It is said that the other pairs of beings before Izanagi and Izanami were only their imperfect forms or the processes through which they passed before arriving at perfection. These two beings lived in the heavens. The world was not yet well formed, and the soil floated about like a fish in the water, but near the surface, and was called “The Floating Region.” The sun, earth and moon were still attached to each other like a head to the neck, or arms to the body. They were little by little separating, the parts joining them growing thinner and thinner. This part, like an isthmus, was called “Heaven’s Floating Bridge.” It was on this bridge that Izanagi and Izanami were standing when they saw a pair of wagtails cooing and billing sweetly together. The heavenly couple were so delighted with the sight that they began to imitate the birds. Thus began the art of love, which mortals have practiced to this day. While talking together on this Bridge of Heaven, they began to wonder if there was a world beneath them. They looked far down upon the green seas, but could see nothing! Then Izanagi took his long jeweled spear and plunged it into the turbid mass, turning it round and round. As he lifted it up, the drops which trickled from it hardened into earth of their own accord, and thus dry land was formed. As Izanagi was cleansing his spear the lumps of muck and mud which had adhered to it flew off into space, and were changed into stars and comets. It is also said that by turning his spear round and round, Izanagi set the earth revolving in its daily revolutions. To the land thus formed, they gave the name “The Island of the Congealed Drop,” because they intended to create a large archipelago and wished to distinguish this as the first island. They descended from Heaven on the floating bridge and landed on the island. Izanagi struck his tall spear in the ground making it the axis of the world. He then proceeded to build a palace around the spear which formed the central pillar. The spot was formerly at the North Pole, but is now at Eshima, off the central eastern coast of Japan. They next resolved to walk around the island and examine it. This done, they met together. Izanami cried out, “What a lovely man!” But Izanagi rebuked her for speaking first, and said they must try it again. Then they walked around the island once more. When they met, Izanami held her tongue while Izanagi said, “What a lovely woman!” Being now both in good humor, they began the work of creating Japan. The first island brought up out of the water was Anaji; and then the main island. After that, eight large islands were created, whence comes one of the names of Japan, “The Empire of the Eight Great Islands.” Six smaller islands were also produced. The several thousand islets which make up the archipelago of “Everlasting Great Japan” were formed by the spontaneous consolidation of the foam of the sea.