In writing the history of Rome, Dr. Thomas Arnold(36) said that the only way to treat its early history was to give the early legends in as nearly the form in which they had been handed down as possible; that in this way the spirit of the people would be preserved and the residuum of truth in them would become the heritage of the present generation. We have tried to treat the myths and legends of Japanese history in this manner, and have given the principal stories as they are preserved among the Japanese. _The Origin of the Celestial Deities._ The scene opens in the plain of high heaven. When heaven and earth began there were three deities(37) in existence, that is: Master-of-the-August-Centre-of-Heaven, High-August-Producing-Wondrous-Deity, Divine-Producing-Wondrous-Deity. These three came into existence without creation and afterwards died. Then two other deities were born from a thing that sprouted up like unto a reed shoot when the earth, young and like unto floating oil, drifted about medusa-like, viz.: Pleasant-Reed-Shoot-Prince-Elder-Deity, Heavenly-Externally-Standing-Deity. These two deities likewise came into existence without creation and afterward died. The five deities above named are called the Heavenly Deities. Next were born, Earthly-Eternally-Standing-Deity, Luxuriant-Integrating-Master-Deity. These two deities likewise came into existence without creation and afterwards died. Next were born, Mud-Earth-Lord and Mud-Earth-Lady, Germ-Integrating-Deity and Life-Integrating-Deity, Elder-of-the-Great-Place and Elder-Lady-of-the-Great-Place, Perfect-Exterior and Oh-Awful-Lady, The-Male-who-invites and The-Female-who-invites; or Izanagi and Izanami. The two deities named above together with these five pairs are called the seven divine generations. _The Creation of the Japanese Islands._ Then the heavenly deities gave commandment to Izanagi and Izanami to make, consolidate, and give birth to this drifting land. For their divine mission they received a heavenly jewelled spear. With this, standing on the floating bridge of heaven, they reached down and stirred the brine and then drew up the spear. The brine that dripped from the end of the spear was piled up and became the island of Onogoro(38) or Self-Coagulated Island. Then the pair descended upon this island and erected thereon a palace eight fathoms long. Here they lived and begat successive islands. The first was the island of Hirugo, which, as it was a miscarriage, they put in a boat of bulrushes and let it float away. The second was the island of Awa, which also is not reckoned among their offspring. The next was the island of Awaji,(39) and the next the land of Iyo by which is understood the present island of Shikoku.