Page:Kojiki by Chamberlain.djvu/201

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

Vol. XVI.]

Vol. I. Sect. XXXVII.

115

So at the present day the bèche-de-mer has a slit mouth. Wherefore [from august reign to] august reign, when the offerings of the first-fruits of Shima^[1] are presented [to the Emperor, a portion of them] is granted to the Duchesses of Saru.

[Sect. XXXVII.—The Curse of the Deity Great-Mountain-Possessor.]

Hereupon His Augustness Heaven’s-Sun-Height-Prince-Rice-ear-Ruddy-Plenty met a beautiful person at the august cape of Kasasa, and asked her whose daughter she was. She replied, saying: “I am a daughter of the Deity Great-Mountain-Possessor,^[2] and my name is the Divine-Princess-of-Ata,^[3] another name by which I am called being Princess-Blossoming-Brilliantly-Like-the-Flowers-of-the-Trees.”^[4] Again he asked: “Hast thou any brethren?”^[5] She replied, saying: “There is my elder sister, Princess-Long-as-the-Rocks.”^[6] Then he charged her [,saying]: “Ego sun cupidus soiendi tecum. Tibi quomodo videtur?” She replied, saying: “I^[7] am not able to say. My father the Deity Great-Mountain-Possessor will say.” So he sent a request [for her] to her father the Deity Great-Mountain-Possessor, who, greatly

↑ The smallest of the Japanese provinces, situated to the East of Ise. The name signifies “island,” and it is possible that it ought here to be taken in that sense as a common noun.
↑ See Sect. VI. Note 17.
↑ Kamu-ata-tsu-hime. Ata is a place in Satsuma.
↑ Or “Tree.” Ko-no-hana-saku-ya-hime. Perhaps (though there is no native authority for doing so) we might rather understand saku as a Causative in intention, though not in form, and render the name thus: “Princess-Causing-the-Flowers-of-the-Trees-to-Blossom.” The tree alluded to is doubtless the cherry. This deity is now worshipped as the goddess of Mount Fuzhi (Fusiyama), and in common parlance the last member of the compound forming her name does not receive the nigori,—hime instead of bime. The syllable ya has no signification in this and similar names. It will be remembered that there was another sister named “Princess-Falling-Like-the-Flowers-of-the-Trees. (See Sect. XX. Note 5.)
↑ Or perhaps, though written 兄弟, the original expression were here better rendered by “sisters.”
↑ I.e., as enduring as the rocks. The original name is Iha-naga-hime.
↑ The character used here and immediately below for the First Personal Pronoun is 僕, “servant.”

[1] The smallest of the Japanese provinces, situated to the East of Ise. The name signifies “island,” and it is possible that it ought here to be taken in that sense as a common noun.

[2] See Sect. VI. Note 17.

[3] Kamu-ata-tsu-hime. Ata is a place in Satsuma.

[4] Or “Tree.” Ko-no-hana-saku-ya-hime. Perhaps (though there is no native authority for doing so) we might rather understand saku as a Causative in intention, though not in form, and render the name thus: “Princess-Causing-the-Flowers-of-the-Trees-to-Blossom.” The tree alluded to is doubtless the cherry. This deity is now worshipped as the goddess of Mount Fuzhi (Fusiyama), and in common parlance the last member of the compound forming her name does not receive the nigori,—hime instead of bime. The syllable ya has no signification in this and similar names. It will be remembered that there was another sister named “Princess-Falling-Like-the-Flowers-of-the-Trees. (See Sect. XX. Note 5.)

[5] Or perhaps, though written 兄弟, the original expression were here better rendered by “sisters.”

[6] I.e., as enduring as the rocks. The original name is Iha-naga-hime.

[7] The character used here and immediately below for the First Personal Pronoun is 僕, “servant.”

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]