8. Nihon Shoki I — 8

1In one writing it is said:—"The Sun-Goddess, aware from the beginning of the fierce and relentless purpose of Sosa no wo no Mikoto, said (to herself) when he ascended: 'The coming of my younger brother is not for a good object. He surely means to rob me of my Plain of Heaven.' So she made manly warlike preparation, girding upon her a ten-span sword, a nine-span sword, and an eight-span sword. Moreover, on her back she slung a quiver, and on her fore-arm drew a dread loud-sounding elbow-pad. In her hand she took a bow and arrow, and going forth to meet him in person, stood on her defence. Then Sosa no wo no Mikoto declared to her, saying:—'From the beginning I have had no evil intentions. All that I wished was to see thee, my elder sister, face to face. It is only for a brief space that I have come.' Thereupon the Sun-Goddess, standing opposite to Sosa no wo no Mikoto, swore an oath, saying:—'If thy heart is pure, and thou hast no purpose of relentless robbery, the children born to thee will surely be males.' When she had finished speaking, she ate first the ten-span sword which she had girded on, and produced a child which was called Oki-tsu-shima-bime. Moreover she ate the nine-span sword, and produced a child which was called Tagi-tsu-hime. Moreover she ate the eight-span sword, and produced a child which was called Tagori-hime—in all three female Deities. After (I. 34.) this Sosa no wo no Mikoto took the august five-hundred string of jewels which hung upon his neck, and having rinsed them in the Nuna well of Heaven, another name for which is the true-well of Isa, and ate them. So he produced a child, which was called Masa-ya-a-katsu-kachi-haya-bi-ame no oshi-ho-ne no Mikoto. Next he produced Ama-tsu-hiko-ne no Mikoto, next Iku-tsu-hiko-ne no Mikoto, next Ama no ho-hi no Mikoto, and next Kumano no oshi homi no Mikoto—in all five male Deities. Therefore as Sosa no wo no Mikoto had thus acquired proof of his victory, the Sun-Goddess learnt exactly that his intentions were wholly free from guilt. The three female Deities which the Sun-Goddess had produced were accordingly sent down to the Land of Tsukushi. She therefore instructed them, saying:—'Do ye, three Deities, go down and dwell in the centre of the province, where you will assist the descendants of Heaven, and receive worship from them.'"

2In one writing it is said:—"When Sosa no wo no Mikoto was about to ascend to Heaven, there was a Deity whose name was Ha-akaru-tama. This Deity came to meet him and presented to him beautiful maga-tama of Yasaka jewels. So Sosa no wo no Mikoto took these gems and went up to Heaven. At this time Ama-terasu

3no Oho-kami, suspecting that the intentions of her younger brother were evil, prepared war and questioned him. Sosa no wo no Mikoto answered and said:—'Truly the sole reason of my coming is that I wished to see my elder sister face to face, and moreover to present to her these beautiful curved jewels of Yasaka gem. I dare not have any other purpose.' Then Ama-terasu no Oho-kami asked (I. 35.) him again, saying:—'Wherewithal wilt thou prove to me whether thy words are true or false?' He answered and said:—'Let thee and me bind ourselves by an oath. If while we are bound by this oath, the children produced are females, my heart is to be accounted black, but if they are males, it is to be thought red.' So they dug three true-wells of Heaven and stood opposite to one another. Then Ama-terasu no Oho-kami spoke to Sosa no wo no Mikoto and said:—'I am now about to give thee the sword which is in my girdle; do thou give me the curved jewels of Yasaka gem which thou hast.' Having thus covenanted they made a mutual exchange. Then Ama-terasu no Oho-kami took the curved jewels of Yasaka gem, and having made them float on the true-well of Heaven, bit off the heads of the jewels and blew them away. The Deity which was produced from amidst her breath was called Ichiki-shima-hime no Mikoto. This is the Goddess who dwells in Oki-tsu miya. Again, a Deity was produced from amidst her breath when she bit through and blew away the middle parts of the jewels. This Deity was called Ta-gori-hime no Mikoto. It is she who dwells in Naka-tsu miya. Again a Deity was produced from amidst her breath when she bit through and blew away the tails of the jewels. This Deity was called Tagi-tsu-hime no Mikoto. It is she who dwells in He-tsu miya. In all there were three female Deities.

4Upon this Sosa no wo no Mikoto, taking the sword which he held, and having made it to float on the surface of the True-Well of Heaven, bit off the end of the sword and blew it away. The Deities which were produced from amidst his breath were called Ama no ho-hi no Mikoto, next Masa-ya-a katsu-katsu-no-haya-hi-ama-no oshi-ho-ne no Mikoto, next Ama-tsu hiko-ne no Mikoto, next Iku-tsu hiko-ne no Mikoto, and next Kumano no kusu-hi no Mikoto. In all there were five male Deities. Such is the story."