ere is sound history at the bottom, but it is ornamented with a good
deal that it is not safe to believe.

The first personage after Jimmu upon whom we need dwell was a wise and
worthy mikado named Sujin, who spent his days in civilizing his people,
probably no easy task. The gap of six centuries between Jimmu's time
and his had, no doubt, its interesting events, but none of particular
importance are upon record.

As a boy Sujin displayed courage and energy, together with the deepest
piety. As a man he mourned over the sinfulness of his people, and
earnestly begged them to give up their wicked ways and turn from sin to
the worship of the gods. He was not at first very successful. The people
were steeped in iniquity, and continued so until a pestilence was sent
to change the current of their sinful thoughts.

The pious monarch called upon the gods to stay the plague, doing penance
by rising early, fasting, and bathing,--possibly an unusual ceremony in
those days. The gods at length heard the voice of the king, and the
pestilence ceased. It had done its work. The people were convinced of
the error of their ways and turned from wantonness to worship, and
everywhere religious feeling revived.

As yet Japan possessed no temples or shrines, all worship being
conducted in the open air. The three holy emblems of the nation, the
mirror, the sword, and the ball, had thus far been kept within the
palace. Wherever they were the divine power dwelt, and the mikado,
living within their influence, was looked upon as equal to a god.

But the deities taught Sujin--or at least he thought they did--that this
was not the proper place for them. A rebellion broke out, due,
doubtless, to the evil spirit of men, but arising, in his opinion, from
the displeasure of the gods, who were not pleased with his keeping these
sacred objects under his own roof, where they might be defiled by the
unholiness of man. He determined, therefore, to provide for them a home
of their own, and to do so built the first temple in his realm. The
sacred symbols were placed under the care of his daughter, who was
appointed priestess of the shrine. From that day to this a virgin
princess of imperial blood has been chosen as custodian of these emblems
of deific power and presence.

The first temple was built at Kasanui, a village in Yamato. But the
goddess Amaterasu warned the priestess that this locality was not
sufficiently holy, so she set off with the mirror in