まあちゃまの今語り

Hikohohodemi-no-mikoto and the Deity of Sea

The deity of sea, father of the fair lady, invited Hikohohodedemi-no-mikoto to his palace and offered him a seat courteously. As soon as Hikohohodemi-no-mikoto sat down the piled cushion, the deity of sea asked him the reason why he came there. Hikohohodemi-no-mikoto explained him details about the trouble with his elder brother. Then the deity of sea convened all of large and small fishes and asked them whether they have any one in their minds. They answered in a voice,” We don’t know anything, but a red snapper has a mouth disease now a day.” Thus the deity made the red snapper open his tightly closed mouth and found in it the lost fishhook of the elder brother!

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Hikohohodemi-no-mikoto and a Fair Lady

For a while, Hikohohodemi-no-mikoto wandered about the Japanese Judas tree staggeringly. Then a fair lady came out of the gate of the palace in opening the door and tried to draw water with a fine bowl from the well. As Hikohohodemi-no-mikoto stared at her, that she run away in shame and informed her father that an unexpected guest was standing under the tree in front of the gate.

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Hikohohodemi-no-mikoto and the Palace of the Deity of Sea

Siotutu-no-oji sent the basket in which Hikohohodemi-nomikoto concealed himself to the bottom of the sea. Floating in the sea, the basket arrived at small and beautiful seashore. Then Hikohohodemi-no-mikoto left the basket and immediately came across a palace of a deity of sea, which was towering and shining and was surrounded by a magnificent wall. He saw a Japanese Judas tree with lash green young leaves at the well side.

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The Advice of Siotutu-no-oji

Hikohohodemi-no-mikoto told Siotutu-no-oji the whole story that he had lost the fishhook of his elder brother and that he had never forgave him no matter what he had stroke new ones. Hearing full particulars, Siotutu-no-oji said to him, “If you leave it up to me, you will have no worry!” No sooner he said it than he began to weave a large basket and asked Hikohohodemi-no-mikoto to enter in it.

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Hikohohodemi-no-mikoto and Shiotutu-no-oji

While Hikohohodemi-no-mikoto was sitting on the beach in worrying himself about the lost fishhook of his elder brother sorrowfully, he happened to meet Siotutu-no-oji. Looking at Hikohohodemi-no-mikoto in deep sorrow, Siotutu-no-oji felt sympathy for him and asked the reason why he was overwhelming with grief.

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The Compensation of Hikohohodemi-no-mikoto

Suffering from the missing fishhook which Hikohohodemi-no-mikoto had borrowed from the elder brother, Honosurori-no-mikoto, he managed to strike a basketful of fishhooks with his precious sword in compensation for the lost one. The elder brother, however, never forgave the younger brother and blamed him more rigorously. The elder brother said to the younger brother, “I will accept nothing except for my own fishhook!”

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The Lost of the Fishhook

The elder brother was so sorry that he returned the bow and arrows of his younger brother and asked him to give back his fishhook. Although he had already lost it, he could not look for and return it to him. Thus, he managed to strike a new fishhook for his elder brother. Honosurori-no-mikoto, however, rejected to accept it and pressed him to render the fishhook which he had lent him before. How ill-natured the elder brother was!

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Umihiko and Yamahiko

The eldest son Honosusori-no-mikoto was innate talent in fishing in sea and the younger son Hikohohodemi-no-mikoto was blessed with talent in gathering delicacies from land by nature. One day they agreed to exchange their tools but both of them could regrettably acquire nothing.　Honosurori-no-mikoto has been called Umi-hiko and Hikohohodemi-no-mikoto Yama-hiko.

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Hikohohodemi-no-mikoto and Honosusori-no-mikoto

The story of the second volume of the age of Myth switches the subject from Ninigi-no-mikoto to the brothers of his son, the eldest son Honosusori-no-mikoto and the second son Hikohohodemi-no-mikoto. This subject was not only a trouble between the brothers, but also a contrast between land and sea. They were blessed with special skills in gathering delicacies from nature respectively.

The Mausoleum of Ninigi-no-mikoto

     Afterwards, Ninigi-no-mikoto left this world and went to the latent one. The editor of the Chronicle of Japan described that his mausoleum was located Mt. Ei of Himuka in the Tukushi. Judging from this description, it is certain that Ninigi-no-mikoto had inhabited in the north part of Kyuushuu at least in his last years.

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