toyo-aki-tsu-shima, next the island of Ahaji, next the island of Iyo no futa-na, next the island of Tsukushi, next the triplet islands of Oki, next the island of Sado, next the island of Koshi, next the island of Kibi-no-ko. The country was accordingly called the "Great-Eight-Island Country."

14In one writing it is said:—"The two Deities Izanagi no Mikoto and Izanami no Mikoto stood in the midst of the mist of Heaven, and said:—'We wish to find a country.' So they thrust down the jewel-spear of Heaven, and groped about till they found the island of Ono-goro. Then they drew back the spear and rejoiced, saying:—'Good! there is a country!'"

15In one writing it is said:—"The two Deities Izanagi no Mikoto and Izanami no Mikoto sat in the Plain of High Heaven, and said:—'There must surely be a country.' So with the jewel spear of Heaven they scraped together the island of Ono-goro."

16In one writing it is said:—"The two Deities Izanagi no Mikoto and Izanami no Mikoto spoke to one another, saying: — 'There is something resembling floating oil. In the midst of this there is perhaps a country.' So they (I. 10.) took the jewel-spear of Heaven and groping about formed with it an island which was called Ono-goro."