chief and his guests with such
winning grace that they were all captivated, and at the end of the dance
the delighted chief seized his prize by the hand and drew the seemingly
coy damsel into his own tent. Once within its folds, the yielding girl
suddenly changed into a heroic youth who clasped the rebel with a
vigorous embrace and slew him on the spot. For this exploit the youthful
prince received his title of Yamato-Dake, or "Yamato the Warlike."

Thirteen years later a revolt broke out among the wild tribes of Eastern
Japan, and the young hero marched with an army to subdue them. His route
led him past the shrine of the Sun goddess, in Ise, and here the
priestess presented him with the sacred sword, one of the holy emblems
of the realm. His own sword was left under a neighboring pine.

Armed with this magical blade, he continued his march into the wilds of
Suruga, the haunt of the insurgent Ainos. But he found it no easy matter
to bring these savage foes to an open fight. Fleeing before his army
into the woods and mountains, they fought him from behind rocks and
trees, it being their policy of warfare to inflict damage upon the enemy
with as little loss as possible to themselves. Like the American
Indians, these savages were used to all the forest wiles, quick to avail
themselves of every sound or sign, able to make their way with ease
through tangled thickets and pathless forests, and adepts in all the
lore of wood and wild.

As the army of Yamato pressed them too closely, they set fire to the dry
underbrush which densely surrounded their lurking-place. The high wind
carried the flames in roaring waves towards the Japanese army, which
was in the most serious danger, for it was encamped amid tall, dry
grass, which quickly became a sea of soaring flame. With yells of
delight the Ainos gazed upon the imminent peril of their foes; but
suddenly their exultation was changed to dismay. For at this moment of
danger the Sun goddess appeared to Yamato, and at her suggestion he drew
the sacred sword--Murakumo, or "Cloud Cluster"--and cut the grass that
thickly rose around him. Before the magic of the blade fire itself was
powerless, and the advancing flames turned and swept towards the enemy,
many of whom were consumed, while the others fled in panic fear.
Grateful to the gods for this timely aid, the hero changed the name of
the sword, decreeing that thenceforth it should be known as Kusanagi, or
"Grass-Mower."

His rout