05. The Subjection of Earth

The summary

The heavenly-deities dispatched some deities to Ashihara-Naka-tsu-Kuni (ground-land), and pressed the earthly-deities.

The translation

1) The Dispatch of Hohi

Amaterasu-Ohomikami(**1) commanded, "The land of Toyo-Ashihara-no-Chiaki-Nagaihoaki-no-Midzuho-no-Kuni(*1) is the land which my august child Masakatsu-Akatsu-Kachihayahi-Ame-no-Oshihomimi-no-Mikoto(**2) should rule over," and entrusted him, and made him descend from Heaven.
Hereupon Ame-no-Oshihomimi-no-Mikoto stood on the heavenly-floating-bridge and said, "The land of Toyo-Ashihara-no-Chiaki-Nagaihoaki-no-Midzuho-no-Kuni is very noisy," and returned up and asked instructions of Amaterasu-Ohokami.

Thereupon Takami-Musuhi-no-Kami(**3) and Amaterasu-Ohomikami commanded: They assembled the numerous deities in the dry-river-bed of the Ame-no-Yasukaha(*2) deity after deity, and made Omohikane-no-Kami(**4) consider a plan, and said, "That land of Ashihara-Naka-tsu-Kuni(*1) is the entrusted land which my august child should rule over. But, it is thought that there are numerous, fierce, rough, Kuni-tsu-Kami (eathly-deities) in this land. So, which deity will we dispatch to subdue them?"
Then Omohikane-no-Kami conferred with numerous deities and said, "Ame-no-Hohi-no-Kami(**5), we should dispatch him."

Thereupon, they dispatched Ame-no-Hohi-no-Kami, but he truckled to Oho-Kuni-Nushi-no-Kami(**6) at once, wherefore he had not reported [the result of the mission] yet for three years.

2) The Dispatch of Wakahiko

Therefore, Takami-Musuhi-no-Kami(**1) and Amaterasu-Ohomikami(**2) asked the numerous deities again, "Ame-no-Hohi-no-Kami(**3) whom we dispatched to the land of Ashihara-Naka-tsu-Kuni(*1) has not reported yet for long. Which deity will we dispatch again?"
Then Omohikane-no-Kami(**4) answered, "We should dispatch Ame-no-Wakahiko(**5), The child of Ama-tsu-Kunitama-no-Kami(**6)."
Thereupon, they gave the bow of Ame-no-Makako-Yumi(*2) and the arrows of Ame-no-Haha-Ya to Ame-no-Wakahiko, and dispatched.

But Ame-no-Wakahiko married Shitateru-Hime(**7) who was the daughter of Oho-Kuni-Nushi-no-Kami(**8) as soon as he descended and arrived onto that land, and plotted to get that land, wherefore he had not reported yet for eight years.

Therefore, Amaterasu-Ohomikami and Takami-Musuhi-no-Kami asked numerous deities again, "Ame-no-Wakahiko has not reported yet for long. Which deity will we dispatch again and make ask the reason why Ame-no-Wakahiko have stayed for long?"
Then the numerous deities and Omohikane-no-Kami answered, "The pheasant whose name is Nakime(**9), we should dispatch her."

Hereupon they commanded [the pheasant], "The words which you will go and ask Ame-no-Wakahiko are --- 'We dispatched you to the land of Ashihara-Naka-tsu-Kuni, because we will subdue and pacify the rough deities of the land. Why has you not reported yet for eight years?' --- You will ask so."

Thereupon, Nakime descended and reached from Heaven, and perched upon a holy katsura (Japanese-Judas-tree) in front of the gate of Ame-no-Wakahiko, and told fully as the command of Heavenly deities.
Then Ame-no-Sagume(**10) heard this word of the bird, and said to Ame-no-Wakahiko, "The singing notes of this birds is so illomened. So, you should shoot dead."
At once, Ame-no-Wakahiko, with the bow of Ame-no-Haji-Yumi(*3) and the arrows of Ame-no-Kaku-Ya, shot the pheasant dead. Then this arrow shot through the breast of the bird, and was shot up, and reached the place of Amaterasu-Ohomikami and Takagi-no-Kami who dwelled in the dry-river-bed of the Ame-no-YasuKaha(*4). This Takagi-no-Kami is the another name of Takami-Musuhi-no-Kami.

Thereupon when Takagi-no-Kami caught the arrow and looked, the feather of the arrow was stained with blood. Then Takagi-no-Kami said, "This arrow is the arrow which we gave Ame-no-Wakahiko," and at once showed it to the numerous deities and said, "If Ame-no-Wakahiko has not disobeyed our command and the arrow which he had shot the evil deity reached [here], don't hit Ame-no-Wakahiko! If he has had a wicked heart, incur this arrow to Ame-no-Wakahiko!" and took the arrow and thrust back down from the hole which the arrow had shot up [through cloud?], just then it hit the breast of Ame-no-Wakahiko sleeping on the morning-couch, and so he died. This is the source of the returning-arrow.
And the pheasant did not come back, so that this is the source of the present proverb, Kigishi-no-Hitatukahi(*5).

3) The Funeral of Wakahiko

Thereupon, the wail of Shitateru-Hime(**1) who was the wife of Ame-no-Wakahiko(**2) resounded at the mercy of the wind and reached Heaven. Then Ama-tsu-Kunitama-no-Kami(**3), he was in Heaven and was the father of Ame-no-Wakahiko, and his wife and children heard it, and came down and lamented and grieved.
And they built a mourning-house at once, and made the wild-goose of the river the kisari-mochi (offering-food bearer), and made the snowy-heron the hahaki-mochi (broom bearer), and made the kingfisher the mike-bito (offering-food cook), and made the sparrow the usu-me (pounding-rice female), and made the pheasant the naki-me (weeping female). They fixed the cast so, and performed the funeral for eight deys and eight nights.

At this time, Adishiki-Takahikone-no-Kami(**4) reached. And when he offered condolences, the fahter of Ame-no-Wakahiko and his wife and children, they had come down from Heaven, said weeping, "My child is not dead, but alive!" next, "My lord is not dead, but dwelling!" and they clung to his arms and feet, and lamented and grieved.

The reason of their mistake was that the two deities resembled each other closely in an appearance. Therefore they made the mistake.

Then Adishiki-Takahikone-no-Kami was enraged and said, "I had come to condole because he was my intimate friend. Why should I be likened to an unclean dead person!" and drew the Totsuka-no-Tsurugi (ten-fists-length-sword) on which he girt, and felled the mourning-house with it, and kicked it away. [Then, this mourning-house was kicked away and reached far place.]
This is Mt.Mo(*1) at the upper part of the river of Awimigaha in Mino Province. And the name of the great sword with which he felled is called Oho-Hakari(*2), and is also called Kamudo-no-Tsurugi.

And when Adishiki-Takahikone-no-Kami was enraged and flew away, his younger sister Taka-Hime-no-Mikoto(**1) wished to disclose his name, and composed a poem.

The fresh weaver maiden, dwelling in Heaven, wears the necklace.
Oh, the beads, threading on a string, threading on a string!
Oh, the bead, with a eye!
Spreading [the knowledge of his name] over two august ravine,
He is the very Adishiki-Takahikone-no-Kami!
[poem07]

This poem is Hinaburi(*3).

4) The Dispatch of Takemikadzuchi

Hereupon, Amaterasu-Ohomikami(**1) asked, "Which deity will we dispatch again?" Then Omohikane-no-Kami(**2) and numerous deities answered, "The deity who dwells in the Ame-no-Ihaya (heavenly-rock-cavern)(*1) at the upper part of the river of Ame-no-Yasukaha(*2), we should dispatch Itsu-no-Wohabari-no-Kami(**3). If not this deity, the child of the deity, we should dispatch Take-Mikadzuchi-no-Wo-no-Kami(**4). And yet, that Ame-no-Wohabari-no-Kami(**3) have dammed up the waters of the river of Ame-no-Yasukaha against the stream and have blocked the road, so that other deities cannot go. And so we should specially send Ame-no-Kaku-no-Kami(**5) and make him ask."
Thereupon, when they dispatched Ame-no-Kaku-no-Kami and had him ask, he answered, "I feel graciously, so that I will serve you respectfully. Nevertheless you should dispatch my child Take-Mikadzuchi-no-Kami on this mission," and offered it to them.
Thereupon, they dispatched Take-Mikadzuchi-no-Kami with Ame-no-Torifune-no-Kami(**6).

Wherefore, the two deities descended and arrived onto the little beach of Izasa(*3) in Idzumo Province. Then he drew the Totsuka-no-Tsurugi (ten-fists-length-sword), and stood it sticking upside-down on a wave, and sat cross-legged on the tip of the sword, and asked to Oho-Kuni-Nushi-no-Kami(**7), "I have been dispatched to ask, by the command of Amaterasu-Ohomikami and Takagi-no-Kami(**8). The land of Ashihara-Naka-tsu-Kuni(*4) which you have ruled over is the land that her august child should rule over, thus she entrusted. So, what do you think of this?"
Hereupon he answered, "I cannot answer. My child Yahe-Kotoshiro-Nushi-no-Kami(**9) will answer. Nevertheless he has gone out to Miho Promontory(*5) for hunting and fishing."
Thereupon he sent Ame-no-Torifune-no-Kami and had him bring Yahe-Kotoshiro-Nushi-no-Kami, and he asked him. Then he (Kotoshiro-Nushi) said to his father, "I feel graciously (awful). I will offer this land to the august child of the heavenly deity," and at once he heeled over the vessel with his feet, and clapped his hands [in incantation] in order to change it (the vessel) into the green-brushwood-fence, and concealed himself into it.

Thereupon, he asked to that Oho-Kuni-Nushi-no-Kami, "Just now, your child Kotoshiro-Nushi-no-Kami answered so. Are there other children who should state?" Hereupon he said again, "There is my child, Take-Minakata-no-Kami(**10). There is none besides this."
While he was answering so, that Take-Minakata-no-Kami came holding the rock of a great rock on his fingertips, and said, "Whoever came to my land and has talked in whispers thus? If so, I'd like to have a trial of strength. First, I will grasp your hand," and he grasped the hand.
Then he (Take-Mikadzuch), at once, turned his hand into a sharp icicle, and turned his hand into the blade of a sword. Thereupon he (Take-Minakata) feared and shrank back.
And then, on wishing to grasp the hand of Take-Minakata-no-Kami, and demanding it in return, he (Take-Mikadzuch) grasped it as if he grasped a young reed, and crushed it in his hand and threw away. And so he (Take-Minakata) fled away at once. Thereupon he (Take-Mikadzuch) pursued him, and drove him into the lake of Suha(*6) in Shinano Province.

When he was about to kill him, Take-Minakata-no-Kami said, "I feel graciously (awful). Don't kill me, if you please. I will go to no other place besides this. And I will not be against the commands of my father Oho-Kuni-Nushi-no-Kami. And I will not be against the words of Yahe-Kotoshiro-Nushi-no-Kami. I will offer this Ashihara-Naka-tsu-Kuni to the august child of the heavenly deity according to their commands."

5) The Surrender of Idzumo

Thereupon, Take-Mikadzuchi(**1) returned again, and asked to that Oho-Kuni-Nushi-no-Kami(**2), "Your children, Kotoshiro-Nushi-no-Kami(**3) and Take-Minakata-no-Kami(**4) answered that they will not be against the commands of the august child of the heavenly-deity. So, what do you think of this?"
Then he answered, "I also will not be against them according to the words of my children the two deities. I will offer this land of Ashihara-Naka-tsu-Kuni(*1) according to your command. Nevertheless, on condition that you build my palace (place, shrine), [as splendid] as the heavenly splendid palace where the august child of the heavenly deity succeeds to the throne, and you build the palace, of which the thick pillars of the palace are sunk in the ground deeply, and of which the projecting-cross-beams rise above the Takama-no-Hara (Plain-of-High-Heaven)(*2), I will conceal myself into the far place beyond eighty corners in seclusion. And there will be no disobedient deities among my children the 1,80 deities (many deities), on condition that Yahe-Kotoshiro-Nushi-no-Kami serves [heavenly deities?] taking the lead of them and taking the rear of them."

He said so, and [they] built the heavenly (splendid) palace at the little beach of Tagishi(*3) in Idzumo Province. And Kushi-Yatama-no-Kami(**5) who was the grandchild of the Estuary-Deity offered the heavenly august-divine-food as cook. Then, Kushi-Yatama-no-Kami changed himself into a cormorant, and dived into the bottom of the sea and returned holding red-clay of the bottom in his mouth, and made heavenly (splendid) eighty (numerous) flat earthenware, and cut the stem of seaweeds and made it a kindling-board, and made the stem of seaweeds a kindling-drill, and kindled a fire with them, and intoned prayers.

This fire that I have kindled,
--- in Takama-no-Hara (Plain-of-High-Heaven),
--- at the heavenly splendid palace, where the august-mother-deity Kamu-Musuhi(**6) dwells,
blazes up, to a extant that the soot [of the palace] dangles long after long,
--- in underground,
blazes and harden, to a extant the rock-bottom deep after deep.

A fishing fisherman,
casting the very long rope, made of [the fiber of the bank of] a paper-mulberry,
trawls the perch with the big mouth and the splendid caudal fin, lively and noisy.
To a extent that the table [with the dishes] becomes bent to weight, as bamboo cut lengthwise,
he offers the heavenly (splendid) true fish dishes.

Wherefore, Take-Mikadzuchi-no-Kami came up [to Heaven] back, and reported having subdued and pacified the land of Ashihara-Naka-tsu-Kuni.