第一章 天の岩屋 Chapter 1 The Heavenly Grotto
天照大神が、天の岩屋へおはいりになって、岩戸をおしめになりました。明るかつた世界が急にまつ暗になりました。すると、今までかくれてゐた、いろ々のわるものが出來て、らんばうをしたり、いたづらをしたりました。
Amaterasu Ōmikami entered into the Heavenly Grotto and closed the rock door. The bright world was quickly plunged into total darkness. Thereupon, various wicked creatures, who had been hidden until now, appeared and became violent and mischievous.
In the original text for the word いろ々 instead of the 々 there's a large く drawn to mean reading the same word. As I mentioned in a previous post, older texts don't differentiate between つ and っ, so you'll see that a bunch. In this paragraph you'll see ゐた instead of いた for the past continuous form, as well as the old form of 来, 來.
大ぜいの神様がお集まりになって、
「どうしたら、よからうか。」と、ごさうだんなさいました。
The many kami gathered, asking "How can we make this better?"
This paragraph uses some older language, upon research よからう is an older conjugation of よし. And ごさうだん is the older pronunciation of ごそうだん.
思ひかねの神といふ、大そうちゑのある神様のお考えで、神様方のなさることがきまりました。
They decided what to do based on the thoughts of a kami of great wisdom, called Omoikane no Kami.
Another fascinating area of spellings. いふ instead of いう, andちゑ instead of ちえ for wisdom.
或神様は、大きい、りつぱな鏡をお作りになりました。或神様は、きれいな玉をたくさん作つて、くびかざりのやうに、ひもにお通しになりました。また、或神様は、山へ行って、大きな榊の木を根こぎにして、持つていらつしやいました。
Certain kami made a large, magnificent mirror. Some kami, made many beautiful gems, and strung them up, like a necklace. Also, other kami went to the mountains, and cut down a large sakaki tree and brought it with them.
この榊の木に、鏡と玉をかざつて、岩屋の前に建て、また、たくさんのにはとりを集めて、岩屋の前でお鳥かせになりました。
They decorated that tree with the mirror and gems, and stood it in front of the Heavenly Grotto. They also gathered many chickens, and let them roost in front of the Heavenly Grotto.
この時、天のうずめのみことは、岩屋の前へ進んで舞をなさいました。かづらをたすきにかけ、さゝの葉を手に持つて、ふせたをけをだいにして、その底をとん々ふみ鳴らしながらこつけいな手ぶりや身ぶりをして、おもしろくお舞ひになりました。
At that time, Ame no Uzume no Mikoto, voluntarily danced in front of the Heavenly Grotto. Wearing katsura tied up in cords, bamboo leaves in hand, she turned over a bucket; she danced amusingly, making small gestures and body movements as she thumped her feet on the bottom of the drum.
Interestingly enough the first 舞 you see written here had the furigana saying it should be read as まひ, much like the second time. The ゝ mark means you repeat the same kana twice.
大ぜいの神様は、どつと、お笑ひになりました。あまりおもしろさうなので、天照大神は、少しばかり岩戸をあけて、おのぞきになりました。すると、神様方の木をずつと前へ、お出しになりました。
The many kami, burst out into laughter. As it seemed very interesting, Amaterasu Ōmikami opened the stone door just a bit to peak out. Then the kami brought the tree all the way to the front.
大神のおすがたが、鏡にうつりました。大神は、いよ々ふしぎにお思ひになつて、少し戸の外へ出ようとなさいました。
The image of her was reflected in the mirror. She was so puzzled, that she decided to step out for a moment.
岩戸のそばで待つていらつしやつた天手力男のみことは、この時とばかり、さつと岩戸をあけ手、大神のお手を取つて、外へお連出し申しなした。
Right next to the door, waiting, was Ame no Tajikarao no Mikoto. The moment the door opened, he took the hand of Amaterasu Ōmikami, and lead her out of the cave.
世界中が、もとのやうに明るくなりました。大ぜいの神様は、手をうつ手、お喜びになりました。
The whole world became as bright as ever. The many kami clapped their hands together, and were delighted.
—From 尋常科用 小學國語讀本 卷五 by 文部省
Standard disclaimer about me not being a native speaker! But this elementary level reader is a fascinating glimpse into the policies of the War Era for Japan. This book was published in the 1930s, and the fact that they have so many different chapters dedicated to the kami mythology, and shrines is really neat.
