04. Ohokuninushi

The summary

Ohokuninushi saved a white hare, and got married to Yagami-Hime. But he was persecuted by his brothers, so he ran away to the Ne-no-Kuni (underground-land). Then he married Suseri-Bime and was tried by her father Susanowo. After that, he completed the land with the little-deity Sukuna-Bikona.

The Translation

1) The White Hare of Inaba

This Oho-Kuni-Nushi-no-Kami(**1) had the eighty-deities (a-great-many-deities) brothers. But all of them turned the land over to Oho-Kuni-Nushi-no-Kami. The reason for their turning it over was the following.

Those every eighty-deities wished to marry Yagami-Hime(**2) who was in Inaba Province(*1), and so they went to Inaba Province together. They forced Oho-Namudi-no-Kami(**1) to carry their bags on his back, and made him be their servant and went.
When they reached Keta Promontory(*2), there was a naked hare lying down. Hereupon the eighty-deities said to the hare, "You should, pour sea-water of here over yourself, and lie down on the ridge of a high mountain in order to dry in the wind."
So that the hare lay down as it was told by the eighty-deities. But as the sea-water [which it was poured] dried, the skin of its body all were chapped by the wind, so that it lay weeping down in pain.

Then, Oho-Namudi-no-Kami who came last of all saw the hare and asked, "Why do you lie weeping down?"
The hare answered, "I was in the island of Oki-no-Shima(*3), and wished to cross over to this shore, but I had no means of crossing over. And so I deceived shark of the sea and said: --- 'I wish to compete by you and me, and count up which tribe is more. And so you will bring every member of your tribe, and lie in single file from this island to Keta Promontory. Then I will tread on them, and count running and crossing over. We will know which tribe is numerous, thus.' --- I said so, they were deceived and lay in a file, and so I trod on them and counted crossing over. But when I was just about to get on land, I said: --- 'You have been deceived by me!' --- But as soon as I had finished saying, the shark who lay the end of all seized me and stripped the all clothes (skin) of mine off. And so I was weeping and grieving, then the eighty-deities who came before you commanded me to pour sea-water and lie down in the wind. And so I did as I was told, but my whole body was hurt."

Hereupon, Oho-Namudi-no-Kami told the hare, "Go quickly now to this estuary, and wash your body with the fresh water, and take the pollen of a cattail at the estuary at once, and scatter it, and roll on it. If you do so, the wound of your skin certainly healed up and be all right again."
Thereupon, it did as it was told, and its body came to be all right again. This is the White Hare of Inaba. It is now called the Hare-Deity.

And, the hare said to Oho-Namudi-no-Kami, "Those eighty-deities certainly will not be get Yagami-Hime. Although you carry the bags on your back, you will get her."

2) The Persecution by Brothers

Thereupon Yagami-Hime(**1) answered the eighty-deities, "I will not listen to your words. I will marry Oho-Namuji-no-Kami(**2)." Hereupon the eighty-deities got angry, and wished to kill Oho-Namuji-no-Kami, and took counsel together.
And they arrived at the foot of Mt.Tema(*1) in Hahaki Province and said to him, "There is a red wild-boar on this mountain. We run it down, wait and catch it. If you cannot wait and catch it, we will certainly kill you," and set fire to a large stone like a wild-boar, and rolled it down. Then he caught it rolling down, therefore he was burned by the stone at once, and died.

Hereupon his august-mother-deity lamented and grieved, and went up to Heaven, and entreated Kamu-Musuhi-no-Mikoto(**3). She at once sent Kisagahi-Hime(**4) and Umugi-Hime(**5) and had them bring him to life. Then Kisagahi-Hime powdered an ark-shell and gathered it, and Umugi-Hime waited and received it and applied the clam-soup [with the powder of an ark-shell] to him, therefore he became a splendid man and stepped lively.

Hereupon the eighty-deities looked at this, and deceived him again, and enticed him to be into the mountain together. They felled a large tree, and drove a wedge into the tree, and made him stand into the fissure, and took off the wedge at once, and pintched him to death.

Hereupon his august-mother-deity lamented again and looked for him, and could found him. At once she cleaved the tree and took him out and brought him to life, and said to her child, "If you are here, you are destroyed by the eighty-deities at last," and sent him to the place of Ohoya-Biko-no-Kami(**6) in Ki Province(*2) at once.

And the eighty-deities looked for him and pursued, and fixed an arrow to the bowstring and demanded [that Ohoya-Biko should hand over him to them]. Then Ohoya-Biko made him escape from under the fork of a tree, and said to him, "Go to the land of Ne-no-Katasu-Kuni(*3) where Susanowo-no-Mikoto(**7) dwells. That Great Deity will give counsel to you surely."

3) The Visit to the Underground

Wherefore, Oho-Namudi(**1) came to the place of Susanowo-no-Mikoto(**2) as he had been said. Then Suseri-Bime(**3), his daughter, came out and looked at him, and they gazed each other and married, and she went in back and told her father, "A very splendid deity has come."

Hereupon the Great Deity went out and looked at him and said, "[I know,] This is Ashihara-Sikowo-no-Mikoto(**1)," and called him in at once, and made him sleep in the room (cave) of snakes. Hereupon his wife, Suseri-Bime-no-Mikoto gave her hasband the fetish-scarf of snake-proof and said, "When the snakes are about to bite you, drive them away by waving this fetish-scarf thrice." So that he did as he had been instructed, the snakes became quiet of themselves. Therefore he slept peacefully and came out.

Again on the next night, he made him be in the room (cave) of centipedes and hornets. Hereupon she gave him the fetish-scarf of centipede-proof and hornet-proof and instructed as she had instructed before, so that he came out peacefully again.

Moreover, he made him gather the whizzing arrows [with a turnip-shaped head] which he had shot into the large field. But, when he came into the field, he set fire to all around the field at once. Thereupon, he had not observed the place of exit, just then a rat came and said, "The inside is hora-hora (hollow-and-roomy), the outside is subu-subu (narrow-and-shut)." Since he had been instructed so, he stamped the ground. Then he fell into the hole and hid himself, and the fire burnt past while he hid.
Then the rat brought him the whizzing arrows in its mouth and offered it. All the feathers of the arrow were torn off the teeth by children of the rat.

Hereupon, his wife Suseri-Bime came lamenting with mourning-implements, and her father the Great Deity thought that he had been already dead, and went out and stood on the field. Then Oho-Namudi brought the arrows and offered it.

He took him into the house (palace), and called him into the large room spaced out pillars far apart, and made him take the lice off his head. Then he looked at the head, there were many centipedes there. Thereupon, his wife gathered the berries of muku-tree (a sort of elm) and red-clay, and gave him. And he chewed the berries to pieces, and spat them out with the red-clay, so that the Great Deity believed him to be chewing up and spitting out the centipedes, and so felt him to be a hopeful in his heart, and fell asleep.

Then, he grasped the hair of the Deity and tied it to each rafter of the room, and put the great rock [which was to the extent that 500 people in a lump could haul] in front of the door of the house in order to block, and carried his wife Suseri-Bime on his back, and carried the Iku-Tachi (lively-sword), the Iku-Yumiya (lively-bow-and-arrows) and the Ame-no-Norigoto (heavenly-Japanese-harp) of the Great Deity, and ran away at once.
But then Ame-no-Norigoto rubbed against a tree, and the ground quaked and rumbled. Hereupon, the Great Deity who was sleeping started at the sound, and pulled down the room. But while he was disentangling his hair which was tied to the rafters, he ran away a long way.

And, he pursued him and reached the slope of Yomo-tsu-Hira-Saka (cliff-slope-of-Hades-land)(*1), and saw him in the distance, and said to Oho-Namudi-no-Kami, "Thou, with the Iku-Tachi and the Iku-Yumiya, drive your brothers down to the foot of a slope, and drive them away to the shoal of a river. You brat, become Oho-Kuni-Nushi-no-Kami, and become Utsushi-Kunitama-no-Kami, and make my daughter Suseri-Bime your first queen consort. In the foot of Mt.Uka(*2), sink the thick pillars of palace in the ground deeply, and raise the projecting-cross-beams above the Takama-no-Hara (Plain-of-High-Heaven), and dwell the palace (shrine). You rascal!"

Thereupon he drove the eighty-deities out with the Iku-Tachi and the Iku-Yumiya, then he drove down to the each foot of a slope, and drove away to the each shoal of a river, and he begun to make the land.

After that, the Yagami-Hime(**4) married him as the former promise, and he brought her [to Idzumo Province], but she feared his first queen consort Suseri-Bime, and put the child who she had borne between the ki-no-mata (fork-of-a-tree) and went back.
Therefore, the child is called Kimata-no-Kami(**5), and is also called Miwi-no-Kami.

4) The Poems of Courtship

This Yachihoko-no-Kami(**1) wished to marry Nunakaha-Hime(**2) of Koshi Province(*1) and went on. Then he arrived at the house of Nunakaha-Hime and composed a poem.

I, Yachihoko-no-Kami-no-Mikoto, having been unable to marry the spouse,
in the land of eight islands,
having heard, there is a wise maiden,
having heard, there is a splendid maiden,
in the faraway faraway, Koshi Province,
he has gone over, to marry her,
he has come over, to marry her.
Without having untied yet, even the cord of his sword,
without having untied yet, even his veil,
the wooden door of the house, in which the maiden is sleeping,
I have been standing, to push it,
I have been standing, to pull it,
then a nue (dusky-thrush) warbles, upon the verdant mountain,
and the wild-bird, the pheasant resounds,
and the yard-bird, the hen clucks.
Those are the birds, singing disgustingly!
Please knock those birds down, and make them stop singing,
oh, the heavenly-messenger-bird!
I convey this as the message.
[poem02]

Hereupon the Nunakaha-Hime, without opening the door yet, composed poems from the inside.

To Yachihoko-no-Kami-no-Mikoto.
I am a maiden, as a pliant herb,
hence my heart is [wishing for a spouse], as the bird at the water's edge.
It is the bird doing at my will, for now,
it will be the bird having at your free command, some day.
Please do not take the life [of those birds],
oh, the heavenly-messenger-bird!
I convey this as the message.
[poem3]

When the sun hides, behind the verdant mountain,
I will go out [to meet you] in the [black] night, as the seed of a sweet-flag.
Then you will come smilingly, as the shining morning-sun,
oh, my white arm, as the rope of a paper-mulberry,
oh, my fresh bust, as a light-snow,
you will caress it,
you will caress it and intertwine,
you will rest your head on my [beautiful] arm, as a true jewel-bead, as a jewel-bead,
you will rest stretching your limbs.
Please do not be dying to see your love, so much.
To Yachihoko-no-Kami-no-Mikoto, I convey this as the message.
[poem04]

Hereupon, they did not meet on the night, and they met on the next night.

5) The Jealous Queen Consort

Therefore Suseri-Bime-no-Mikoto(**1) who was the first queen consort of that deity was jealous extremely. So that the husband-deity was in a dilemma, and was about to go up Yamato Province(*1) from Idzumo(*2), and he prepared himself to leave for, with his hand on the saddle of his horse and his foot in the stirrup, then he composed a poem.

When I am dressed politely, in a august black raiment, as the seed of a sweet-flag,
and I look at my chest, as [if] the bird of the offing [bent its head],
and I open arms, [as if the bird of the offing spread its wings],
this does not suit me,
hence I throw off it behind, as [if] the waves of the water's edge [washed the shore and backed up].

When I am dressed politely, in a august blue raiment, as a kingfisher,
and I look at my chest, as [if] the bird of the offing [bent its head],
and I open arms, [as if the bird of the offing spread its wings],
this does not suit me likewise,
hence I throw off it behind, as [if] the waves of the water's edge [washed the shore and backed up].

In the mountain field, seeded madder, and pounded it,
when I am dressed politely, in a raiment dyed [indigo], in the sap of the dyestuff grass,
and I look at my chest, as [if] the bird of the offing [bent its head],
and I open arms, [as if the bird of the offing spread its wings],
this suits me!

Oh, my dear spouse,
if I lead flocks and come, as flocking birds,
if I am led with flocks and come, as following birds [after a head bird],
you say that you will not weep,
but you will be with your head drooped, as a solitary susuki (Japanese-pampas-grass), at the foot of a mountain,
and you will be weeping, as if the mist of the morning shower hung over.
Oh, my dear spouse, as a fresh herb!
I convey this as the message.
[poem05]

Then the queen consort took a great august liquor-cup and came near him and offered it, and composed a poem.

To Yachihoko-no-Kami-no-Miokoto(**2), My Oho-Kuni-Nushi(**2).
You are a very man,
hence I should think you have spouses, as a fresh herb,
in the headland and headland of islands, that you go your rounds,
in the headland after headland of beaches, that you go your rounds.
But I am a woman,
hence I have no man except you,
hence I have no spouse except you.

Beneath the fluttering drapery of twill,
beneath the soft coverlet [woven the fiber of the stem] of a nettle,
beneath the rustling coverlet [woven the fiber of the bark] of a paper-mulberry,
oh, my fresh bust, as a light-snow,
oh, my white arm, as the rope [woven the fiber of the bark] of a paper-mulberry,
please caress it,
please caress it and interwine,
please rest your head on my [beautiful] arm, as a true jewel-bead, as a jewel-bead,
please rest stretching your limbs,
please taste the luxuriant-august-liquor!
[poem06]

She composed so, then they exchanged drinking cups in order to plight their bond of affection, and have dwelt necking each other until the present. These are called Kamu-Gatari(*3).

6) The Genealogy of Ohokuninushi

After that, this Oho-Kuni-Nushi-no-Kami(**1) married Takiri-Bime-no-Mikoto(**2) who dwelled in the Oki-tsu-Miya of Munakata(*1) and gave birth to Adisuki-Takahikone-no-Kami(**3), next his younger-sister Taka-Hime-no-Mikoto(**4) whose another name was Shitateru-Hime-no-Mikoto.
This Adisuki-Takahikone-no-Kami is now called Kamo-no-Ohomikami.

Besides, Oho-Kuni-Nushi-no-Kami married Kamuya-Tate-Hime-no-Mikoto and gave birth to Kotoshiro-Nushi-no-Kami(**5).
Moreover, he married Totori-no-Kami who was the daughter of Yashima-Mudino-no-Kami and gave birth to Torinarumi-no-Kami.

This deity married Hinateru-Nukata-Bichiwo-Ikochini-no-Kami and gave birth to Kuni-Oshitomi.
This deity married Ashinadaka-no-Kami whose another name was Yagahae-Hime and gave birth to Hayamika-no-Takesahayadinumi-no-Kami.
This deity married Sakitama-Hime who was the daughter of Ame-no-Mikanushi-no-Kami and gave birth to Mikanushi-Hiko-no-Kami.
This deity married Hinarashi-Bime who was the daughter of Okami-no-Kami(**6) and gave birth to Tahiriki-Shimarumi-no-Kami.
This deity married Ikutama-Sakitama-Hime-no-Kami who was the daughter of Hihiragi-no-Sonohanamadzumi-no-Kami and gave birth to Mironami-no-Kami.
This deity married Awonu-Umanu-Oshi-Hime who was the daughter of Shikiyama-Nushi-no-Kami and gave birth to Nuno-Oshitomi-Torinarumi-no-Kami.
This deity married Waka-Tsukushime-no-Kami and gave birth to Ame-no-Hibara-Ohosinadomi-no-Kami.
This deity married Toho-tsu-Machine-no-Kami who was the daughter of Ame-no-Sagiri-no-Kami(**7) and gave birth to Toho-tsu-Yamasaki-Tarashi-no-Kami.

from Yashima-Jinumi-no-Kami(**8) to Toho-tsu-Yamasaki-Tarashi-no-Kami are called the Deities of Seventeen Generations.

7) The Little Deity

After that, when Oho-Kuni-Nushi-no-Kami(**1) dwelt at Miho Promontory(*1) in Idzumo, there came up the deity, riding on the heavenly-oval-potato-boat from beyond the waves, with his clothes which was made of skin of a moth flayed wholly.
Hereupon he asked him his name, but he did not answered. Besides, he asked the deities attending him, but all of them answered that they does not know.
Then the toad said, "Kue-Biko(**2) will surely know it," and he called Kue-Biko and asked him at once. Then he answered, "This is Sukuna-Bikona-no-Kami(**3) who is the august child of Kamu-Musuhi-no-Kami(**4)."

So that he informed Kamu-Musuhi-no-Mioya-no-Mikoto of it, then she answered, "This is my child certainly. Among my children, this is the child who dripped between the fork of my fingers [and to be the deity]. So, thou (Sukuna-Bikona), be brotherhood with Ashihara-Shikowo-no-Mikoto(**1), and make and strengthen this land."
Thereupon, the two deities, Oho-Namudi(**1) and Sukuna-Bikona worked together from that time, and had made and strengthened this land. After that, that Sukuna-Bikona-no-Kami crossed over to the Tokoyo-no-Kuni (Eternal-Land)(*2).

Then, Kue-Biko who had told the name of Sukuna-Bikona-no-Kami is now called Yamada-no-Sohodo. This deity cannot walk with his legs, but he is the deity who knows everything of the whole country.

8) The Deity of Mt.Mimoro

Thereupon, Oho-Kuni-Nushi-no-Kami(**1) was anxious and said, "How will I be able to make this land by myself? What deity will I work together and make this land well?"
At this time, there came up the deity illuminating the sea. The deity said, "If you enshrine my soul carefully, I can work together and finish to make it well. If you do not so, you cannot finish to make the land."
Then Oho-Kuni-Nushi-no-Kami asked, "If so, how do I enshrine you?" He answered, "Reverently enshrine me on the eastern mountain in Yamato(*1), like green fence enclosed [basin of Yamato]."
This is the deity who dwells on the Mt.Mimoro(*2).

9) The Genealogy of Ohotoshi

So, that Oho-Toshi-no-Kami(**1) married Ino-Hime(**2) who was the daughter of Kamu-Ikusubi-no-Kami(**3), and gave birth to Ohokuni-Mitama-no-Kami(**4), next Kara-no-Kami(**5), next Sohori-no-Kami(**6), next Shirahi-no-Kami(**7), next Hijiri-no-Kami(**8). 5 deities.

Besides, he married Kayo-Hime(**9) also, and gave birth to Oho-Kaguyamatomi-no-Kami(**10), next Mitoshi-no-Kami(**11). 2 deities.

Moreover, he married Ame-Chikarumidu-Hime(**12) also, and gave birth to Okitsu-Hiko-no-Kami(**13), next Okitsu-Hime-no-Kami(**14); whose another name was Ohohe-Hime-no-Kami, who have been worshipped as the deity of a oven (kitchen) by people.
Next Oho-Yamakuhi-no-Kami(**15); whose another name was Yamasuwe-no-Ohonushi-no-Kami, who is enshrined at Mt.Hie(*1) in Chika-tsu-Afumi Province, who is enshrined at Matsunowo of Kadzuno(*2) likewise, who is the deity having the whizzing arrows with a turnip-shaped head.
Next Nihatsuhi-no-Kami(**16), next Asuha-no-Kami(**17), next Hahiki-no-Kami(**18), next Kaguyamatomi-no-Kami(**19), next Hayama-To-no-Kami(**20), next Niha-Takatsuhi-no-Kami(**21), next Oho-Tsuchi-no-Kami(**22) whose another name was Tsuchi-no-Mioya-no-Kami. 9 deities(*3).

There were sixteen deities in all from Ohokuni-Mitama-no-Kami who was the child of Oho-Toshi-no-Kami to Oho-Tsuchi-no-Kami.

Hayama-To-no-Kami(**20) married Ohogetsu-Hime-no-Kami(**23), and gave birth to Waka-Yamakuhi-no-Kami(**24), next Waka-Toshi-no-Kami(**25), next his younger sister Waka-Saname-no-Kami(**26), next Midzumaki-no-Kami(**27), next Natsu-Takatsuhi-no-Kami(**28) whose another name was Natsu-no-Me-no-Kami, next Aki-Bime-no-Kami(**29), next Kuku-Toshi-no-Kami(**30), next Kukuki-Wakamurotsunane-no-Kami(**31).

There were eight deities in all from the child of Hayama to Wakamurotsunane.