Page:Nihongi by Aston.djvu/47

16 accordingly went again round the pillar, the male Deity from the left, and the female Deity from the right. When they met, the male Deity spoke first and said:—"How pretty! a lovely maiden!" The female Deity next answered and said:—"How pretty! a lovely youth!" Thereafter they dwelt together in the same palace and had children, whose names were Oho-yamato no Toyo-aki-tsu-shima, next the island of Ahaji, next the island of Iyo no futa-na, next the island of Tsukushi, next the triplet islands of Oki, next the island of Sado, next the island of Koshi, next the island of Kibi-no-ko. The country was accordingly called the "Great-Eight-Island Country."

In one writing it is said:—"The two Deities Izanagi no Mikoto and Izanami no Mikoto stood in the midst of the mist of Heaven, and said:—'We wish to find a country.' So they thrust down the jewel-spear of Heaven, and groped about till they found the island of Ono-goro. Then they drew back the spear and rejoiced, saying:—'Good! there is a country!'"

In one writing it is said:—"The two Deities Izanagi no Mikoto and Izanami no Mikoto sat in the Plain of High Heaven, and said:—'There must surely be a country.' So with the jewel spear of Heaven they scraped together the island of Ono-goro." In one writing it is said:—"The two Deities Izanagi no Mikoto and Izanami no Mikoto spoke to one another, saying: — 'There is something resembling floating oil. In the midst of this there is perhaps a country.' So they took the jewel-spear of Heaven and groping about formed with it an island which was called Ono-goro."

In one writing it is said:—"The female Deity spoke first and said:—'How pretty! a handsome youth!' Now it was considered unlucky that the female Deity should have spoken first. Accordingly they went round again,