Page:Nihongi by Aston.djvu/128

Rh jewel-urn, when she looked up and saw Hoho-demi no Mikoto. She was startled, and returning, told the God, her father, saying:—'At the foot of the cassia-tree without the gate, there is a noble stranger of no ordinary build. If he had come down from Heaven, he would have had on him the filth of Heaven; if he had come from Earth, he would have had on him the filth of Earth. Could he be really the beautiful prince of the sky?''" [sic]

One version says:—"An attendant of Toyo-tama-hime was drawing water in a jewel-pitcher, but she could not manage to fill it. She looked down into the well, when there shone inverted there the smiling face of a man. She looked up and there was a beautiful God leaning against a cassia-tree. She accordingly returned within, and informed her mistress.

Hereupon Toyo-tama-hiko sent a man to inquire, saying:—'Who art thou, O stranger, and why hast thou come here?' Hoho-demi no Mikoto answered and said:—'I am the grandchild of the Heavenly Deity,' and ultimately went on to give the reason of his coming.

Then the God of the Sea went out to meet him. He made him obeisance, and led him within, where he inquired courteously of his welfare, and gave him to wife his daughter, Toyo-tama-hime. Therefore he remained and dwelt in the palace of the sea. Three years passed, after which Hoho-demi no Mikoto sighed frequently, and Toyo-tama-hime asked him, saying:—'Does the Heavenly Grandchild perchance wish to return to his native land?' He answered and said:—'It is so.' Toyo-tama-hime forthwith told the God her father, and said:—'The noble guest who is here wishes to return to the upper country.' Hereupon the God of the Sea assembled all the fishes of the sea, and asked of them the fish-hook. Then one fish answered and said:—'The Red-woman (also called the Red Tahi) has long had an ailment of the mouth. I suspect that she has swallowed it.' So the Red-woman was forthwith summoned, and on looking into her mouth, the hook was still there. It was at once taken and delivered to Hiko-hoho-demi no Mikoto, with these