Page:The Sacred Books and Early Literature of the East, Volume 13.djvu/79

Rh dren, though they tore their feet treading on the stubble of the bamboo-grass, forgot the pain, and pursued him with lamentations. At that time they sang, saying:

"Our loins are impeded in the plain overgrown with short bamboo-grass. We are not going through the sky, but oh! we are on foot."

Again when they entered the salt sea, and suffered as they went, they sang, saying:

"As we go through the sea, our loins are impeded tottering in the sea like herbs growing in a great river-bed."

Again when the bird flew and perched on the seaside, they sang, saying:

"The dotterel of the beach goes not on the beach, but follows the seaside."

These four songs were all sung at Yamato-take's august interment. So to the present day these songs are sung at the great interment of a Heavenly Sovereign. So the bird flew off from that country, and stopped at Shiki in the land of Kafuchi. So they made an august mausoleum there, and laid Yamato-take to rest. Forthwith that august mausoleum was called by the name of the "August-Mausoleum of the White-Bird." Nevertheless the bird soared up thence to heaven again and flew away.

[From here onward the "Kojiki" becomes more strictly historical and more like the "Nihongi," only less expanded and detailed.]