Thou, beyond all others,
A man long in the land—
Hast thou not heard
That a wild goose has laid an egg
In Akitsushima,
The land of Yamato?[1]
Takechi no Sukune made a song in reply, saying:—
Our great Lord
Who rules tranquilly,
Right is he, right is he
To ask me.
For in Akitsushima,
In the land of Yamato,
Never have I heard
That a wild goose has laid an egg.
A.D. 365. (XI. 29.) 53rd year. Silla did not attend the Court with tribute.
5th month. Takahase, ancestor of the Kimi of Kōdzuke, was sent to ask the reason of the failure to send tribute. On his way he took a white deer, and returning with it, presented it to the Emperor. He then chose another day and started on his journey. Shortly after, the Emperor sent in addition Takahase's younger brother Tamichi, and commanded him, saying:—"If Silla is recalcitrant, raise an army and invade that land." So he gave him chosen troops. Silla raised an army and made opposition. Now the Silla men offered battle daily. But Tamichi made strong his barriers, and would not go out. Now a Silla soldier who had been let out from the camp was taken prisoner. So being questioned as to the condition of affairs, he answered, saying:—"There are mighty men, called the 'Hundred Thrusters,'[2] nimble and valorous, who always form the right van of the army. Therefore if you observe this and attack the left, it will be routed." Now Silla allowed the left to
- ↑ See Ch. K., p. 283. Wild geese do not nest in Japan.
- ↑ It may be only one man of this name.
the 78th year of Nintoku Tennō's reign, which, as one account says that he was born in the 9th year of Keikō Tennō, would make him 312 years of age at his death. It has been suggested that there were several persons of this name who succeeded each other as hereditary prime ministers. But the simpler explanation is that the chronology at this period is wildly inaccurate, as there is plenty of other evidence to show.
