日本書紀 巻第十

Emperor Homuda was the fourth son of Emperor Tarashi-nakatsuhiko (Emperor Chūai). His mother was Okinagatarashihime no Mikoto (Empress Jingū). He was born at Kada in Tsukushi, in the twelfth month of the year in which the empress struck at Silla. From childhood he was quick and clear of mind, and there was in his face the look of one who sees far. His bearing was that of a sage. In the third year of the grand empress's regency he was raised to be prince imperial. He was then three years old.

While he was still in the womb, the gods of heaven and of earth bestowed the three lands of Han upon him. When he was born, there was on his arm a swelling of flesh shaped like an archer's elbow-guard. It resembled the guard that the grand empress had worn when she took the dress of a man. For this reason his name was praised as Homuda, the emperor of the elbow-guard. In the speech of ancient times an elbow-guard was called homuta.

In the fourth month of the sixty-ninth year of the regency the grand empress died in the palace of Wakazakura. She was then one hundred years old.

In the first year, in spring, on the first day of the first month, the prince imperial took the throne. That year was the year of the Metal Elder Brother and the Tiger.

In the second year, in spring, on the third day of the third month, Nakatsuhime was made empress. The empress bore Princess Arata, Emperor Ōsazaki (Emperor Nintoku), and Prince Netori.

Before this, Takaki-iribime, the elder sister of the empress, bore Prince Nukata no Ōnakatsuhiko, Prince Ōyamamori, Prince Izanomawaka, Princess Ōhara, and Princess Shibukawa.

The next consort, Otohime, bore Princess Abe, Princess Awaji no Mihara, and Princess Ki no Uno.

The next consort, Miyanushi-yakahime, daughter of Hifure no Omi, ancestor of the Wani no Omi, bore Prince Uji no Wakairatsuko, Princess Yata, and Princess Metori.

The next consort, Onabehime, younger sister of Yakahime, bore Princess Uji no Wakairatsume.

The next consort, Otohime, daughter of Kawamata no Nakatsuhiko, bore Prince Wakanuke no Futamata.

The next consort, Itohime, younger sister of Osabi of the Sakurai no Tabe no Muraji, bore Prince Hayabusawake.

The next consort, Izumi no Nagahime of Hyūga, bore Prince Ōhae and Prince Ohae.

The sons and daughters of this emperor were twenty in all. Prince Netori was the first ancestor of the Ōta no Kimi. Prince Ōyamamori was the first ancestor of the two houses of the Hijikata no Kimi and the Haibara no Kimi. Prince Izanomawaka was the first ancestor of the Fukagawa no Wake.

In the third year, in winter, on the third day of the tenth month, the Emishi of the east came in a body to render tribute. They were set to labour, and made the road of Umayasaka.

In the eleventh month the fisherfolk of the various places were noisy and would not obey orders. Ōhama no Sukune, ancestor of the Azumi no Muraji, was sent, and he quieted the disturbance. He was therefore made overseer of the fisherfolk. The saying of the world, "the clamouring fisherfolk," has its origin in this.

That year King Chinsa of Paekche came to the throne and failed in courtesy toward the emperor of the honoured country. Ki no Tsuno no Sukune, Hata no Yashiro no Sukune, Ishikawa no Sukune, and Tsuku no Sukune were therefore sent to reprove him for his want of courtesy. At this the land of Paekche put King Chinsa to death and made apology. Ki no Tsuno no Sukune and the others set up Ahwa as king and came home.

In the fifth year, in autumn, on the thirteenth day of the eighth month, the provinces were ordered to appoint fisher corps and mountain-warden corps.

In the tenth month of winter the province of Izu was ordered to build a ship. It was ten fathoms long. When the ship was finished and set afloat on the sea, it floated lightly and went as swiftly as a running horse. For this reason the ship was named Karano. (To name it Karano because the ship was light and swift does not fit the sense. Perhaps it was called Karuno at first, and later people corrupted the name.)

In the sixth year, in the second month of spring, the emperor made a progress to the province of Ōmi and came out upon the moor of Uji. He sang:

Of the thousand leaves —

when I look upon Kazuno,

homesteads past counting are in sight,

the choicest of the land is in sight.

In the seventh year, in the ninth month of autumn, people of Koma, of Paekche, of Imna, and of Silla came together to the court. Takeuchi no Sukune was then ordered to take the men of Han and set them to make a pond. The pond was therefore named the Pond of the Men of Han.

In the eighth year, in the third month of spring, men of Paekche came to the court. (The Record of Paekche says: King Ahwa came to the throne and showed no courtesy to the honoured country. Therefore our lands of Chimmitare, Hyŏnnam, Chisim, Kongna and the eastern part of Han were taken from us. For this reason the king's son Chikchi was sent to the court of heaven, to renew the friendship of the former king.)

In the ninth year, in the fourth month of summer, Takeuchi no Sukune was sent to Tsukushi to inspect the people. At this time his younger brother Umashiuchi no Sukune wished to put his elder brother down, and slandered him to the emperor, saying: "Takeuchi no Sukune has always had a mind set on the realm. I hear now that in Tsukushi he plots in secret and says, 'If I cut off Tsukushi for myself alone, and call the three lands of Han to pay court to me, I shall in the end possess the realm.'" The emperor thereupon sent a messenger to put Takeuchi no Sukune to death. Then Takeuchi no Sukune lamented, saying: "I am of no divided heart. I have served my lord in loyalty. What calamity is this, that I should die without a fault?"

Now there was a man named Manako, ancestor of the Iki no Atae. He was so made that he closely resembled Takeuchi no Sukune in form. Grieving that Takeuchi no Sukune should die for nothing and without a fault, he said: "The minister serves his lord in loyalty, and all the realm knows that there is no blackness in his heart. Let me die alone, and so make his wrong plain." And he fell upon his sword and killed himself.

Takeuchi no Sukune alone grieved greatly. He slipped away from Tsukushi, went round by sea and came out on the southern sea, and putting in at the harbour of Ki he barely reached the court. There he made his complaint of the slander. Then the emperor questioned Takeuchi no Sukune and Umashiuchi no Sukune. The two disputed with each other, and it could not be settled which was right. The emperor gave orders that the gods of heaven and earth be entreated and that they undergo the ordeal of boiling water. So Takeuchi no Sukune and Umashiuchi no Sukune both went out to the bank of the river Shiki and took the ordeal. Takeuchi no Sukune prevailed. He seized his sword, threw Umashiuchi no Sukune down, and was about to kill him. The emperor gave orders that he be pardoned, and he was granted to the ancestor of the Ki no Atae.

In the eleventh year, in the tenth month of winter, the ponds of Tsurugi, Karu, Kagaki and Umayasaka were made.

In the eleventh year, in that year, men of the provinces said: "In the land of Hyūga there is a girl. Her name is Kaminaga-hime. She is the daughter of Ushimoroi of the Morogata no Kimi. She is the fairest in the land." The emperor was pleased, and in his heart wished to take her.

In the thirteenth year, in the third month of spring, the emperor sent a special messenger to summon Kaminaga-hime.

In the ninth month of autumn Kaminaga-hime came from Hyūga. She was lodged in the village of Kuwazu. Then Prince Ōsazaki saw Kaminaga-hime, and was moved by the beauty of her form, and always carried a longing for her in his heart. The emperor knew that Prince Ōsazaki's heart was set on Kaminaga-hime, and thought to give her to him in marriage. So on a day when he held a feast in the inner palace, he called Kaminaga-hime for the first time and seated her at the feast. Then he turned to Prince Ōsazaki, and pointing to Kaminaga-hime, sang:

Come now, my lord —

on the moor, to gather wild garlic,

to gather wild garlic

I went, and along my road

sweet was their fragrance:

the flowering orange trees.

Their upper branches

the birds have perched on and withered;

their lower branches

men have picked at and withered;

but of the three chestnuts

it is the middle branch,

the hidden bud,

the red-cheeked girl —

come, take her to you.

That would be well.

Prince Ōsazaki answered with a song:

Where the water gathers,

in the pond of Yosami,

the water-shield was drawn out

and I did not know how far it ran;

where the weir-stakes are driven,

in the inlet of Kawamata,

the water-chestnut stems

were there and I did not know they pricked.

So it is with my own heart —

how foolish it has been.

And he sang again:

Beyond the road,

the girl of Kohada —

I heard of her as of a god,

and now we lie down together.

So Kaminaga-hime was given to Prince Ōsazaki.

One account says: Ushi of the Morogata no Kimi in Hyūga had served at court until he grew old. Being no longer able to serve, he gave up his office and withdrew to his own country. He then presented his daughter Kaminaga-hime. When she had first come as far as Harima, the emperor was on the island of Awaji, hunting. Looking westward, the emperor saw some tens of deer floating upon the sea and coming on. The deer entered the harbour of Kako in Harima. The emperor said to his attendants: "What deer are those, that come in numbers floating on the great sea?" His attendants looked with him and wondered, and a messenger was sent to examine them. When the messenger came and looked, they were all men. Only they wore deer skins with the horns still on them as clothing. Asked who they were, they answered: "It is Ushi of the Morogata no Kimi. He is old and has given up his office, but he cannot forget the court. Therefore he presents his daughter Kaminaga-hime." The emperor was pleased, and at once called them to follow his ship. For this reason the people of that time named the place where they came ashore the harbour of Kako, the harbour of the fawns.

In the fourteenth year, in the second month of spring, the king of Paekche presented a sewing woman. Her name was Maketsu. She was the first ancestor of the present clothiers of Kume.

In that year Yuzuki no Kimi came over from Paekche. He reported to the throne: "I meant to come and submit, bringing with me the people of a hundred and twenty districts of my own country. But because the men of Silla barred them, they all remain in the land of Kara." Katsuragi no Sotsuhiko was therefore sent to summon the people of Yuzuki out of Kara. But three years passed and Sotsuhiko did not come back.

In the fifteenth year, in autumn, on the sixth day of the eighth month, the king of Paekche sent Achiki and presented two fine horses. They were kept in the stable at Sakanoue in Karu, and Achiki was given charge of feeding them. For this reason the place where the horses were kept was named Umayasaka, the stable slope. Achiki could also read the classics well, and he was made teacher to the heir apparent, Uji no Wakairatsuko. The emperor asked Achiki: "Is there any scholar better than you?" He answered: "There is one named Wani. He is excellent." Then Aratawake and Kamunagiwake, ancestors of the Kamitsukeno no Kimi, were sent to Paekche to summon Wani. This Achiki was the first ancestor of the Achiki no Fubito.

In the sixteenth year, in the second month of spring, Wani came. The heir apparent Uji no Wakairatsuko took him as his teacher, and learned the several books from Wani, and there was none he did not master. This Wani was the first ancestor of the Fumi no Obito.

In that year King Ahwa of Paekche died. The emperor called Prince Chikchi and said: "Return to your country and succeed to the throne." And he gave him the lands of eastern Han and sent him away. (The lands of eastern Han are the fortresses of Kamna, Konan and Irim.)

In the eighth month of autumn Heguri no Tsuku no Sukune and Ikuha no Toda no Sukune were sent to Kara. Chosen troops were given to them, and this command: "Sotsuhiko has long failed to return. He must be held up by the barring of Silla. Go quickly, strike at Silla, and open the road." Then Tsuku no Sukune and the others advanced with the chosen troops to the border of Silla. The king of Silla was startled and acknowledged his fault. So they brought back the people of Yuzuki, and came together with Sotsuhiko.

In the nineteenth year, in winter, on the first day of the tenth month, the emperor made a progress to the palace of Yoshino. The people of Kuzu came to the court. They presented sweet liquor to the emperor and sang:

On the ground where the oaks grow

they made a flat mortar,

and in the flat mortar

brewed the great liquor.

Take it and drink it with relish,

you who are as a father to us.

When the song was over they struck their mouths, looked up, and laughed. To this day, when the Kuzu present the produce of their land, they strike their mouths, look up and laugh at the end of a song. It is a usage left from ancient times.

The Kuzu are very plain and honest in their nature. They always gather the fruits of the mountains and eat them. They also boil frogs and count them a delicacy, and they call the dish momi. Their land lies southeast of the capital, beyond the mountains, on the upper waters of the river Yoshino. The peaks are steep and the valleys deep, and the roads are narrow and hard. Therefore, although they are not far from the capital, they used to come to court only rarely. But after this they came often, and presented the produce of their land: chestnuts, mushrooms, and sweetfish.

In the twentieth year, in the ninth month of autumn, Achi no Omi, ancestor of the Yamato no Aya no Atae, and his son Tsuka no Omi, came over and submitted, bringing with them their own people of seventeen districts.

In the twenty-second year, in spring, on the fifth day of the third month, the emperor made a progress to Naniwa and stayed at the palace of Ōsumi. He went up on a high terrace and looked out into the distance. His consort Ehime was in attendance. She looked toward the west and sighed deeply. (Ehime was the younger sister of Mitomowake, ancestor of the Kibi no Omi.) The emperor asked Ehime: "Why do you sigh so?" She answered: "Of late a longing for my father and mother has risen in me. I only look toward the west and sigh. I would that I might go back for a while and see my parents." Then the emperor, moved that Ehime should long so keenly for her parents, said: "It is many years now since you saw your father and mother. To go back and set your heart at rest is only natural." So he gave her leave, and called eighty fisherfolk of Mihara in Awaji to be her boatmen, and sent her to Kibi.

In the fourth month of summer Ehime set out by ship from Ōtsu. The emperor stood on the high terrace and, watching Ehime's ship, sang:

Awaji island,

and beyond it a second;

Azuki island,

and beyond it a second;

islands set out so well —

who was it, so carelessly,

who lay down straight beside her?

That girl of Kibi —

would that I saw her again.

In autumn, on the sixth day of the ninth month, the emperor hunted on the island of Awaji. This island lies southwest across from Naniwa. Its peaks and crags run together and rise one upon another, and its hills and valleys follow one after another. Sweet grasses grow thick and shady, and the long waves run swiftly. There are also many stags, ducks and geese on the island, and for this reason the emperor often went there for pleasure. From Awaji the emperor turned to Kibi, and took his pleasure on the island of Azuki.

On the eleventh day he moved on and stayed at the palace of Ashimori in Hata. Then Mitomowake came before him, and made his brothers and his children and grandchildren serve as cooks. The emperor, seeing how carefully Mitomowake attended on him, was pleased, and divided the land of Kibi and granted portions of it to his children. He divided off the district of Kawashima and granted it to the eldest son, Inehayawake, the first ancestor of the Shimotsumichi no Omi. Next he granted the district of Kamitsumichi to the second son, Nakatsuhiko, the first ancestor of the Kamitsumichi no Omi and the Kaya no Omi. Next he granted the district of Mino to Otohiko, the first ancestor of the Mino no Omi. He granted the district of Hakuke to Mitomowake's younger brother Kamowake, the ancestor of the Kasa no Omi. He granted the district of Sono to his elder brother Urakoriwake, the first ancestor of the Sono no Atae. And he granted the weavers' corps to Ehime. It is from this that their descendants are in the land of Kibi to this day.

In the twenty-fifth year King Chikchi of Paekche died. His son Kunisin came to the throne. The king was young in years, and Mongmanchi took the government of the land into his hands. He had illicit dealings with the king's mother and committed many acts of discourtesy. The emperor heard of it and summoned him. (The Record of Paekche says: Mongmanchi was the son whom Mongnakunja begot of a woman of Silla whom he took to wife when he struck at that country. By his father's merit he held Imna in his sole charge. He came into our country and went back and forth to the honoured country. He received the ordinances of the court of heaven and took the government of our country into his hands. His power was great at that time. But the court of heaven heard of his violence and summoned him.)

In the twenty-eighth year, in the ninth month of autumn, the king of Koma sent an envoy with tribute, and with him a letter. The letter said: "The king of Koma instructs the land of Japan." Then the heir apparent Uji no Wakairatsuko read the letter and was angry. He rebuked the envoy of Koma, saying that the wording of the letter was discourteous, and he tore the letter up.

In the thirty-first year, in the eighth month of autumn, the emperor gave this command to his ministers: "The government ship named Karano is the ship presented from the province of Izu. It is rotten now and cannot be used. Yet it was long in the service of the government, and its work must not be forgotten. How can we let the name of that ship be lost and not handed down to later ages?" The ministers received the command and had the officials take the timbers of that ship and burn them as firewood to make salt. Five hundred baskets of salt were got in this way. It was distributed throughout the provinces, and the provinces were made to build ships in return. Five hundred ships were presented from the provinces all at one time, and all of them gathered at the harbour of Muko.

At that time envoys of Silla bringing tribute were lodging together at Muko. Fire suddenly broke out in the lodging of the men of Silla. It spread to the gathered ships, and many of them were burned. The men of Silla were called to account for it. The king of Silla heard of it and was greatly alarmed. He presented skilled craftsmen, and these were the first ancestors of the Inabe.

When the ship Karano was first burned for salt, there was wood left that had not burned. It was thought strange that it would not burn, and it was presented to the emperor. The emperor also thought it strange, and had a koto made of it. Its sound rang clear and was heard far off. Then the emperor sang:

Karano —

we burned it for salt,

and of what was left over

we made a koto.

When it is struck and played,

like the sunken rocks

in the middle of the strait of Yura,

it stirs and stands,

and the nazu tree

sways and sighs.

In the thirty-seventh year, in spring, on the first day of the second month, Achi no Omi and Tsuka no Omi were sent to Wu to seek sewing women. Achi no Omi and his party crossed to the land of Koma, meaning to reach Wu. But when they came to Koma they did not know the way further, and asked Koma for someone who knew the road. The king of Koma gave them two men, Kurehap and Kuresi, as guides. By this they were able to reach Wu. The king of Wu then gave them four working women: Ehime, Otohime, Kurehatori and Anahatori.

In the thirty-ninth year, in the second month of spring, King Chikchi of Paekche sent his younger sister Sinjeto to serve at court. Sinjeto came over bringing seven women with her.

In the fortieth year, in spring, on the eighth day of the first month, the emperor called Prince Ōyamamori and Prince Ōsazaki and asked them: "Do you love your children?" They answered: "We love them greatly." He asked again: "Which are dearer to you, the elder or the younger?" Prince Ōyamamori answered: "There is nothing that comes up to the eldest son." The emperor's face showed that he was not pleased. Prince Ōsazaki, having read the emperor's face beforehand, answered: "The elder has passed through many cold and hot seasons and has already grown up. There is nothing to be anxious about in him. It is only the younger of whom one cannot tell whether he will come to anything. For that reason it is the younger that I pity most." The emperor was greatly pleased and said: "Your words meet my own mind exactly."

Now the emperor had all along intended to make Uji no Wakairatsuko his successor. He put this question because he wished to know the minds of the two princes. That is why he was not pleased with Prince Ōyamamori's answer.

On the twenty-fourth day Uji no Wakairatsuko was made successor. On that same day Prince Ōyamamori was given charge of the mountains, rivers, woods and moors, and Prince Ōsazaki was made assistant to the heir apparent and given the conduct of the affairs of the country.

In the forty-first year, in spring, on the fifteenth day of the second month, the emperor died in the palace of Akira. He was then one hundred and ten years old. (One account says that he died in the palace of Ōsumi.)

In that month Achi no Omi and his party came from Wu as far as Tsukushi. There the great god of Munakata asked for the working women. Ehime was therefore offered to the great god of Munakata. She is the ancestor of the Mitsukai no Kimi who are now in the land of Tsukushi. Achi no Omi then took the three remaining women and came to the land of Tsu, and when he reached Muko the emperor had already died. He was too late. So he presented the three women to Prince Ōsazaki. The descendants of these women are the clothiers of Kure and the clothiers of Kaya of the present day.