英訳　出雲神話

大国主神 “O-kuni-nushi-no-kami”

3-4.根の国訪問 “Visiting Ne-no-kata-su-kuni”

  On the other hand, Ya-gami-hime1 had acted as his wife according to the previous marriage.  She was brought to the province by O-kuni-nushi-no-kami, but fearful of his newly wedded wife, Suseri-bime, she left her baby in the fork of a tree and went back to her own province.  Thus the baby was named Ki-no-mata-no-kami or Mi-i-no-kami2.

 

Notes | 注釈

#1 Ya-gami-hime . . . Mi-i-no-kami

When Suseri-bime came to Izumo as a legitimte wife, Ya-gami-hime was put in a very uncomfortable position. What is worse, Suseri-bime was very jealous, as we will know later. Ya-gami-hime became afraid and left Izumo because she could not imagine how she would be treated by such a jealous wife. So she just gave birth to a baby and left it behind and went back to her hometown. This is a pathetic story, indeed. As the story tells us, the baby is called Ki-no-mata-no-kami because he was left in the fork of a tree.

People in later years added some episodes to Ya-gami-hime’s story. On her way home, when she was totally exhausted, she found a hot spring, which soothed her well. This is Yunokawa Onsen, currently known as the hot spring for beauty. This episode is not in the Kojiki. This is an invented episode found as late as Edo period.

You shouldn’t feel offended at this kind of inventions. This is also one of the tales that have been passed down from our ancestors. We should just accept it and take good care of them.



#2 Mi-i-no-kami

Mi-i-no-kami is her baby’s other name. There is an episode that is related to the name. There is a place called Mii in Naoe, Hikawa-cho. From old times the place has been called Mii. The name was found on the earthenware vessel from the archaeological site called Sugisawa in Mii. “Mi” means “three” and “i” means “well.” The place has the name because there are three wells there. It is said that her newborn baby was bathed in those wells and this is why the baby is called Mi-i-no-kami. Now there is a shrine near these wells called Mii Shrine. Along with Mi-i-no-kami, O-kuni-nushi-no-kami and Ya-gami-hime are enshrined there. The shrine is known for aiding in smooth delivery and child raising.

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注釈を見る|notes

#1 Ya-gami-hime . . . Mi-i-no-kami

When Suseri-bime came to Izumo as a legitimte wife, Ya-gami-hime was put in a very uncomfortable position. What is worse, Suseri-bime was very jealous, as we will know later. Ya-gami-hime became afraid and left Izumo because she could not imagine how she would be treated by such a jealous wife. So she just gave birth to a baby and left it behind and went back to her hometown. This is a pathetic story, indeed. As the story tells us, the baby is called Ki-no-mata-no-kami because he was left in the fork of a tree.

People in later years added some episodes to Ya-gami-hime’s story. On her way home, when she was totally exhausted, she found a hot spring, which soothed her well. This is Yunokawa Onsen, currently known as the hot spring for beauty. This episode is not in the Kojiki. This is an invented episode found as late as Edo period.

You shouldn’t feel offended at this kind of inventions. This is also one of the tales that have been passed down from our ancestors. We should just accept it and take good care of them.



#2 Mi-i-no-kami

Mi-i-no-kami is her baby’s other name. There is an episode that is related to the name. There is a place called Mii in Naoe, Hikawa-cho. From old times the place has been called Mii. The name was found on the earthenware vessel from the archaeological site called Sugisawa in Mii. “Mi” means “three” and “i” means “well.” The place has the name because there are three wells there. It is said that her newborn baby was bathed in those wells and this is why the baby is called Mi-i-no-kami. Now there is a shrine near these wells called Mii Shrine. Along with Mi-i-no-kami, O-kuni-nushi-no-kami and Ya-gami-hime are enshrined there. The shrine is known for aiding in smooth delivery and child raising.