Page:Nihongi by Aston.djvu/67

36 no oshi-ho-mimi no Mikoto  and the next Ama no ho-hi no Mikoto. This is the ancestor of the Idzumo no Omi, and of the Hashi no Muraji. The next was Ama-tsu hiko-ne no Mikoto. He was the ancestor of the Ohoshi-kafuchi no Atahe, and of the Yamashiro no Atahe. The next was Iku-tsu-hiko-ne no Mikoto, and the next Kumano no kusu-bi no Mikoto—in all five males.

Then Ama-terasu no Oho-kami said:—"Their seed was in the beginning the august necklace of 500 Yasaka jewels which belonged to me. Therefore these five male Deities are all my children." So she took these children and brought them up. Moreover she said:—"The ten-span sword belonged to thee, Sosa no wo no Mikoto. Therefore these three female Deities are all thy children." So she delivered them to Sosa no wo no Mikoto. These are the deities which are worshipped by the Munagata no Kimi of Tsukushi.

In one writing it is said:—"The Sun-Goddess, aware from the beginning of the fierce and relentless purpose of Sosa no wo no Mikoto, said (to herself) when he ascended: 'The coming of my younger brother is not for a good object. He surely means to rob me of my Plain of Heaven.' So she made manly warlike preparation, girding upon her a ten-span sword, a nine-span sword, and an eight-span sword. Moreover, on her back she slung a quiver, and on her fore-arm drew a dread loud-sounding elbow-pad. In