THE KOJIKI
The Champion of Japan
YAMATO-TAKE SLAYS HIS ELDER BROTHER[1]
The Heavenly Sovereign said to His Augustness Wo-usu: "Why does not thine elder brother come forth to the morning and evening great august repasts?[2] Be thou the one to take the trouble to teach him his duty." Thus he commanded; but for five days after, still the prince came not forth. Then the Heavenly Sovereign deigned to ask His Augustness Wo-usu, saying: "Why is thine elder brother so long of coming? Hast thou perchance not yet taught him his duty?" He replied, saying: "I have been at that trouble." Again the Heavenly Sovereign said: "How didst thou take the trouble?"[3] He replied, saying: "In the early morning when he went into the privy, I grasped hold of him and crushed him, and, pulling off his limbs,[4] wrapped them in matting and flung them away.
YAMATO-TAKE SLAYS THE KUMASO BRAVOES
Thereupon the Heavenly Sovereign, alarmed at the valor and ferocity of his august child's disposition, commanded him, saying: "In the West there are two Kumaso bravoes—unsubmissive and disrespectful men. So take them"—and with this command he sent him off. It happened that at this time his august hair was bound at the brow.[5] Then His Au-
- ↑ Yamato-take means "Japan-champion." The hero's original name was Wo-usu. He was the emperor's son. The original account of this celebrated hero in the "Kojiki" is obviously very old. The "Nihongi" also tells of him, but gives all credit for his deeds to the emperor, Kei-ko
- ↑ Viz., to attend on his Imperial father.
- ↑ I.e., "How didst thou do it?"
- ↑ Literally, "branches."
- ↑ I.e., caught up from the brow and tied together on the crown of the head. This being the way in which the hair of boys was dressed, the author thus intimates that His Augustness was still a youth.
