Page:Nihongi by Aston.djvu/382

Rh A certain book says:—"Otokimi, Kibi no Omi, returned from Pèkché, and presented a Be of Aya workmen, a Be of tailors, and a Be of fleshers."

8th year, Spring, 2nd month. Awo, Musa no Suguri, and Haka-toko, Hinokuma no Tami-tsukahi, were sent to the Country of Wu.

From the accession of the Emperor up to this year eight years had now passed, during which the Land of Silla was refractory and given to vain talk, and did not send presents. Therefore they feared the intentions of the Central Land, and cemented friendship with Koryö. Consequently the King of Koryö sent one hundred picked soldiers to guard Silla. After a while, one of these Koryö soldiers returned to his own country on furlough. Now he took with him a Silla man as groom. Turning to him, he addressed him, saying:—"Thy country will be conquered by my country ere long." [One book says:—Thy country will in the end become our territory, and that ere long.] When the groom heard this, he pretended a pain in his belly, and retiring, remained behind. At length he made his escape to his own country, and told what had been said. Hereupon the King of Silla knew that Koryö's guard was mere pretence, and sent messengers to run and tell the people to kill the cocks kept in their houses. The people knew his meaning, and killed all the men of Koryö resident in the country. Only one Koryö man was left, who seized an opportunity to effect his escape and flee to his own country, when he told the whole story. The king of Koryö accordingly raised an army and encamped by the city of Chhyuk-chong-nyu. [One book says the city of Tokushiki.] At length they made music, with song and dance. Hereupon the King of Silla, hearing in the night the Koryö army singing and dancing on all sides, became aware that the enemy had occupied the whole land of Silla. So he sent a man to the King of Imna, saying:—"The King of Koryö has attacked our country. At this present time, like the fringes sewn on a flag, the