Page:The International Folk-Lore Congress of the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, July, 1893.djvu/360

 300 grades are born from the rinsings of his august person. It is rare, however, that descents like this, that is, into the solid land or within the bowels of the earth are noted, while the most casual student will not fail to remark the frequency of the pilgrimages which are made by favored heroes, warriors and gentle youth, into the realms beneath the water. Usually the region visited is Eiugu or the Realm of the Dragons. Over this same realm reigns Kai-Riu-ō, (Sea Dragon King) who is the mighty monarch with a living dragon for his casque and helmet, and lord of the scaly hosts. The queen of the realm under the sea is also a mighty, but still more a gracious personage, while the daughter of Kai-Riu-ō showers her favors on elect lovers from the earth. She is surrounded by a vast train of attendants, maidens like herself. All these are dressed in garments made of the nacre of the gems of the deep and with edgings having serrated points, and further adorned with all nature's devices of beauty which she lavishes so freely upon the shells of the shore or the creatures of the deep. The Queen and her attendant maidens have for their headdresses not only their own beautiful flowing hair, but some precious sea-gem or shell, or living creature, or flashing crystal as frontlet. Down in Riugu there are, guarded by mighty dragons, the jewels of the ebbing and the flowing Tide. In one case, Isora, summoned from the depths, comes, at the command of Kai-Riu-ō, with the scintillating spheres which command the ebbing and the flowing tide. With these he equips Ojin the god of war, who, though unborn, is, through his mother, to conquer Corea. In another case, these jewels of the ebbing and flowing tide are lent to a young man who has been badly treated by his brother, and who by making a flood which—if the Noahic flood must be matched all over the world—was probably large enough in volume. At any rate, the rising waters compelled his brother, after being nearly drowned, to come to terms. We do not here interpose any rationalistic explanation to hint that possibly these jewels may be the mythological representation of the sun and moon, but simply remark in passing that down in Eiugu there is no note made of the flight of time. In Japanese poetry it is said that "there are three things which wait not for man; they are running rivers, fading flowers, and