Konohanasakuyabime (このはなさくやびめ) <2>
(Konohanasakuyabime)
A while after their marriage, Konohanasakuyabime (このはなさくやびめ) came to her husband, Ninigi-no Mikoto (ににぎのみこと), to tell him something very important.
“I am expecting your babies. This is so important to both of us that I decided to tell you.”
Ninigi doubtfully said, “You must be kidding, Sakuyabime. You cannot have gotten pregnant after having only one intercourse with me. There must be someone among the Earthly Gods that is the baby’s real father!”
Sakuyabime, terribly disappointed in her husband’s comment, boldly said, “I hereby swear that I will be burnt to death if this baby is someone else’s and that I will safely deliver this baby if he is your son.”
As soon as she swore, Konohanasakuyabime entered a grandiose sacred building with no exits and closed it shut from inside with mortar. Then, she set the building on fire when she was ready for delivery, and safely delivered babies. She betted her life to prove that her new babies were Ninigi’s.
Their babies were named Hoderi-no Mikoto (ほでりのみこと), Hosuserinomikoto (ほすせりのみこと), and Hoori-no Mikoto (ほおりのみこと) or Amatsuhikohikohohodemi-no Mikoto (あまつひこひこほほでみのみこと). Their common first letter, Ho (ほ), means “fire,” where they were born.
