A sequence of songs concerning the exploits of the deity Yachihoko, or Eight Thousand Spears, also known as Ōkuninushi, the Great Land Master. The first two songs describe his wooing of Princess Nunakawa, and her reply:
八千矛の 神の命は 八島國 妻枕きかねて 遠遠し 高志の國に 賢し女を 有りと聞かして 麗し女(め)を 有りと聞こして さ婚ひに あり立たし 婚ひ あり通はせ 大刀が緒も いまだ解かずて 襲をも いまだ解かねば 孃子の 寢すや板戸を 押そぶらひ 我が立たせれば 引こづらひ 我が立たせれば 靑山に 鵺(ぬえ)は鳴きぬ さ野つ鳥 雉はとよむ 庭つ鳥 鷄は鳴く 心痛くも 鳴くなる鳥か この鳥も 打ち止めこせね いしたふや 天馳使 事の 語言も 是をば
| yatipokö nö kamï nö mikötö pa yasimakuni tuma makikanete töpotöposi kosi nö kuni ni sakasime wo ari tö kikasite kupasime wo ari tö kikosite sayobapi ni aritatasi yobapi ni arikayopase tati ga wo mö imada tökazute ösupi wo mö imada tökaneba wotöme nö nasu ya itato wo ösuburapi wa ka tatasereba piködurapi wa ka tatasereba awoyama ni nuye pa nakinu sa no tu töri kigisi pa töyömu nipa tu töri kake pa naku uretaku mö nakunaru töri ka könö töri mö utiyamekösene isitapu ya amepasedukapi kötö nö katarigötö mö kö wo ba |
Eight Thousand Spears, The mighty god, In the Eightfold Island land Could not take a wife. Afar, afar In the land of Koshi A clever maiden Lived, he heard; A most singular maiden Lived there, he heard. A’courting Did he go. Courting Back and forth. His sword belt Not undone, His cloak, too, Not unfastened, At the maiden’s Door, wherein she slept, He hammers, ‘While I’ve stood here Knocking over and over, While I’ve stood here, In the mountains green, The ground thrush has sung; The birds of the fields, The pheasants are calling; The bird of the garden, The cockerel, crows. Sad it might be but, You calling birds You birds you, I wish you’d stop, You rowdy Messengers of the skies!’ The words, The spoken words Are like this. |