Page:The Mythology of All Races Vol 8 (Chinese and Japanese).djvu/408

304 at a feast, which he gave for the supposed lady, and the prince stabbed him and subjugated the whole tribe. We are told that the title "Japan-Warrior-Hero" was given to Yamato by the dying chief in admiration of the prince's subtlety and courage.

After his triumphant return the prince was sent to the eastern provinces, where the Ainu aborigines were still unsubdued. On the way he prayed at the holy shrine of Atsuta, where had been deposited the sword which Susa-no-wo took from the eight-headed dragon that he slew. Now, Yamato-Takeru took the miraculous sword with him, and It was this sword which saved him from serious peril among the Ainus. The barbarians pretended to surrender to the prince, and invited him to a hunt on a wide prairie, but they set fire to the underbrush while the prince was in the midst of the wilderness. With his sword he hacked down the bushes around him, and having escaped unhurt from the fire he subdued the barbarians. Hence the miraculous sword is always called Kusa-nagi, "the Grass-mower."

At another time during this expedition the prince's boat was overtaken by a terrible storm. Knowing that the Sea-gods had caused the storm by way of revenge upon the possessor of the sword which had been taken from them, and that they would not allay the tempest without a human sacrifice, the prince's consort threw herself into the water. Thereupon the boat was able to cross the sea in safety.

After several further adventures, the prince returned to Atsuta. There he heard that an evil spirit was in revolt on a mountain not far from the place, and went forth to bring It to terms. But this proved to be the last of his adventures, for he fell sick of a fever, which the evil spirit brought upon him. He returned to Atsuta once more, but did not recover from his sickness. When he died and was burled, a white bird flew out of the mound. Another burial mound was raised at the spot where the bird disappeared from sight. But again the bird flew out