And Izanagi pushed the jewelled Spear down from the Floating Bridge and stirred the green sea round and round, and some say that is why the earth turns round and round to this day. Then the brine went curdle-curdle, and they drew up the Spear, and the brine that fell from the end of the Spear dropped down and became an island. This island was called Onogoro, and is one of the Everlasting Islands of the Land of Sunrise, of the Land of Fertile Reed-plains, which is Japan. Now, the Gods stepped down on to the Earth, and it was strange and desolate, and they shivered, and felt lonely and afraid. Suddenly sounded a whirring of wings; two tiny Sekirei—wagtails—swept by and fluttered to the ground. It was early springtime; the living air thrilled warm and sweet. With little pecks and cheeps, full of busy pride, the pair sought twigs and grasses and wove them deftly into a downy nest. Quivering with rapture, the lover-bird hovered round his mate, and sang of love and joy and happy days to come. While the Great Gods watched, a warmth crept round the heart of Izanagi, and in Izanami’s eyes was a mist of tears. She whispered softly, “Let us, too, make a house to dwell in!” Then Izanagi plunged his spear into the ground, and round them rose a great and glorious Palace, and the Spear was the Heart-Pillar thereof. And they were hidden from the sight of Heaven and Earth. Then, moving round this Pillar, they met and gazed on one another with charmed eyes. The Mother of Mankind cried joyfully: “Behold! I have met with a lovely Youth!” And Izanagi cried back: “Behold! I have met with a lovely Maiden!” So the Sekirei first taught the Gods the ways of Love, and are honored and cherished in Japan to this day. But Izanagi remembered how Izanami had been the first to speak, and in his displeasure said wrathfully: “I am a Man, and should by right have spoken first!” When the first child born to them was ugly and deformed, they put him in a boat made of camphor-wood, and he sailed away to sea and became the God of the fisherfolk. His children are the hairy men who live in some of the islands of Japan to this day. Then the Gods passed round the Pillar a second time, and Izanagi spoke first. So his anger was appeased, and they lived greatly content. Together they made the eight islands of Japan, and placed them at the summit of the globe. But the land was hidden—becovered with mists—so Izanagi sent forth the God of the Winds. He, blowing lustily, rent the clouds, and the earth lay as a bride unveiled, shimmering with silver dew on her green pastures. Next came the Food-Spirit to comfort mankind, the Sea Gods, the Mountain Gods, the Gods of the River-mouths, the Tree Gods, and the Earth Goddess. Last of all was born the fierce Fire God, Kagu-tsuchi. Now, this God was of such a hot and fiery temper that he burned his Great Mother, and she suffered change and departed to the Lower World.