NaNoWriMo Prologue
NaNoWriMo Prologue. 826 words. 49,174 to go.
The creation of heaven and earth began as a formless lump of matter immersed in black waters. All was silence and darkness. A rumbling and groaning began, and the matter separated and began to rise.
Foremost in rising upward was the light, for light has no weight and thus rises highest.
Next rose the lightest of matter. These rose up and formed the skies and the clouds above. It is these that all dwell beneath and even birds cannot find the end of.
Beneath the skies and clouds rose up more matter. This were heavier and slower than the lightest of things, but still lighter than most. From this was formed the High Place of Heaven. That is what we mean when we speak of Takagamahara.
Beneath, barely able to rise above the sea was what was left. This heavy matter formed the dense mass that is the world.
In Takagamahara were born gods. First born were three, Amenominakanushi, Taka-mi-musuhi-no-Okami and Kami-musuhi-no-Okami. Then two more emerged, Umashi-ashi-kabi-hikoji-no-Okami and Ame-no-toko-tachi-no-Okami. These are called Kotoamatsukukami. They had the bodies of neither men nor women and had no partners. After they were born they fled into hiding, and they are in hiding still.
After this two more gods were born. They were Kuni-no-toko-tachi-no-Okami and Toyo-kumo-no-Okami. They were the first and second of the Seven Divine Generations. That is the meaning of the word Kamiyonanayo. Like the ones come before, Kuni-no-toko-tachi-no-okami and Toyo-kumo-no-Okami were not man or woman and had no partners.
The third generation were U-hiji-ni and Su-hiji-ni. U-hiji-ni was the elder, and Su-hiji-ni was his sister and his wife.
The fourth generation were Tsunu-guhi and Iku-guhi. Tsunu-guhi was the elder, and Iku-guhi was his sister and his wife.
The fifth generation were O-to-no-ji and O-to-no-be. O-to-no-ji was the elder, and O-to-no-be was his sister and his wife.
The sixth generation were Omo-daru and Aya-kashiko-ne. Omo-daru was the elder and Omo-daru was his sister and his wife.
The seventh generation were Izanagi and Izanami. Izanagi was the elder and Izanagi was his sister and his wife.
In Takagamahara the Kamiyonanayo came together to discuss what was to happen with the heavy matter that was below. Kuni-no-toko-tachi-no-Okami and Toyo-kumo-no-Okami then decreed that the youngest, Izanagi and Izanami were to cross the bridge that is named Ame-no-ukihashi. They gave Izanagi the naginata named Amenonuhoko.
As they crossed the bridge, Izanagi stirred the waters below with Amenonuhoko. The water that splashed from the blade dropped down into the waters and formed the first island, Onogoroshima. Izanagi and Izanami stepped down from the bridge onto the island, and there they built a heavenly pillar named Ame-no-mihashira.
What is the form of your body? So said Izanagi to Izanami.
My body is complete, but there is a place where something has not grown and a space exists inside of me. So said Izanami to Izanagi.
My body is also complete, but there is something that has grown too much. Let me place that which is too much in that something that has not grown, and by that we will produce those that will fill the land. So said Izanagi to Izanami.
So they walked around Ame-no-mihashira, Izanami walking to the right and Izanagi to the left. As they met, Izanami spoke to Izanagi. You are beautiful and kind. This she said to him.
But Izanagi scolded Izanami, for a woman must not speak before her husband. But then he placed that which had grown to much inside of that which had not grown.
After this Izanami birthed Hiruko and Ahashima. These were misshapen, and so they were placed into reed boats and set adrift on the waves. Then they returned to Takamagahara and asked why their children had been born misshapen.
Then Kuni-no-toko-tachi-no-Okami and Toyo-kumo-no-Okami divined that it was because Izanami had spoken first after the seventh divine generation had circled Ame-no-mihashira.
So the seventh divine generation returned to Onogoroshima. There they repeated the ceremony that had done before, but this time Izanagi spoke first. You are beautiful and kind. This is what he said to her. And then she spoke. You are beautiful and kind.
Once again he placed that which had grown too much into that which had not grown.
Izanami then gave birth again.
First was born Ahaji-no-ho-no-sawake-no-shima. This is the island we call Awaji.
Second was born Iyo-no-futana-no-shima. This is the island we call Shikoku.
Third was born Oki-no-mitsugo-no-shima. This is the island we call Oki.
Fourth was born Tsukushi-no-shima. This is the island we call Kyushu.
Fifth was born Iki-no-shima. This is the island we call Iki.
Sixth was born Tsu-shima. We still call the island this.
Seventh was born Sado-no-shima. This island we still call Sado.
Eighth was born Ohoyamatotoyoakitsu-shima. This is the island we call Honshu.
Together these islands were named Oyashima. For us, these are the islands we call Nihon. You from the West have a different name for them. For you that name is Japan.
To Chapter One
The creation of heaven and earth began as a formless lump of matter immersed in black waters. All was silence and darkness. A rumbling and groaning began, and the matter separated and began to rise.
Foremost in rising upward was the light, for light has no weight and thus rises highest.
Next rose the lightest of matter. These rose up and formed the skies and the clouds above. It is these that all dwell beneath and even birds cannot find the end of.
Beneath the skies and clouds rose up more matter. This were heavier and slower than the lightest of things, but still lighter than most. From this was formed the High Place of Heaven. That is what we mean when we speak of Takagamahara.
Beneath, barely able to rise above the sea was what was left. This heavy matter formed the dense mass that is the world.
In Takagamahara were born gods. First born were three, Amenominakanushi, Taka-mi-musuhi-no-Okami and Kami-musuhi-no-Okami. Then two more emerged, Umashi-ashi-kabi-hikoji-no-Okami and Ame-no-toko-tachi-no-Okami. These are called Kotoamatsukukami. They had the bodies of neither men nor women and had no partners. After they were born they fled into hiding, and they are in hiding still.
After this two more gods were born. They were Kuni-no-toko-tachi-no-Okami and Toyo-kumo-no-Okami. They were the first and second of the Seven Divine Generations. That is the meaning of the word Kamiyonanayo. Like the ones come before, Kuni-no-toko-tachi-no-okami and Toyo-kumo-no-Okami were not man or woman and had no partners.
The third generation were U-hiji-ni and Su-hiji-ni. U-hiji-ni was the elder, and Su-hiji-ni was his sister and his wife.
The fourth generation were Tsunu-guhi and Iku-guhi. Tsunu-guhi was the elder, and Iku-guhi was his sister and his wife.
The fifth generation were O-to-no-ji and O-to-no-be. O-to-no-ji was the elder, and O-to-no-be was his sister and his wife.
The sixth generation were Omo-daru and Aya-kashiko-ne. Omo-daru was the elder and Omo-daru was his sister and his wife.
The seventh generation were Izanagi and Izanami. Izanagi was the elder and Izanagi was his sister and his wife.
In Takagamahara the Kamiyonanayo came together to discuss what was to happen with the heavy matter that was below. Kuni-no-toko-tachi-no-Okami and Toyo-kumo-no-Okami then decreed that the youngest, Izanagi and Izanami were to cross the bridge that is named Ame-no-ukihashi. They gave Izanagi the naginata named Amenonuhoko.
As they crossed the bridge, Izanagi stirred the waters below with Amenonuhoko. The water that splashed from the blade dropped down into the waters and formed the first island, Onogoroshima. Izanagi and Izanami stepped down from the bridge onto the island, and there they built a heavenly pillar named Ame-no-mihashira.
What is the form of your body? So said Izanagi to Izanami.
My body is complete, but there is a place where something has not grown and a space exists inside of me. So said Izanami to Izanagi.
My body is also complete, but there is something that has grown too much. Let me place that which is too much in that something that has not grown, and by that we will produce those that will fill the land. So said Izanagi to Izanami.
So they walked around Ame-no-mihashira, Izanami walking to the right and Izanagi to the left. As they met, Izanami spoke to Izanagi. You are beautiful and kind. This she said to him.
But Izanagi scolded Izanami, for a woman must not speak before her husband. But then he placed that which had grown to much inside of that which had not grown.
After this Izanami birthed Hiruko and Ahashima. These were misshapen, and so they were placed into reed boats and set adrift on the waves. Then they returned to Takamagahara and asked why their children had been born misshapen.
Then Kuni-no-toko-tachi-no-Okami and Toyo-kumo-no-Okami divined that it was because Izanami had spoken first after the seventh divine generation had circled Ame-no-mihashira.
So the seventh divine generation returned to Onogoroshima. There they repeated the ceremony that had done before, but this time Izanagi spoke first. You are beautiful and kind. This is what he said to her. And then she spoke. You are beautiful and kind.
Once again he placed that which had grown too much into that which had not grown.
Izanami then gave birth again.
First was born Ahaji-no-ho-no-sawake-no-shima. This is the island we call Awaji.
Second was born Iyo-no-futana-no-shima. This is the island we call Shikoku.
Third was born Oki-no-mitsugo-no-shima. This is the island we call Oki.
Fourth was born Tsukushi-no-shima. This is the island we call Kyushu.
Fifth was born Iki-no-shima. This is the island we call Iki.
Sixth was born Tsu-shima. We still call the island this.
Seventh was born Sado-no-shima. This island we still call Sado.
Eighth was born Ohoyamatotoyoakitsu-shima. This is the island we call Honshu.
Together these islands were named Oyashima. For us, these are the islands we call Nihon. You from the West have a different name for them. For you that name is Japan.
To Chapter One