================================================================== 17-5.Kami-okuri. From The myth of the shade. ==================================================================
		This, first written in Japanese, was issued in Justnet in 1997 year though it was rewritten several times after that. And, it was issued in Nyfty in 7th November, 2004, translated to English. But, since I don't know English so well, it doesn't know whether this expression is proper or not. Hiromasa Noguti.
		The annotation ; The Kami-okuri is a kind of the funeral service held for the dead person, the dead animal and the broken tool and so on, in the purpose to return them to the gods and goddesses' world under the thought that they are gods and goddesses originally.
	When it notices, Cotosiro-nusi is holding the branch of withered willow in his right hand. It roughly seems to be three centimeters in the diameter fifty centimeters in the length. He, when sitting down on the ground, with the legs crossed, took the plain dagger out of one's bosom. And, it lops the twigs off the branch and next starts to take the bark carefully. It is the work making the stick of plain wood. Moreover, when that work was completed, he, while tilting the edge of the dagger, started to shave the stick of plain wood carefully. Every time he shaves the stick, rather slender thin chip not cut off from the stick is formed one after another. He, while often turning the stick of plain wood, repeated the same work silently. Soon the slender chips, piled around the stick gradually, start to compose the beautiful shape. He, when the slender chips are piled on the stick enough, adjusted those to imitate the bird's wings. There already is a sculpture of the head of bird to the top of the stick. Hereupon, "Inaw" was completed at last. This bird carries from this world to the gods and goddesses' world the dead person's soul or the dead animal's soul or other. It was the divine birds said to be on the shrine's gate called the Trii(This is expressed by the Chinese characters meaning there is the bird). In passing, the stick like that called Inaw in Ainue's language is named as Nusa in Japanese. However, in Japanese shrine it is formed from the wooden slender rectangular stick and several pieces of Japanese paper.
		Reference ; The religion of Jomon people.
				Cotosiro-nusi has put carefully the Inaw on the low stand of plain wood set in front of altar while bowing several times respectfully. And, when sitting slowly facing the altar with crossed legs, he clapped one's hand one time while regarding the altar, and bowed down many times. When it notices, he already is holding a little wooden bowl in the left hand and also a spatula of plain wood in the right hand. And, it, while carrying the spatula upon the little wooden bowl many times, held out one's arm frequently toward the altar as if it makes a soul eat something. It must be the last dinner given to the soul ready to go into the gods and goddesses' world. When Cotosiro-nusi prays for her, his low voice, while vibrating the silence of night, kept on flowing toward far mountains and the night sky through the trees as if it is the stream of gentle music.
	When it recollects one's past, this work was the dream for years. And, it is materializing by one's hand really now. A aura of the supreme bliss was making the air surrounding him glimmer with half-transparent white mist, given off out of his body. However, on the other hand, Amano looks to be unpleasant. A unidentifiable uneasiness, oozing out of his depths one after another, irritated him insistently. And, a strange jealousy to Cotosiro-nusi and Mihotu-hime was hiding into the irritation like that as well. However, it is certain they, already defeated by Amano, are in the miserable state terribly. To all appearances, it seemed there is nothing to feel jealousy of. And, it also seems there is nothing to feel fear of. In spite of that, Amano was irritated in the uneasiness and jealousy. "It's silly illusion ! It must be the result of tiredness". Amano, making oneself understand like that, has pushed the strange uneasiness into the bottom of the heart. The Kami-okuri will complete soon. So, these god and goddess are to disappear without the hatred soon. "I must keep the patience for a little while". He reasoned like that with oneself. But, the strange uneasiness and hatred doesn't show even the sign to vanish. Amano stared at Cotosiro-nusi, suppressing one's irritation narrowly. Just then, it can see the Inaw is giving off the faint light like the half-transparent clouds. And, those clouds, while glimmering as countless light as if it is the diamond-dust or other, started to drift, rising to the air of night slowly. But, it, stagnating over the altar soon, starts to condense gradually. And, it, becoming the graceful white bird like swan soon, appeared with enormous appearance in front of their eyes. When it sees, Mihotu-hime's corpse is sleeping under the half-transparent wings of the white bird with the peaceful look. The atmosphere around her, while often giving off the flickering light here and there, was undulating, as if it is across the heat haze.
	However, it is strange. When it notices suddenly, upon the corpse, another Mihotu-hime is floating. It was regarding one's corpse as if it looks at strange things. It seems it can't understand one's death. But, when Cotosiro-nusi states the detail, she nodded in understanding soon. Just then, the white bird like swan encourages Mihotu-hime to ride on one's back, stretching one's neck. She, when stroking the bird's neck slightly, jumped on to the bird's back with the easy carriage. What a beautiful sight it is ! Cotosiro-nusi, filled with emotion, when standing up suddenly and looking up at starry heavens, shouted to gods and goddesses. "Perhaps you will allow me to tell about Mihotu-hime. She is ready to go back to the goddess really now ! Now, Please accept her to the divine world !".
	Thereupon, the white bird, stretching one's neck toward the heavens, gives off the keen voice one time. Mihotu-hime smiled at the white bird tenderly. The white bird like swan, when flapping its broad wings one time, floats up into the air elegantly. Mihotu-hime already was giving off rainbow colored aura from whole of the body. Rainbow colored aura drifting around the white bird, becoming the dust of light, is drawing the trace like the tail of comet to the starry air whenever the white bird flaps its wings gracefully. And, the white bird gave off the bright light suddenly after circling over Mt. Goisigamine several times slowly. When it sees, it flies away toward the Galaxy in horrible speed while drawing the rainbow colored tail to the starry air. It already looks to be one comet really. Soon, it, while leaving the dust of light to the night sky for a little while, faded out, swallowed up into the Galaxy. It is that Mihotu-hime became the goddess and returned to the divine world. Cotosiro-nusi still was regarding the Galaxy without blinking even after the white bird disappeared into the river of heavens. (The Galaxy is called the river of heavens in Japanese). Inexpressible loneliness wrings Cotosiro-nusi's heart deeply. But, one's self also is to go there soon as it hoped like that. In spite of that, why does it feel such a loneliness ? It finished the work to do in this world. It never be regretting any more to go away out of this world. When suddenly it notices, his excitement in Kami-okuri had fallen quiet. This loneliness seems to come out of the mental condition like that. When it again looks up at the sky of night, the stars in heavens often were twinkling, as if it expresses the gods and goddesses' blessing. Cotosiro-nusi was sinking into the aftertaste of Kami-okuri.
			However, as for Amano, it looks to be bad temper. It must be because he can't allow Cotosiro-nusi's supreme bliss. The loser should have been miserable. "Hurry through your task!". Amano hurried up Cotosiro-nusi, showing the winner's cruel mind outspokenly. But, Cotosiro-nusi nods in the calm behavior. And, He, when walking forward slightly, sat on the ground with the crossed legs in silence. On the other hand, at that time, Amano again is caught to the inexpressible jealousy. And, since inexpressible fear wrings Amano gradually, he was bewildered in the thing terribly. However, it any more can't think Cotosiro-nusi is choosing the death, regretting going out of this world. He is to go back to the gods and goddesses' world as pure soul. "He will come vengeful ghost no longer". Amano made oneself understand like that narrowly.
	However, is the understanding like that right really ? Even if this Cotosiro-nusi keeps pure soul, the feeling idea of hatred continues to ooze out to this world as far as unreasonable suppression exists. And, it necessarily gives the symbol of hatred the birth in this world. If so, it can't assert new vengeful ghost of Cotosiro-nusi doesn't appear to this world. Of course, Amano knows the thing well in his depths. But, unfortunately he couldn't notice the thing with his consciousness. So, it seems the recognition like that appeared, becoming the weird fear. "All goes well if Cotosiro-nusi disappears". At that time, Amano was in the caught condition by only the murderous intent. Cotosiro-nusi, when Amano approaches him, bent one's body slightly forward. It feels horrible murderous intent behind strongly. He shut the eyelids in silence, recognizing one's time to complete soon. In that moment, Amano's iron sword whizzes suddenly. Cotosiro-nusi's head was cut out of his body in an instant. Drops of blood are scattered as if it is the spray or other. And, his body, getting a cramp slightly, fell down on the ground as if it collapses. Amano stares at that sight in the contemptuous eyes. The dead body of Cotosiro-nusi cut off cruelly gleamed under the starry air in a instant. But, it seems to be too easy death. "Did he die really?" Amano can't believe the death of Cotosiro-nusi at once though it doesn't know why. Strange uneasiness again started to wring his heart together with loneliness.
			Cotisiro-nusi already is disappearing from this world. And, it can feel the devilish aura nowhere any more. If so, by what reason does it feel such a uneasiness and loneliness ? Amano, unable to understand the thing, feels the terrible irritation. "I defeated him certainly. There is nothing of the matters to think any more." He, saying like that to oneself, pushed the strange uneasiness into the bottom of the heart. Just then, horrible sleepiness creeps up on him like Morpheus. Amano can't bear the sleepiness at all. He, when finding out the big pine, walked to its base narrowly and sat limply, entrusting one's body to its trunk. It feels the scent of pine comfortable. When it views the ridges of the far mountains, the east sky was growing light gradually. "Morning comes". Amano whispered like that to oneself. When it notices, birds are singing somewhere. A sight of the fight finished a little while ago were crossing Amano's mind as if it is the old films. Touch of win satisfies him tenderly. Amano, shutting the eyelids without consciousness, went into the deep sleep at last.
	The world in the dream, filled with the solemn light, is dazzling. Amano, after hesitating a little though it doesn't know why, stepped into that dream. When it notices, Cotosiro-nusi is standing there calmly, giving off a smile to Amano. It was the dignified looks not showing the miserable atmosphere at all. "Damn! You are loser ! Bear this in mind !". Amano, when staring at him in spite of oneself, shouted at him like that in the contemptuous behavior. However, Cotosiro-nusi, keeping one's calm as before, regards Amano gently. Amano, feeling one's mind to flinch though it doesn't know why, turned the eyes away from Cotosiro-nusi in spite of oneself. Just then, a dazzling sight vanishes suddenly. When it notices, Amano had stood in a pitch-dark world. Suspicious presentiment crosses his mind. And, a unidentifiable hatred, oozing out of his depths, started to wring him insistently. But, he can't know what kind of hatred it is. It also doesn't know why it flows out of oneself. He, bewildered in spite of oneself, stopped the walking suddenly. And, it stared at the suspicious hatred at the darkness. But, it, different from his conjecture, isn't the other person's hatred. As a matter of fact, it was one's hatred having been pushed into the bottom of the heart, was one's past hatred having been forgotten apparently. Miyao Amano in child ages dared to resist against Tasuku who is his father, panting for one's god. However, Tasuku suppressed Miyao's wish with the fatherly power. Miyao is discouraged and comes to bear the inexpressible hatred especially against the father to his depths. The hatred revived now must be that hatred surely. But, wasn't he to have accepted the hierarchy of gods and goddesses ? Wasn't he to have driven off the hatred like that ? At least Amano was believing like that.
	"In spite of that, why did I fall into such a situation ?" Amano was bewildered and afraid. When Miyao resisted against Tasuku, Tasuku, for Miyao, was Yamato itself, was the incarnation of power itself. And, Miyao, already becoming such Tasuku now, is believing the hierarchy of gods and goddesses. For Amano, the revival of the hatred was unreasonable. But, the hatred revived now is aiming against Amano certainly. And, actually, it suddenly attacked Amano with the horrible force. Amano endures that attack desperately. But, the horrible hatred, trying to swallow him, continued to attack Amano's mind furthermore. However Amano is strong, it is hard to keep enduring this attack if the time passes as it is. He, summoning up one's belief, made one's psychic force stronger. However, the detestable hatred also makes one's force stronger increasingly as well. And, Amano, trying to oppose the hatred, also made one's force stronger furthermore.
	However, Amano always can't emit more force than the hatred's force though it doesn't know why. And, it seems the detestable hatred also is in the same condition as Amano. Psychic flames given off out of them only keep on expanding around them. To all appearances, the fight seemed to continue everlastingly as far as they don't give up the fighting. However, they don't look to give up the fighting. Because of that, his brain wanted the oxygen strongly because of the fierce fighting. And, the heart is beating so strongly that it seems to burst. It seemed the heart really stops soon if he keeps on making one's force stronger as it is. Fear to the death catches Amano for the instant. However, If he neglects to make one's force stronger, it was certain he is defeated. So, he dared to keep on making one's force stronger and kept enduring the hatred's attack. The hierarchy of gods and goddesses is the divine rule to keep absolutely for Amano. Even if one's self dies, it wasn't allowed this belief is lost. His blood vessels, already standing out like whipcord, are expanding terribly as if it bursts soon. And, he started to feel the terrible pain with the irregular throb in the heart. It is heavy pain making him feel someone is clasping that internal organ. He suddenly felt dizzy. "Do I die ?". When accepting one's fate like that for the instant, he lost the consciousness. It can't feel the light any more. And, it also doesn't feel the pain in the body. But, the sign of the hatred also had vanished when it notices. "Did I win ? Or, Did I die ?". The soul of Amano asked oneself like that.
			However, next moment, when recovering one's eyesight, he sees the vengeful ghost with the horrible look is floating in front of eyes. "Who is this ?". When Amano looks at him carefully, that ghost has the same looks as Amano as if it is the twin of him. When noticing, Amano also was floating as well though it doesn't know why. When he suddenly looks down the big pine tree, it sees one's self is lying down, putting one's head on the roots of the pine. It doesn't move at all as if it is dead. But, Amano narrowly could feel it has life. It seems his strong instinct on life defended his body from the death. It seemed the winner in this fight can get life, taking back one's body and following one's belief.
 
Cotosiro