“As I look on the Moor of Kadzu in Chiba, both the hundred thousand-fold abundant house-places are visisble, and the land’s acme is visible.”[1]
So when he reached the village of Kohata,[2] a beautiful maiden met him at a fork in the road. Then the Heavenly Sovereign asked the maiden, saying: “Whose child art thou?” She replied, saying: “I am the daughter of the Grandee Wani-no-Hifure,[3] and my name is Princess Miya-nushi-ya-kaha-ye.”[4] The Heavenly Sovereign forthwith said to the maiden: “When I return on my progress to-morrow, I will enter into thy house.” So Princess Ya-kaha-he told her father all that [had happened]. Thereupon her father replied, saying: “Ah! it was the Heavenly Sovereign! [His commands are] to be respected. My child, respectfully serve him!”—and so saying, he grandly decorated the house, and awaited [the Heavenly Sovereign’s return], whereupon he came in on the next day.[5] So when [the father] served [the Heavenly Sovereign] a great august feast, he made his daughter Her
- ↑ According to Moribe, whose interpretation has been followed throughout, this Song signifies: “As I gaze across from Uji to the Moor of Toba, I see the numerous and prosperous homesteads of the people, I see the most fertile portion of the country.”—On this view Chiba is identified with Toba, the name of a district; and the word ho, rendered “acme,” is taken to mean the best, highest, most showy part of anything. For Motowori’s opinion, which is that of the older commentators as well, that chi-ba is a Pillow-Word, there is much to be said, and if we followed it, we should have to render the first two lines thus: “As I look on the thousand-leafed pueraria-moor,” etc. (kadzu signifying “pueraria.”) Motowori’s explanation of momo-chi-daru (here rendered by “hundred thousand-fold abundant”) as referring to the soot of the peasant’s roofs, and of ho as signifying “a plain surrounded by mountains” seems much less good than Moribe’s interpretation of those difficult expressions.
- ↑ In the district of Uji in the province of Yamashiro. The characters with which the name is written signify “tree-flag.”
- ↑ Wani no Hifure no omi. For Wani no omi see Sect. LXII, Note 11. The meaning of Hifure is obscure.
- ↑ Miya-nushi-ya-kaha-hime. Miya-nushi is “priestess,” or more literally “temple-guardian.” For the rest of the name see Sect. XXVI, Note 14, though the personages are of course meant to be different.
- ↑ I.e., that day having passed by, the Emperor came on the next day according to his promise.
