Various descriptions of wells 井泉 are seen in the Hitachi-no-Kuni-Fudoki 常陸風土記 or the Topography of the Province of Hitachi compiled in 713. These wells were introduced as fountains in the topography in question. Hitherto those wells that appear in the topography have been recognized by many of our historians as the sources of drinking water of the people in that province. However, it is apparent, in the writer's opinion, that these wells were also very important irrigation sources for the rice fields, and accordingly they were indispensable to the daily life of the provincial people. The wells in question were connected with the tales of legendaryheroes that were told among the people. The writer of this article believes that the tales introduced in the Hitachi-no-Kuni-Fudoki were those which symbolized the stabilized living conditions of the pioneers in that province and stabilized circumstances under the reigns of Mikados of the Yamato Court. It is also believed that the names of the local heroes in the ancient tales were (gradually) replaced by those of national heroes along with the changing political conditions. Such progress is well traced in the tales of wells. For example, the name of Yamato-Takeru-no-Sumeramikoto 倭武天皇 who was believed at first to be the greatest hero in the Province of Hitachi, was mentioned afterwards as the surname of Yamato-Takeru-no-Mikoto, one of the heroes introduced in the Kojiki (the "Ancient Chronicle" compiled in 712) and Nihon Shoki(the "Chronicle of Japan" compiled in 720) or believed to be the name of a hero of the Province of Hitachi, whose story came from that of Yuryaku-Tenno 雄略天皇. But these explanatory legends are not reliable. The change of the heroe's name in a tale only proves the fact that the power of the Yamato Court was increasing in the period in question.

慶應義塾創立百年記念論文集