Page:Nihongi by Aston volume 2.djvu/195

188 that this was a sign of changes. At this time three popular songs were made. The first was:—

The second was:—

The third was:—

Autumn, 7th month. A man of the neighbourhood of the River Fuji in the East Country named Ohofu Be no Oho urged his fellow-villagers to worship an insect, saying:—"This is the God of the Everlasting World. Those who worship this God will have long life and riches." At length the wizards and witches, pretending an inspiration of the Gods, said:—"Those who worship the God of the Everlasting World will, if poor, become rich, and, if old, will become young again." So they more and more persuaded the people to cast out the valuables of their houses, and to set out by the roadside sake, vegetables, and the six domestic animals. They also made them cry out:—"The new riches have come!" Both in the country and in the metropolis people took the insect of the Everlasting World