AMA-TERASU, from her sun-glorious palace, spoke to her grandson, Ninigi, Prince Rice-Ear-Ruddy-Plenty: “You must descend from your Heavenly Rock Seat and go to rule the luxuriant Land-of-Fresh-Rice-Ears.” She gave him many presents; precious stones from the mountain steps of heaven, crystal balls of purest whiteness, and the cloud-sword which her brother, Susa-no-o, had drawn from the tail of the terrible dragon. She also entrusted to Ninigi the mirror whose splendour had enticed her from the cave, and said: “Guard this mirror faithfully; when you look into it you shall see my face.” A number of deities were commanded to accompany Prince Ruddy-Plenty, among them the beautiful Uzume, who had danced till the heavens shook with the laughter of the gods.
The great company broke through the clouds. Before them, at the eight-forked road of Heaven, stood a deity of gigantic stature, with his large and fiery eyes. The courage of the gods failed at sight of him, and they turned backward. But the fair Uzume went fearlessly up to the giant, and said: “Who is it that thus impedes our descent from heaven?” The deity, well pleased at the gracious mien of the goddess, made answer: “I am a friendly earth-spirit, the Deity of the Field-Paths. I come to meet Ninigi that I may pay homage to him and be his guide. Return and say to the august god that the Prince of Saruta greets him. I am this Prince, O Uzume.” The Goddess of Mirth rejoiced greatly when [!-- full page illustration --] [!-- blank page --] she heard these words, and said: “The company of gods shall proceed to earth; there will Ninigi be made known to you.” Then the Deity of the Field-Paths spoke: “Let the army of gods alight on the mountain of Takachihi, in the country of Tsukushi. On its peak I shall await them.”
But the fair Uzume went fearlessly up to the giant, and said: “Who is it that thus impedes our descent from heaven?”
Uzume returned to the gods and delivered the message. When Prince Ruddy-Plenty heard her words he again broke through the eightfold spreading cloud, and floated on the Bridge of Heaven to the summit of Takachihi.
Now Ninigi, with the Prince of Saruta as his guide, travelled throughout the kingdom over which he was to rule. He saw the mountain ranges and the lakes, the great reed plains and the vast pine forests, the rivers and the valleys. Then he said: “It is a land whereon the morning sun shines straight, a land which the evening sun illumines. So this place is an exceeding good place.” When he had thus spoken, he built a palace. The pillars rested on the nethermost rock-bottom, and the cross-beams rose to the Plain of High Heaven. In this palace he dwelt.
Again Ninigi spoke: “The God of the Field-Paths shall return to his home. He has been our guide, therefore he shall wed the beautiful goddess, Uzume, and she shall be priestess in his own mountain.” Uzume obeyed the commands of Ninigi, and is greatly honoured in Saruta for her courage, her mirth, and her beauty.