Classic Poem

The old people say that once the ancestor deity made a round of visits to the various gods. He arrived at Mount Fuji in Suruga Province just at nightfall and asked for lodging for the night. But the god of Mount Fuji answered, saying, " It is the first tasting of the early grain, and the house is taboo. This one day I cannot admit you. "
At this the ancestor deity wept with vexation and cursed him, saying, " How is it that you do not give lodging to your parent? As long as you live, on the mountain where you dwell snow and frost shall fall winter and summer, cold shall pile upon cold, the people shall not climb up, and there shall be none to make offerings of food and drink. "
Then he climbed Mount Tsukuba and again asked for lodging. This time the god of Tsukuba replied, saying, " Tonight is the tasting of the new grain, but how could I dare refuse your request? " And he prepared food and drink and waited on him respectfully. Thereupon the ancestor deity sang:
Oh, well beloved,
my progeny,
oh, lofty,
shrine of gods!
Even with heaven and earth,
together with sun and moon,
the people shall gather to celebrate
with food and drink abundant,
age after age never failing,
day after day more flourishing:
for a thousand autumns and ten thousand years
their sports and pleasures never spent.
It is because of this that snow is forever falling on Mount Fuji, making it impossible to climb, whereas on Mount Tsukuba the gathering in throngs, the songs and the dancing, the drinking and feasting, have never ceased to this very day.