Page:Nihongi by Aston.djvu/56

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

The Age of the Gods.

25

'Why didst thou not observe that which I charged thee? Now am I put to shame.' So she sent the eight Ugly Females of Yomi^[1] (Shikome, called by some: Hisame) to pursue and stay him. Izanagi no Mikoto therefore drew his sword, and, flourishing it behind him, ran away. (I. 19.) Then he took his black head-dress and flung it down. It became changed into grapes, which the Ugly Females seeing, took and ate. When they had finished eating them, they again pursued Izanagi no Mikoto. Then he flung down his many-toothed comb, which forthwith became changed into bamboo-shoots. The Ugly Females pulled them up and ate them, and when they had done eating them, again gave chase. Afterwards, Izanami no Mikoto came herself and pursued him.^[2] By this time Izanagi no Mikoto had reached the Even Pass of Yomi."
According to one account, Izanagi no Mikoto made water against a large tree, which water at once turned into a great river. While the Ugly Females of Yomi were preparing to cross this river, Izanagi no Mikoto had already reached the Even Pass of Yomi. So he took a thousand-men-pull-rock, and having blocked up the path with it, stood face to face with Izanami no Mikoto, and at last pronounced the formula of divorce. Upon this, Izanami no Mikoto said: "My dear Lord and husband, if thou sayest so, I will strangle to death the people of the country which thou dost govern, a thousand in one day." Then Izanagi no Mikoto replied, saying, "My beloved younger sister, if thou sayest so, I will in one day cause to be born fifteen hundred." Then he said, "Come no further," and threw down his staff, which was called Funado^[3] no Kami. Moreover, he threw down his girdle,

↑ The "Wamiōsho" mentions a statement that these were used as bogeys to frighten children with under the name of Gogo-me.
↑ The student of folk-lore will at once recognize this pursuit. Cf. Lang's "Custom and Myth," pp. 88 and 92: "A common incident is the throwing behind of a comb, which turns into a thicket."
↑ Or Kunado, come-not-place. Cf. Ch. "Kojiki," p. 39. This was the God of roads.

[1] The "Wamiōsho" mentions a statement that these were used as bogeys to frighten children with under the name of Gogo-me.

[2] The student of folk-lore will at once recognize this pursuit. Cf. Lang's "Custom and Myth," pp. 88 and 92: "A common incident is the throwing behind of a comb, which turns into a thicket."

[3] Or Kunado, come-not-place. Cf. Ch. "Kojiki," p. 39. This was the God of roads.

[1]

[2]

[3]