200 



"At the time of the Emperor Yuryaku (the twenty second Emperor, 

 457—479), there was an important vassal of His Majesty, Oshibe 

 Sukaru by name. One day when this man entered the palace of 

 Hatsuse Asakura a,nd the apartments of the Emperor, who was 

 staying there, the latter was just in intimate intercom-se with 

 the Empress. As just then a thunderstorm was raging, the 

 monarch, for shame at having been surprised, ordered Sukaru, 

 in order to get rid of him, to invite the roaring thunder (to 

 the palace) The vassal, on having received the Imperial command, 

 left the palace and rode on horseback from the road of Abe no 

 Yamada to Toyora-dera, looking up to the sky and crying: 

 'Thou, Thunder-god who art roaring in the sky. His Majesty 

 commands thee to fall down'. The thunder, however, continued 

 going away and making the air resound with its echoes. Then 

 Sukaru again set spurs to his horse and exclaimed: 'Although 

 thou art a Thunder-god, thou art roaring in the air of Japan. 

 How shouldst thou be able to disobey the Emperor's order?' 

 Then with a loud noise the Dragon-hing returned and dropped 

 on the earth between Toyora-dera and lioka. Sukaru at once 

 called Shinto priests, caused them to place the Dragon-god in a 

 sedan-chair, and returned to the palace. When he reported the 

 matter to the Emperor, the Thunder erected his scales, stared 

 with eyes dilating and watched the Palace, while his radiance 

 illuminated the whole building. This spectacle frightened His 

 Majesty, and, after having made all kinds of offerings to the 

 Thunder-god, he quickly sent him back to the spot where he 

 had fallen down. This spot is now called 'The Thunder's Hill' 

 (Ikazuchi no oka)". 



This is a very old legend, found in the Nihongi and the Ryo- 

 i-ki. The version of the Nihongi ' is as follows : — "In the seventh 

 year of the Emperor Yiiryaku's reign (463), on the third day of 

 the seventh month. His Majesty said to Oshibe no Sukaru, Minister 

 of State (Muraji, 5^): 'I wish to see the shape of the god of 

 Mimoro hill (Mimoro no oka, also called Mount Mimoro). As you 

 excel others in strength, you shall go and after having caught 

 him yourself, you must bring him here'. Sukaru answered: 'I 

 will try to do so', and ascending Mimoro hill he caught a big 

 serpent (^i*^), which he showed to the Emperor. As the latter 

 had not practised religious abstinence (in honour of the god), 



1 Ch. XIV, p. 242. Cf. Aston's translation {Nihongi, Vol. I, p. 347), where the 

 name is written "Sukaru Chihisako Be no Muraji". In the Gempei seisuiki (Ch. XVII, 

 p. 451), however, at the sid^ of the characters A^ ■^ ^SK is written in kana: Oshibe. 



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