Page:Kojiki by Chamberlain.djvu/188

102 the Deity Master-of-the-Great-Land, saying: “Thy son the Deity Thing-Sign-Master has now spoken thus. Hast thou other sons who should speak?” Hereupon he spoke again, saying: “There is my other son, the Deity Brave-August-Name-Firm. There is none beside him.” While he was thus speaking, the Deity Brave-August-Name-Firm came up, bearing on the tips of his fingers a thousand-draught rock, and said: “Who it is that has come to our land, and thus secretly talks? If that be so, I should like to have a trial of strength. So I should like to begin by taking thine august hand.” So on his letting him take his august hand, his touch at once turned it into an icicle, and again his touch turned it into a sword-blade. So then he was frightened and drew back. Then on the Brave-Awful-Possessing-Male-Deity wishing to take the hand of the Deity Brave-August-Name-Firm, and asking permission to take it in return, he grasped and crushed it as if it were taking a young reed, and cast it aside, upon which [the Deity Brave-August-Name-Firm] fled away. So when [the Brave-Awful-Possessing-Male-Deity] pursuing after him, came up with him at the Sea of Suha in the land of Shinanu, and was about to slay