THE EIGHT-FORKED SERPENT
So, having been expelled, His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness descended to a place called Tori-kami at the headwaters of the River Hi in the Land of Idzumo. At this time some chopsticks came floating down the stream. So His Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness, thinking that there must be people at the head-waters of the river, went up it in quest of them, when he came upon an old man and an old woman - two of them - who had a young girl between them, and were weeping. Then he deigned to ask: "Who are ye?" So the old man replied, saving: "I am an Earthly deity, child of the deity Great-Mountain-Possessor. I am called by the name of Foot-Stroking-Elder, my wife is called by the name of Hand-Stroking-Elder, and my daughter is called by the name of Wondrous-Inada-Princess." Again he asked: "What is the cause of your crying?" The old man answered, saying: "I had originally eight young girls as daughters. But the eight-forked serpent of Koshi has come every year and devoured one, and it is now its time to come, wherefore we weep." Then he asked him: "What is its form like?" The old man answered, saving: " Its eyes are like akakagachi, it has one body with eight heads and eight tails. Moreover, on its body grows moss, and also chamaecyparis and cryptomerias. Its length extends over eight valleys and eight hills, and if one look at its belly, it is all constantly bloody and inflamed." (What is called here akakagachi is the modern hohodzuki.) Then His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augstness said to the old man: "If this be tby daughter, wilt thou offer her to me?" He replied, saying: "With reverence, but I know not thine august name." Then be replied, saving: I am elder brother to the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity. So I have now descended from Heaven." Then the deities Foot-Stroking-Elder and Hand-Stroking-Elder said: "If that be so, with reverence will we offer her to thee." So His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness, at once taking and changing, the young girl into a multitudinous and close-toothed comb which he stuck into his august hair-bunch, said to the deities Foot-Stroking-Elder and Hand-Stroking-Elder: " Do you distil some eightfold refined liquor. Also make a fence round about, in that fence make eight gates, at each gate tie together eight platforms, on each platform put a liquor-vat, and into each vat pour the eightfold refined liquor, and wait." So as they waited after having thus prepared everything in accordance with his bidding the eight-forked serpent came truly as the old man had said, and immediately dipped a head into each vat, and drank the liquor. Thereupon it was intoxicated with drinking, and all the heads lay down and slept. Then His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness drew the ten-grasp saber, that was augustly girded on him, and cut the serpent in pieces, so that the River Hi flowed on changed into a river of blood. So when he cut the middle tail, the edge of his august sword broke. Then, thinking it strange, he thrust into and split the flesh with the point of his august sword and looked, and there was a great sword within. So he took this great sword, and, thinking it a strange thing, he respectfully informed the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity. This is the Herb-Quelling Great Sword.
THE PALACE OF SUGA
So thereupon His Swift-Impetuous-.Male-Augustness sought in the land of Idzumo for a place where he might build a palace. Then he arrived at a place called Suga, and said: On coming to this place my august heart is pure" - and in that place he built a palace to dwell in. So that place is now called Suga. When this great deity, first built the palace of Suga, clouds rose up thence. Then he made an august song. That song said:
"Eight clouds arise. The eightfold fence of Idzumo makes an eightfold fence for the spouses to retire within. Oh! that eightfold fence."
[This difficult song has been rather differently rendered by Mr. Aston in the Second Appendix to his " Grammar of the Japanese Written Language." Mr. Aston translates it thus: Many clouds arise: The clouds which come forth are a manifold fence: For the husband and wife to retire within They have formed a manifold fence: Oh! that manifold fence!"]