Page:Nihongi by Aston.djvu/354

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Ingiō.

323

saying:—"It was by my intent that no beast was caught. In the bottom of the sea of Akashi there is a pearl. If this pearl is sacrificed to me, ye shall be able to catch all the beasts." Hereupon they proceeded to assemble the fishermen of the various places, and made them search the bottom of the sea of Akashi. When they dived into the sea, however, they were unable to (XIII. 14.) reach the bottom. But there was one fisherman named Wosashi, a fisher of Naga-zato in the province of Aha, who excelled all the fishers. He tied a rope to his loins, and went down to the bottom of the sea. After some time he came forth, and said:—"In the bottom of the sea there is a great sea-ear,^[1] and this place is shining." Everybody said:—"Probably the pearl which the God of the Island has asked for is in this sea-ear's belly." Again he went in and searched for it. Hereupon Wosashi came to the surface with the great sea-ear in his arms, but his breath had ceased, and he died on the surface of the waves. Afterwards a rope was let down and the bottom of the sea was measured. The depth was found to be sixty fathoms. When the sea-ear was split open, a true pearl was found in its belly, in size like a peach. This was offered to the God of the Island, and a hunt being made, they caught many beasts. But they grieved that Wosashi had met his death by entering the sea, and made a tomb, in which they reverently interred him. That tomb exists at the present day.

A.D. 434. 23rd year, Spring, 3rd month, 7th day. The Imperial Prince Kinashi Karu was made Heir to the Throne. He was fair to look upon, and those who saw him spontaneously loved him. His sister by the same mother,^[2] the Imperial Princess Karu no Oho-iratsume, was also beautiful. The Heir Apparent's thoughts were constantly bent on becoming united to the

↑ The ahabi or Haliotis tuberculata.
↑ The prominence given to brotherhood and sisterhood by the same mother in the "Nihongi," as in Homer, has not, it appears to me, the significance attributed to it by McLennan's theory, which would trace back such terms to a time when the mother was the only parent as to whom there could be no doubt. It seems to me that the father's parentage is here taken for granted, the phrase really meaning brother or sister by the mother's side as well as by the father's, and that such phrases are merely indications of polygamous customs, not necessarily of promiscuity or polyandry.

[1] The ahabi or Haliotis tuberculata.

[2] The prominence given to brotherhood and sisterhood by the same mother in the "Nihongi," as in Homer, has not, it appears to me, the significance attributed to it by McLennan's theory, which would trace back such terms to a time when the mother was the only parent as to whom there could be no doubt. It seems to me that the father's parentage is here taken for granted, the phrase really meaning brother or sister by the mother's side as well as by the father's, and that such phrases are merely indications of polygamous customs, not necessarily of promiscuity or polyandry.

[1]

[2]