The sacred horses were then led eight times round the temple by the grooms of the Mikado's stables, who received a draught of consecrated _sake_ as their reward. The general of the body-guard next directed some of his men to perform the dance called _Adzuma-mahi_, and when they had finished a meal of rice was served to them with much ceremony by the Mikado's cooks. At the command of the Vice-Minister of Religion, the harpists and flute-players were summoned to perform a piece of music, called _mi koto fuwe ahase_ (the concert of harp and flute); the flutes played a short movement alone, and were then joined by the harps, whereupon the singers struck in. An officer of the Ministry of Religion sang the first few bars, and the official singers finished the piece. This was followed by one of the dances called _Yamato-mahi_, performed in turn by the principal priests of the temple, by members of the Fujihara family and by the Vice-Minister of Religion himself. After the _sake_-cup had been passed round three times, the company clapped their hands once and separated. Then everybody adjourned to the race-course, and the day was wound up with galloping matches. The _norito_ (No. 2 of the _Yengishiki_) read on this occasion has been translated by Sir Ernest Satow. It is of minor interest. =Hirose Oho-imi no Matsuri= (service in honour of the Food-Goddess of Hirose).--The _norito_ of this ceremony (No. 3 of the _Yengishiki_) announces offerings to the Food-Goddess and makes promise of more if good harvests are granted by her. The Gods of the ravines which supply water for irrigating the Crown-farms are joined with her in this service. Sir E. Satow has translated this _norito_. It contains nothing of special interest. =Tatsuta kaze no kami no Matsuri= (service of the Wind-Gods at Tatsuta).--The _norito_ (No. 4 of the _Yengishiki_) of this service has been translated by Sir E. Satow. It contains a legend which professes to account for its first institution and for the founding of the shrine at which it was celebrated. For several years in succession violent storms had destroyed the crops. The diviners having in vain endeavoured to discover the cause of this calamity, the Wind-Gods revealed themselves to the Mikado in a dream and proposed to him a bargain, namely, that if he built them a shrine, and made them certain offerings, they would in future bless and ripen the grain and vegetables. The "golden thread-box," "golden shuttle," and "golden reel" enumerated in this _norito_ as offerings to the Goddess were in reality of painted wood, one of the numerous cases of cheaper substitutes in Shinto ritual. The _Nihongi_ mentions very frequent embassies from the Mikado to this shrine in the seventh century. Princes were selected for the office of envoy.