Page:Nihongi by Aston.djvu/236

Rh Winter, 10th month, 2nd day. Yamato-dake no Mikoto set out on his journey.

7th day. He turned aside from his way to worship at the shrine of Ise. Here he took leave of Yamato-hime no Mikoto, saying:—"By order of the Emperor, I am now proceeding on an expedition against the East to put to death the rebels, therefore I am taking leave of thee." Hereupon Yamato-hime no Mikoto took the sword Kusa-nagi and gave it to Yamato-dake no Mikoto, saying:—"Be cautious, and yet not remiss."

This year Yamato-dake no Mikoto first reached Suruga. The brigands of this place made a show of obedience, and said, deceivingly:—"On this moor there are large deer in very great plenty. Their breath is like the morning mist, their legs are like a dense wood. Do thou go and hunt them." Yamato-dake no Mikoto believed these words, and, going into the middle of the moor, sought for game. The brigands, desiring to kill the Prince, set fire to the moor. But the Prince, seeing that he had been deceived, produced fire by means of a fire-drill, and, kindling a counter-fire, succeeded in making his escape.

One version says:—"The sword Mura-kumo, which the Prince wore, wielded itself, and mowed away the herbage near the Prince, thus enabling him to escape. Therefore that sword was called Kusa-nagi."

The Prince said:—"I was almost betrayed." So he burnt all that robber-band and exterminated them. Therefore that place was called Yaketsu.

Next he marched on to Sagami, whence he desired to proceed to Kadzusa. Looking over the sea, he spake with a loud voice, and said:—"This is but a little sea: one might even