sidered to be the Heavenly Sovereign’s august child, let him[1] deign to undertake it.” Hereupon the Heavenly Sovereign said:[2] “Although detesting the elder brother, I yet cannot repress my love for the Empress,” and forthwith planned to secure the Empress. Wherefore, choosing from among his warriors a band of the strongest and deftest, he charged [them, saying]: “When ye take the august child, likewise abduct the queen its mother. Whether by the hair or by the hands, or wherever ye may best lay hold of her, clutch her and drag her out.” Then the Empress, knowing his intention beforehand, shaved off all her hair and covered her head with the hair, and likewise made her jewel-string rotten and wound it thrice round her arm, and moreover made her august garments rotten by means of rice-liquor and put on the garments as if they were whole. Having made these preparations, she took the august child in her arms and pushed it outside the castle. Then the strong men, taking the august child, forthwith clutched at the august parent. Then, on their clutching her august hair, the august hair fell off of itself; on their clutching her august arms, the jewel-string likewise snapped; on their clutching her august garments, the august garments at once tore. Therefore they obtained the august child, but did not get the august parent. So the warriors came back [to the Sovereign], and reported, saying: “On account of her august hair falling off of itself, of her august garments easily tearing, and moreover of the jewel-string which was wound round her august hand at once snapping, we have not got the august parent; but we have obtained the august child.” Then the Heavenly Sovereign, sorry and angry, hated the people who made the jewels, and deprived
- ↑ I.e., the Sovereign. The import of this passage is, according to Motowori, that the Empress imagined that her own conduct might perhaps influence the Emperor to refuse to give to the child she bore him its proper rank,—not from doubts as to its legitimacy, but as having a rebel mother. By “undertaking” the child is of course meant “undertaking” the care and education of it.
- ↑ Motowori supposes the Chinese character rendered “said” to be an error, and prefers to consider this clause as containing not the words, but the thought of the Monarch. It would certainly be more convenient to adopt this view, if it were sanctioned by any text.
