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diff --git a/43304-0.txt b/43304-0.txt index f3c0138..504d37e 100644 --- a/43304-0.txt +++ b/43304-0.txt @@ -1,40 +1,4 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Nō Plays of Japan, by -Arthur Waley and Motokiyo Seami - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: The Nō Plays of Japan - -Author: Arthur Waley - Motokiyo Seami - -Release Date: July 26, 2013 [EBook #43304] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NŌ PLAYS OF JAPAN *** - - - - -Produced by Henry Flower and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries and HathiTrust) - - - - - - - - +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43304 *** THE NŌ PLAYS @@ -12135,366 +12099,4 @@ Yūya and Yuya End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Nō Plays of Japan, by Arthur Waley and Motokiyo Seami -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NŌ PLAYS OF JAPAN *** - -***** This file should be named 43304-0.txt or 43304-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/3/3/0/43304/ - -Produced by Henry Flower and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries and HathiTrust) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: The No Plays of Japan - -Author: Arthur Waley - Motokiyo Seami - -Release Date: July 26, 2013 [EBook #43304] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NO PLAYS OF JAPAN *** - - - - -Produced by Henry Flower and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries and HathiTrust) - - - - - - - - - - THE - NO PLAYS - OF JAPAN - - - - -_TRANSLATIONS BY ARTHUR WALEY_ - - -A HUNDRED AND SEVENTY CHINESE POEMS - - "No better translations have appeared of Chinese poetry. He - has given the real feeling of Chinese poetry, its clarity, its - suggestion, its perfect humanity." - - --AMY LOWELL. - - "A magnificent volume." - - --JAMES L. FORD, _New York Herald_. - - -MORE TRANSLATIONS FROM THE CHINESE - - "To those fortunate people who could and did enjoy _A Hundred and - Seventy Chinese Poems_ I would recommend _More Translations from - the Chinese_." - - --_Baltimore Evening Sun._ - - -_At all booksellers' or from the Publisher_ - -_ALFRED A. KNOPF, New York_ - -[Illustration: YOUNG WOMAN'S MASK] - - - - - THE NO PLAYS OF - JAPAN - - BY - ARTHUR WALEY - - NEW YORK - ALFRED A KNOPF - 1922 - - - - - COPYRIGHT, 1922 - BY ARTHUR WALEY - - _Published March, 1922_ - - - _Set up and printed by the Vail-Ballou Co., Binghamton, N. Y._ - _Paper furnished by W. F. Etherington & Co., New York, N. Y._ - _Bound by the Plimpton Press, Norwood, Mass._ - - - MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - - - - - TO - DOAMI - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PAGE - - KEY TO PLANS 12, 14 - PLANS 13, 15 - INTRODUCTION 17-29 - NOTE ON BUDDHISM 30-32 - - CHAPTER I - ATSUMORI 36-44 - IKUTA 45-50 - TSUNEMASA 51-56 - - CHAPTER II - KUMASAKA 60-68 - EBOSHI-ORI 69-80 - BENKEI ON THE BRIDGE 81-86 - - CHAPTER III - KAGEKIYO 89-99 - HACHI NO KI 100-112 - SOTOBA KOMACHI 113-124 - - CHAPTER IV - UKAI 127-133 - AYA NO TSUZUMI 134-141 - AOI NO UYE 142-151 - - CHAPTER V - KANTAN 155-164 - THE HOKA PRIESTS 165-175 - HAGOROMO 176-184 - - CHAPTER VI - TANIKO 185-193 - IKENIYE 194-200 - HATSUYUKI 201-204 - HAKU RAKUTEN 205-213 - - CHAPTER VII - SUMMARIES 217-249 - - CHAPTER VIII - FARCE (KYOGEN) 253-257 - - SHORT BIBLIOGRAPHY 258-259 - - APPENDICES 260-268 - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS - - - YOUNG WOMAN'S MASK _Frontispiece_ - FACING PAGE - YOUNG MAN'S MASK 70 - DEMON MASK 152 - THE ANGEL IN _HAGOROMO_ 176 - IZUTSU 216 - THE DRAGON LADY IN _AMA_ 234 - YUYA READING THE LETTER 238 - YAMAUBA (THE LADY OF THE MOUNTAINS) 244 - - -[Illustration: KEY TO PLAN I - -THEATRE SET UP IN THE RIVER-BED AT KYOTO IN 1464; ONAMI'S TROUPE -ACTED ON IT FOR THREE DAYS "WITH IMMENSE SUCCESS." - - A The Shogun. - B His attendants. - C His litter. - D His wife. - E Her ladies. - F Her litter. - G Auditorium. - H Stage. - I Musicians. - J _Hashigakari._ - K _Gakuya_, served as actors' dressing-room and musicians' room. -] - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration: KEY TO PLAN II - -MODERN STAGE - - A The Stage. - - B The _shite's_ Pillar. - - C _Shite's_ seat, also called "Name-saying seat." - - D _Metsuke-bashira_, Pillar on which the actor fixes his eye. - - E _Sumi_, the corner. - - F _Waki's_ Pillar, also called the Prime Minister's Pillar. - - G _Waki's_ seat. - - H _Waki's_ direction-point. (The point he faces when in his normal - position.) - - I Flute-player's Pillar. - - J _Atoza_, the Behind-space. - - K _Kagami-ita_, the back-wall with the pine-tree painted on it. - - L The musicians. (Represented by the four small circles.) - - M The stage-attendant's place. (A stage-hand in plain clothes who - fetches and carries.) - - N _Kirido_, "Hurry-door," also called "Forgetting-door" and - "Stomach-ache-door"; used by the chorus and occasionally by actors - making a hurried exit. _Vide_ _Hokazo_, p. 205. - - O Chorus, the leader sits near P. - - P The Nobles' door (now seldom used). - - Q The _Hashigakari_. - - R The _kyogen's seat_. - - S The three pine-branches. - - T _Shirasu_, a gravel-path. - - U _Kizahashi_, steps from stage to auditorium, formerly used by an - actor summoned to speak with the Shogun. - - V Actors' dressing-room. - - W Curtain between Q and V. - - X Dressing-room window. - - Y Musicians' room.] - -[Illustration] - - - - -INTRODUCTION - - -The theatre of the West is the last stronghold of realism. No one -treats painting or music as mere transcripts of life. But even pioneers -of stage-reform in France and Germany appear to regard the theatre as -belonging to life and not to art. The play is an organized piece of -human experience which the audience must as far as possible be allowed -to share with the actors. - -A few people in America and Europe want to go in the opposite -direction. They would like to see a theatre that aimed boldly at -stylization and simplification, discarding entirely the pretentious -lumber of 19th century stageland. That such a theatre exists and has -long existed in Japan has been well-known here for some time. But -hitherto very few plays have been translated in such a way as to give -the Western reader an idea of their literary value. It is only through -accurate scholarship that the "soul of No" can be known to the West. -Given a truthful rendering of the texts the American reader will supply -for himself their numerous connotations, a fact which Japanese writers -do not always sufficiently realize. The Japanese method of expanding a -five-line poem into a long treatise in order to make it intelligible to -us is one which obliterates the structure of the original design. Where -explanations are necessary they have been given in footnotes. I have -not thought it necessary to point out (as a Japanese critic suggested -that I ought to have done) that, for example, the "mood" of _Komachi_ -is different from the "mood" of _Kumasaka_. Such differences will be -fully apparent to the American reader, who would not be the better off -for knowing the technical name of each _kurai_ or class of No. Surely -the Japanese student of Shakespeare does not need to be told that the -_kurai_ of "Hamlet" is different from that of "Measure for Measure"? - -It would be possible to burden a book of this kind with as great a mass -of unnecessary technicality as irritates us in a smart sale-catalogue -of Japanese Prints. I have avoided such terms to a considerable extent, -treating the plays as literature, not as some kind of Delphic mystery. - -In this short introduction I shall not have space to give a complete -description of modern No, nor a full history of its origins. But the -reader of the translations will find that he needs some information -on these points. I have tried to supply it as concisely as possible, -sometimes in a schematic rather than a literary form. - -These are some of the points about which an American reader may wish to -know more: - - -(1) THE NO STAGE. - -Something of its modern form may be seen from Plate II and from the -plans on pp. 10-13. The actual stage (A) is about 18 feet square. On -the boards of the back wall is painted a pine-tree; the other sides -are open. A gallery (called _hashigakari_) leads to the green-room, -from which it is separated by a curtain which is raised to admit the -actor when he makes his entry. The audience sit either on two or three -sides of the stage. The chorus, generally in two rows, sit (or rather -squat) in the recess (O). The musicians sit in the recess (J) at the -back of the stage, the stick-drum nearest the "gallery," then the two -hand-drums and the flute. A railing runs round the musician's recess, -as also along the gallery. To the latter railing are attached three -real pine-branches, marked S in the plan. They will be seen in Plate -II. The stage is covered by a roof of its own, imitating in form the -roof of a Shinto temple. - - -(2) THE PERFORMERS. - -(_a_) _The Actors._ - -The first actor who comes on to the stage (approaching from the -gallery) is the _waki_ or assistant. His primary business is to explain -the circumstances under which the principal actor (called _shite_ or -"doer") came to dance the central dance of the play. Each of these main -actors (_waki_ and _shite_) has "adjuncts" or "companions." - -Some plays need only the two main actors. Others use as many as ten or -even twelve. The female rles are of course taken by men. The _waki_ is -always a male rle. - -(_b_) _The Chorus._ - -This consists of from eight to twelve persons in ordinary native dress -seated in two rows at the side of the stage. Their sole function is to -sing an actor's words for him when his dance-movements prevent him -from singing comfortably. They enter by a side-door before the play -begins and remain seated till it is over. - -(_c_) _The Musicians._ - -Nearest to the gallery sits the "big-drum," whose instrument rests on -the ground and is played with a stick. This stick-drum is not used in -all plays. - -Next comes a hand-drummer who plays with thimbled finger; next a second -who plays with the bare hand. - -Finally, the flute. It intervenes only at stated intervals, -particularly at the beginning, climax and end of plays. - - -COSTUME. - -Though almost wholly banishing other extrinsic aids, the No relies -enormously for its effects on gorgeous and elaborate costume. Some -references to this will be found in Oswald Sickert's letters at the end -of my book. - -Masks are worn only by the _shite_ (principal actor) and his -subordinates. The _shite_ always wears a mask if playing the part of a -woman or very old man. Young men, particularly warriors, are usually -unmasked. In child-parts (played by boy-actors) masks are not worn. The -reproduction of a female mask will be found on Plate I. The masks are -of wood. Many of those still in use are of great antiquity and rank as -important specimens of Japanese sculpture. - - -PROPERTIES. - -The properties of the No stage are of a highly conventionalized kind. -An open frame-work represents a boat; another differing little from it -denotes a chariot. Palace, house, cottage, hovel are all represented -by four posts covered with a roof. The fan which the actor usually -carries often does duty as a knife, brush or the like. Weapons are more -realistically represented. The short-sword, belt-sword, pike, spear and -Chinese broad-sword are carried; also bows and arrows. - - -DANCING AND ACTING. - -Every No play (with, I think, the sole exception of _Hachi no Ki_, -translated on p. 100) includes a _mai_ or dance, consisting usually -of slow steps and solemn gestures, often bearing little resemblance -to what is in America associated with the word "dance." When the -_shite_ dances, his dance consists of five "movements" or parts; a -"subordinate's" dance consists of three. Both in the actors' miming and -in the dancing an important element is the stamping of beats with the -shoeless foot. - - -THE PLAYS. - -The plays are written partly in prose, partly in verse. The prose -portions serve much the same purpose as the iambics in a Greek play. -They are in the Court or upper-class colloquial of the 14th century, a -language not wholly dead to-day, as it is still the language in which -people write formal letters. - -The chanting of these portions is far removed from singing; yet they -are not "spoken." The voice falls at the end of each sentence in a -monotonous cadence. - -A prose passage often gradually heightens into verse. The chanting, -which has hitherto resembled the intoning of a Roman Catholic priest, -takes on more of the character of "recitativo" in opera, occasionally -attaining to actual song. The verse of these portions is sometimes -irregular, but on the whole tends to an alternation of lines of five -and seven syllables. - -The verse of the lyric portions is marked by frequent use of -pivot-words[1] and puns, particularly puns on place-names. The 14th -century No-writer, Seami, insists that pivot-words should be used -sparingly and with discretion. Many No-writers did not follow this -advice; but the use of pivot-words is not in itself a decoration more -artificial than rhyme, and I cannot agree with those European writers -to whom this device appears puerile and degraded. Each language must -use such embellishments as suit its genius. - -Another characteristic of the texts is the use of earlier literary -material. Many of the plays were adapted from dance-ballads already -existing and even new plays made use of such poems as were associated -in the minds of the audience with the places or persons named in the -play. Often a play is written round a poem or series of poems, as will -be seen in the course of this book. - -This use of existing material exceeds the practice of Western -dramatists; but it must be remembered that if we were to read Webster, -for example, in editions annotated as minutely as the No-plays, we -should discover that he was far more addicted to borrowing than we -had been aware. It seems to me that in the finest plays this use of -existing material is made with magnificent effect and fully justifies -itself. - -The reference which I have just made to dance-ballads brings us to -another question. What did the No-plays grow out of? - - -ORIGINS. - -No as we have it to-day dates from about the middle of the 14th -century. It was a combination of many elements. - -These were: - -(1) Sarugaku, a masquerade which relieved the solemnity of Shinto -ceremonies. What we call No was at first called Sarugaku no No. - -(2) Dengaku, at first a rustic exhibition of acrobatics and jugglery; -later, a kind of opera in which performers alternately danced and -recited. - -(3) Various sorts of recitation, ballad-singing, etc. - -(4) The Chinese dances practised at the Japanese Court. - -No owes its present form to the genius of two men. Kwanami Kiyotsugu -(1333-1384 A. D.) and his son Seami Motokiyo (1363-1444 A. -D.).[2] - -Kwanami was a priest of the Kasuga Temple near Nara. About 1375 the -Shogun Yoshimitsu saw him performing in a Sarugaku no No at the New -Temple (one of the three great temples of Kumano) and immediately took -him under his protection. - -This Yoshimitsu had become ruler of Japan in 1367 at the age of ten. -His family had seized the Shogunate in 1338 and wielded absolute power -at Kyoto, while two rival Mikados, one in the north and one in the -south, held impotent and dwindling courts. - -The young Shogun distinguished himself by patronage of art and letters; -and by his devotion to the religion of the Zen Sect.[3] It is probable -that when he first saw Kwanami he also became acquainted with the son -Seami, then a boy of twelve. - -A diary of the period has the following entry for the 7th day of the -6th month, 1368: - - For some while Yoshimitsu has been making a favourite of a - Sarugaku-boy from Yamato, sharing the same meat and eating from the - same vessels. These Sarugaku people are mere mendicants, but he - treats them as if they were Privy Counsellors. - -From this friendship sprang the art of No as it exists to-day. Of Seami -we know far more than of his father Kwanami. For Seami left behind him -a considerable number of treatises and autobiographical fragments.[4] -These were not published till 1908 and have not yet been properly -edited. They establish, among other things, the fact that Seami wrote -both words and music for most of the plays in which he performed. It -had before been supposed that the texts were supplied by the Zen[5] -priests. For other information brought to light by the discovery of -Seami's _Works_ see Appendix II. - - -YUGEN - -It is obvious that Seami was deeply imbued with the teachings of -Zen, in which cult his patron Yoshimitsu may have been his master. -The difficult term _yugen_ which occurs constantly in the _Works_ is -derived from Zen literature. It means "what lies beneath the surface"; -the subtle as opposed to the obvious; the hint, as opposed to the -statement. It is applied to the natural grace of a boy's movements, -to the restraint of a nobleman's speech and bearing. "When notes fall -sweetly and flutter delicately to the ear," that is the _yugen_ of -music. The symbol of _yugen_ is "a white bird with a flower in its -beak." "To watch the sun sink behind a flower-clad hill, to wander on -and on in a huge forest with no thought of return, to stand upon the -shore and gaze after a boat that goes hid by far-off islands, to ponder -on the journey of wild-geese seen and lost among the clouds"--such are -the gates to _yugen_. - -I will give a few specimens of Seami's advice to his pupils: - - -PATRONS - -The actor should not stare straight into the faces of the audience, but -look between them. When he looks in the direction of the Daimyos he -must not let his eyes meet theirs, but must slightly avert his gaze. - -At Palace-performances or when acting at a banquet, he must not let -his eyes meet those of the Shogun or stare straight into the Honourable -Face. When playing in a large enclosure he must take care to keep -as close as possible to the side where the Nobles are sitting; if -in a small enclosure, as far off as possible. But particularly in -Palace-performances and the like he must take the greatest pains to -keep as far away as he possibly can from the August Presence. - -Again, when the recitations are given at the Palace it is equally -essential to begin at the right moment. It is bad to begin too soon and -fatal to delay too long. - -It sometimes happens that the "noble gentlemen" do not arrive at the -theatre until the play has already reached its Development and Climax. -In such cases the play is at its climax, but the noble gentlemen's -hearts are ripe only for Introduction. If they, ready only for -Introduction, are forced to witness a Climax, they are not likely -to get pleasure from it. Finally even the spectators who were there -before, awed by the entry of the "exalted ones," become so quiet -that you would not know they were there, so that the whole audience -ends by returning to the Introductory mood. At such a moment the No -cannot possibly be a success. In such circumstances it is best to take -Development-No and give it a slightly "introductory" turn. Then, if it -is played gently, it may win the August Attention. - -It also happens that one is suddenly sent for to perform at a Shogunal -feast or the like. The audience is already in a "climax-mood"; but -"introductory" No must be played. This is a great difficulty. In -such circumstances the best plan is to tinge the introduction with a -_nuance_ of "development." But this must be done without "stickiness," -with the lightest possible touch, and the transition to the real -Development and Climax must be made as quickly as possible. - -In old times there were masters who perfected themselves in No without -study. But nowadays the nobles and gentlemen have become so critical -that they will only look with approbation on what is good and will not -give attention to anything bad. - -Their honourable eyes have become so keen that they notice the least -defect, so that even a masterpiece that is as pearls many times -polished or flowers choicely culled will not win the applause of our -gentlemen to-day. - -At the same time, good actors are becoming few and the Art is -gradually sinking towards its decline. For this reason, if very -strenuous study is not made, it is bound to disappear altogether. - -When summoned to play before the noble gentlemen, we are expected to -give the regular "words of good-wish" and to divide our performance -into the three parts, Introduction, Development and Climax, so that the -pre-arranged order cannot be varied.... But on less formal occasions, -when, for example, one is playing not at a Shogunal banquet but on a -common, everyday (_yo no tsune_) stage, it is obviously unnecessary to -limit oneself to the set forms of "happy wish." - -One's style should be easy and full of graceful _yugen_, and the -piece[6] selected should be suitable to the audience. A ballad -(_ko-utai_) or dance-song (_kuse-mai_) of the day will be best. One -should have in one's repertory a stock of such pieces and be ready to -vary them according to the character of one's audience. - -In the words and gestures (of a farce, kyogen) there should be nothing -low. The jokes and repartee should be such as suit the august ears of -the nobles and gentry. On no account must vulgar words or gestures be -introduced, however funny they may be. This advice must be carefully -observed. - -Introduction, Development and Climax must also be strictly adhered -to when _dancing_ at the Palace. If the chanting proceeds from an -"introductory-mood," the dancing must belong to the same mood.... When -one is suddenly summoned to perform at a riotous banquet, one must take -into consideration the state of the noble gentlemen's spirits. - - -IMITATION (Monomane). - -In imitation there should be a tinge of the "unlike." For if imitation -be pressed too far it impinges on reality and ceases to give an -impression of likeness. If one aims only at the beautiful, the "flower" -is sure to appear. For example, in acting the part of an old man, the -master actor tries to reproduce in his dance only the refinement and -venerability of an old gentleman.[7] If the actor is old himself, he -need not think about producing an impression of old age.... - -The appearance of old age will often be best given by making all -movements a little late, so that they come just after the musical beat. -If the actor bears this in mind, he may be as lively and energetic as -he pleases. For in old age the limbs are heavy and the ears slow; there -is the will to move but not the corresponding capacity. - -It is in such methods as this that true imitation lies.... Youthful -movements made by an old person are, indeed, delightful; they are like -flowers blossoming on an old tree. - -If, because the actor has noticed that old men walk with bent -knees and back and have shrunken frames, he simply imitates these -characteristics, he may achieve an appearance of decrepitude, but it -will be at the expense of the "flower." And if the "flower" be lacking -there will be no beauty in his impersonation. - -Women should be impersonated by a young actor.... It is very difficult -to play the part of a Princess or lady-in-waiting, for little -opportunity presents itself of studying their august behaviour and -appearance. Great pains must be taken to see that robes and cloaks are -worn in the correct way. These things do not depend on the actor's -fancy but must be carefully ascertained. - -The appearance of ordinary ladies such as one is used to see about one -is easy to imitate.... In acting the part of a dancing-girl, mad-woman -or the like, whether he carry the fan or some fancy thing (a flowering -branch, for instance) the actor must carry it loosely; his skirts -must trail low so as to hide his feet; his knees and back must not be -bent, his body must be poised gracefully. As regards the way he holds -himself--if he bends back, it looks bad when he faces the audience; if -he stoops, it looks bad from behind. But he will not look like a woman -if he holds his head too stiffly. His sleeves should be as long as -possible, so that he never shows his fingers. - - -APPARITIONS - -Here the outward form is that of a ghost; but within is the heart of a -man. - -Such plays are generally in two parts. The beginning, in two or three -sections, should be as short as possible. In the second half the -_shite_ (who has hitherto appeared to be a man) becomes definitely the -ghost of a dead person. - -Since no one has ever seen a real ghost[8] from the Nether Regions, the -actor may use his fancy, aiming only at the beautiful. To represent -real life is far more difficult. - -If ghosts are terrifying, they cease to be beautiful. For the -terrifying and the beautiful are as far apart as black and white. - - -CHILD PLAYS - -In plays where a lost child is found by its parents, the writer should -not introduce a scene where they clutch and cling to one another, -sobbing and weeping.... - -Plays in which child-characters occur, even if well done, are always -apt to make the audience exclaim in disgust, "Don't harrow our feelings -in this way!" - - -RESTRAINT - -In representing anger the actor should yet retain some gentleness in -his mood, else he will portray not anger but violence. - -In representing the mysterious (_yugen_) he must not forget the -principle of energy. - -When the body is in violent action, the hands and feet must move as -though by stealth. When the feet are in lively motion, the body must be -held in quietness. Such things cannot be explained in writing but must -be shown to the actor by actual demonstration. - - * * * * * - -It is above all in "architecture," in the relation of parts to the -whole, that these poems are supreme.[9] The early writers created a -"form" or general pattern which the weakest writing cannot wholly rob -of its beauty. The plays are like those carved lamp-bearing angels -in the churches at Seville; a type of such beauty was created by a -sculptor of the sixteenth century that even the most degraded modern -descendant of these masterpieces retains a certain distinction of form. - -First comes the _jidai_ or opening-couplet, enigmatic, abrupt. Then in -contrast to this vague shadow come the hard outlines of the _waki's_ -exposition, the formal naming of himself, his origin and destination. -Then, shadowy again, the "song of travel," in which picture after -picture dissolves almost before it is seen. - -But all this has been mere introduction--the imagination has been -quickened, the attention grasped in preparation for one thing only--the -hero's entry. In the "first chant," in the dialogue which follows, in -the successive dances and climax, this absolute mastery of construction -is what has most struck me in reading the plays. - -Again, No does not make a frontal attack on the emotions. It creeps at -the subject warily. For the action, in the commonest class of play, -does not take place before our eyes, but is lived through again in -mimic and recital by the ghost of one of the participants in it. Thus -we get no possibility of crude realities; a vision of life indeed, but -painted with the colours of memory, longing or regret. - -In a paper read before the Japan Society in 1919 I tried to illustrate -this point by showing, perhaps in too fragmentary and disjointed a -manner, how the theme of Webster's "Duchess of Malfi" would have been -treated by a No writer. I said then (and the Society kindly allows me -to repeat those remarks): - -The plot of the play is thus summarized by Rupert Brooke in his "John -Webster and the Elizabethan Drama": "The Duchess of Malfi is a young -widow forbidden by her brothers, Ferdinand and the Cardinal, to marry -again. They put a creature of theirs, Bosola, into her service as a -spy. The Duchess loves and marries Antonio, her steward, and has three -children. Bosola ultimately discovers and reports this. Antonio and the -Duchess have to fly. The Duchess is captured, imprisoned and mentally -tortured and put to death. Ferdinand goes mad. In the last Act he, the -Cardinal, Antonio and Bosola are all killed with various confusions and -in various horror." - -Just as Webster took his themes from previous works (in this case from -Painter's "Palace of Pleasure"), so the No plays took theirs from the -Romances or "Monogatari." Let us reconstruct the "Duchess" as a No -play, using Webster's text as our "Monogatari." - -Great simplification is necessary, for the No play corresponds -in length to one act of our five-act plays, and has no space for -divagations. The comic is altogether excluded, being reserved for the -_kyogen_ or farces which are played as interludes between the No. - -The persons need not be more than two--the Pilgrim, who will act the -part of _waki_, and the Duchess, who will be _shite_ or Protagonist. -The chorus takes no part in the action, but speaks for the _shite_ -while she is miming the more engrossing parts of her rle. - -The Pilgrim comes on to the stage and first pronounces in his _Jidai_ -or preliminary couplet, some Buddhist aphorism appropriate to the -subject of the play. He then names himself to the audience thus (in -prose): - -"I am a pilgrim from Rome. I have visited all the other shrines of -Italy, but have never been to Loretto. I will journey once to the -shrine of Loretto." - -Then follows (in verse) the "Song of Travel" in which the Pilgrim -describes the scenes through which he passes on his way to the shrine. -While he is kneeling at the shrine, _Shite_ (the Protagonist) comes on -to the stage. She is a young woman dressed, "contrary to the Italian -fashion," in a loose-bodied gown. She carries in her hand an unripe -apricot. She calls to the Pilgrim and engages him in conversation. He -asks her if it were not at this shrine that the Duchess of Malfi took -refuge. The young woman answers with a kind of eager exaltation, her -words gradually rising from prose to poetry. She tells the story of -the Duchess's flight, adding certain intimate touches which force the -priest to ask abruptly, "Who is it that is speaking to me?" - -And the girl shuddering (for it is hateful to a ghost to name itself) -answers: "_Hazukashi ya!_ I am the soul of the Duke Ferdinand's sister, -she that was once called Duchess of Malfi. Love still ties my soul to -the earth. _Toburai tabi-tamaye!_ Pray for me, oh, pray for my release!" - -Here closes the first part of the play. In the second the young ghost, -her memory quickened by the Pilgrim's prayers (and this is part of the -medicine of salvation), endures again the memory of her final hours. -She mimes the action of kissing the hand (_vide_ Act IV, Scene 1), -finds it very cold: - - I fear you are not well after your travel. - Oh! horrible! - What witchcraft does he practise, that he hath left - A dead man's hand here? - -And each successive scene of the torture is so vividly mimed that -though it exists only in the Protagonist's brain, it is as real to the -audience as if the figure of dead Antonio lay propped upon the stage, -or as if the madmen were actually leaping and screaming before them. - -Finally she acts the scene of her own execution: - - Heaven-gates are not so highly arched - As princes' palaces; they that enter there - Must go upon their knees. (_She kneels._) - Come, violent death, - Serve for mandragora to make me sleep! - Go tell my brothers, when I am laid out, - They then may feed in quiet. - (_She sinks her head and folds her hands._) - -The chorus, taking up the word "quiet," chant a phrase from the -Hokkekyo: _Sangai Mu-an_, "In the Three Worlds there is no quietness or -rest." - -But the Pilgrim's prayers have been answered. Her soul has broken its -bonds: is free to depart. The ghost recedes, grows dimmer and dimmer, -till at last - - _use-ni-keri_ - _use-ni-keri_ - -it vanishes from sight. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[1] For example in _yuku kata shira-yuki ni_ ... _shira_ does -duty twice, meaning both "unknown" and "white." The meaning is -"whither-unknown amid the white snow." - -[2] These dates have only recently been established. - -[3] See p. 32. - -[4] Not to be confused with the forged book printed in 1600 and used by -Fenollosa. - -[5] See note on Buddhism, p. 32. - -[6] The piece to be used as an introduction. Modern performances are -not confined to full No. Sometimes actors in plain dress recite without -the aid of instrumental music, sitting in a row. Or one actor may -recite the piece, with music (this is called _Hayashi_); or the piece -may be mimed without music (this is called _Shimai_). - -[7] An old shiroto, i. e. person not engaged in trade. - -[8] This shows that, in Seami's hands, the device of making an -apparition the hero of the play was simply a dramatic convention. - -[9] This, too, is the only aspect of them that I can here discuss; no -other kind of criticism being possible without quotation of the actual -words used by the poet. - - - - -NOTE ON BUDDHISM - - -The Buddhism of the No plays is of the kind called the "Greater -Vehicle," which prevails in China, Japan and Tibet. Primitive Buddhism -(the "Lesser Vehicle"), which survives in Ceylon and Burma, centres -round the person of Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha, and uses Pali -as its sacred language. The "Greater Vehicle," which came into being -about the same time as Christianity and sprang from the same religious -impulses, to a large extent replaces Shakyamuni by a timeless, ideal -Buddha named Amida, "Lord of Boundless Light," perhaps originally a -sun-god, like Ormuzd of the Zoroastrians. Primitive Buddhism had taught -that the souls of the faithful are absorbed into Nirvana, in other -words into Buddha. The "Greater Vehicle" promised to its adherents an -after-life in Amida's Western Paradise. It produced scriptures in the -Sanskrit language, in which Shakyamuni himself describes this Western -Land and recommends the worship of Amida; it inculcated too the worship -of the Bodhisattvas, half-Buddhas, intermediaries between Buddha -and man. These Bodhisattvas are beings who, though fit to receive -Buddhahood, have of their own free will renounced it, that they may -better alleviate the miseries of mankind. - -Chief among them is Kwannon, called in India Avalokiteshvara, who -appears in the world both in male and female form, but it is chiefly -thought of as a woman in China and Japan; Goddess of Mercy, to whom men -pray in war, storm, sickness or travail. - -The doctrine of Karma and of the transmigration of souls was common -both to the earlier and later forms of Buddhism. Man is born to an -endless chain of re-incarnations, each one of which is, as it were, the -fruit of seed sown in that which precedes. - -The only escape from this "Wheel of Life and Death" lies in _satori_, -"Enlightenment," the realization that material phenomena are thoughts, -not facts. - -Each of the four chief sects which existed in medieval Japan had its -own method of achieving this Enlightenment. - -(1) The Amidists sought to gain _satori_ by the study of the _Hokke -Kyo_, called in Sanskrit _Saddharma Pundarika Sutra_ or "Scripture -of the Lotus of the True Law," or even by the mere repetition of its -complete title "Myoho Renge Hokke Kyo." Others of them maintained that -the repetition of the formula "Praise to Amida Buddha" (_Namu Amida -Butsu_) was in itself a sufficient means of salvation. - -(2) Once when Shakyamuni was preaching before a great multitude, he -picked up a flower and twisted it in his fingers. The rest of his -hearers saw no significance in the act and made no response; but the -disciple Kashyapa smiled. - -In this brief moment a perception of transcendental truth had flashed -from Buddha's mind to the mind of his disciple. Thus Kashyapa became -the patriarch of the Zen Buddhists, who believe that Truth cannot be -communicated by speech or writing, but that it lies hidden in the heart -of each one of us and can be discovered by "Zen" or contemplative -introspection. - -At first sight there would not appear to be any possibility of -reconciling the religion of the Zen Buddhists with that of the -Amidists. Yet many Zen masters strove to combine the two faiths, -teaching that Amida and his Western Paradise exist, not in time or -space, but mystically enshrined in men's hearts. - -Zen denied the existence of Good and Evil, and was sometimes regarded -as a dangerous sophistry by pious Buddhists of other sects, as, for -example, in the story of Shunkwan (see p. 229) and in _The Hoka -Priests_ (see p. 165), where the murderer's interest in Zen doctrines -is, I think, definitely regarded as a discreditable weakness and is -represented as the cause of his undoing. - -The only other play, among those I have here translated, which deals -much with Zen tenets, is _Sotoba Komachi_. Here the priests represent -the _Shingon Shu_ or Mystic Sect, while Komachi, as becomes a poetess, -defends the doctrines of Zen. For Zen was the religion of artists; -it had inspired the painters and poets of the Sung dynasty in China; -it was the religion of the great art-patrons who ruled Japan in the -fifteenth century.[10] - -It was in the language of Zen that poetry and painting were discussed; -and it was in a style tinged with Zen that Seami wrote of his own art. -But the religion of the No plays is predominantly Amidist; it is the -common, average Buddhism of medieval Japan. - -(3) I have said that the priests in _Sotoba Komachi_ represent the -Mystic Sect. The followers of this sect sought salvation by means of -charms and spells, corruptions of Sanskrit formulae. Their principal -Buddha was Dainichi, "The Great Sun." To this sect belonged the -Yamabushi, mountain ascetics referred to in _Taniko_ and other plays. - -(4) Mention must be made of the fusion between Buddhism and Shinto. -The Tendai Sect which had its headquarters on Mount Hiyei preached an -eclectic doctrine which aimed at becoming the universal religion of -Japan. It combined the cults of native gods with a Buddhism tolerant -in dogma, but magnificent in outward pomp, with a leaning towards the -magical practices of Shingon. - -The Little Saint of Yokawa in the play _Aoi no Uye_ is an example of -the Tendai ascetic, with his use of magical incantations. - -_Hatsuyuki_ appeared in "Poetry," Chicago, and is here reprinted with -the editor's kind permission. - -FOOTNOTE: - -[10] See further my _Zen Buddhism & its relation to Art_. Luzac, 1922. - - - - -ATSUMORI, IKUTA, AND TSUNEMASA. - - -In the eleventh century two powerful clans, the Taira and the Minamoto, -contended for mastery. In 1181 Kiyomori the chief of the Tairas died, -and from that time their fortunes declined. In 1183 they were forced -to flee from Kyoto, carrying with them the infant Emperor. After many -hardships and wanderings they camped on the shores of Suma, where they -were protected by their fleet. - -Early in 1184 the Minamotos attacked and utterly routed them at the -Battle of Ichi-no-Tani, near the woods of Ikuta. At this battle fell -Atsumori, the nephew of Kiyomori, and his brother Tsunemasa. - -When Kumagai, who had slain Atsumori, bent over him to examine the -body, he found lying beside him a bamboo-flute wrapped in brocade. He -took the flute and gave it to his son. - -The bay of Suma is associated in the mind of a Japanese reader not only -with this battle but also with the stories of Prince Genji and Prince -Yukihira. - -(See p. 226.) - - - - -ATSUMORI - -By SEAMI - - -PERSONS - - _THE PRIEST RENSEI (formerly the warrior Kumagai)._ - _A YOUNG REAPER, who turns out to be the ghost of Atsumori._ - _HIS COMPANION._ - _CHORUS._ - - -PRIEST. - - Life is a lying dream, he only wakes - Who casts the World aside. - -I am Kumagai no Naozane, a man of the country of Musashi. I have left -my home and call myself the priest Rensei; this I have done because of -my grief at the death of Atsumori, who fell in battle by my hand. Hence -it comes that I am dressed in priestly guise. - -And now I am going down to Ichi-no-Tani to pray for the salvation of -Atsumori's soul. - - (_He walks slowly across the stage, singing a song descriptive of - his journey._) - -I have come so fast that here I am already at Ichi-no-Tani, in the -country of Tsu. - -Truly the past returns to my mind as though it were a thing of to-day. - -But listen! I hear the sound of a flute coming from a knoll of rising -ground. I will wait here till the flute-player passes, and ask him to -tell me the story of this place. - - -REAPERS (_together_). - - To the music of the reaper's flute - No song is sung - But the sighing of wind in the fields. - - -YOUNG REAPER. - - They that were reaping, - Reaping on that hill, - Walk now through the fields - Homeward, for it is dusk. - - -REAPERS (_together_). - - Short is the way that leads[11] - From the sea of Suma back to my home. - This little journey, up to the hill - And down to the shore again, and up to the hill,-- - This is my life, and the sum of hateful tasks. - If one should ask me - I too[12] would answer - That on the shores of Suma - I live in sadness. - Yet if any guessed my name, - Then might I too have friends. - But now from my deep misery - Even those that were dearest - Are grown estranged. Here must I dwell abandoned - To one thought's anguish: - That I must dwell here. - - -PRIEST. - -Hey, you reapers! I have a question to ask you. - - -YOUNG REAPER. - -Is it to us you are speaking? What do you wish to know? - - -PRIEST. - -Was it one of you who was playing on the flute just now? - - -YOUNG REAPER. - -Yes, it was we who were playing. - - -PRIEST. - -It was a pleasant sound, and all the pleasanter because one does not -look for such music from men of your condition. - - -YOUNG REAPER. - - Unlooked for from men of our condition, you say! - Have you not read:-- - "Do not envy what is above you - Nor despise what is below you"? - Moreover the songs of woodmen and the flute-playing of herdsmen, - Flute-playing even of reapers and songs of wood-fellers - Through poets' verses are known to all the world. - Wonder not to hear among us - The sound of a bamboo-flute. - - -PRIEST. - - You are right. Indeed it is as you have told me. - Songs of woodmen and flute-playing of herdsmen ... - - -REAPER. - -Flute-playing of reapers ... - - -PRIEST. - -Songs of wood-fellers ... - - -REAPERS. - -Guide us on our passage through this sad world. - - -PRIEST. - -Song ... - - -REAPER. - -And dance ... - - -PRIEST. - -And the flute ... - - -REAPER. - -And music of many instruments ... - - -CHORUS. - - These are the pastimes that each chooses to his taste. - Of floating bamboo-wood - Many are the famous flutes that have been made; - Little-Branch and Cicada-Cage, - And as for the reaper's flute, - Its name is Green-leaf; - On the shore of Sumiyoshi - The Corean flute they play. - And here on the shore of Suma - On Stick of the Salt-kilns - The fishers blow their tune. - - -PRIEST. - -How strange it is! The other reapers have all gone home, but you alone -stay loitering here. How is that? - - -REAPER. - -How is it, you ask? I am seeking for a prayer in the voice of the -evening waves. Perhaps you will pray the Ten Prayers for me? - - -PRIEST. - -I can easily pray the Ten Prayers for you, if you will tell me who you -are. - - -REAPER. - -To tell you the truth--I am one of the family of Lord Atsumori. - - -PRIEST. - - One of Atsumori's family? How glad I am! - Then the priest joined his hands (_he kneels down_) and prayed:-- - - -NAMU AMIDABU. - -Praise to Amida Buddha! - - "If I attain to Buddhahood, - In the whole world and its ten spheres - Of all that dwell here none shall call on my name - And be rejected or cast aside." - - -CHORUS. - - "Oh, reject me not! - One cry suffices for salvation, - Yet day and night - Your prayers will rise for me. - Happy am I, for though you know not my name, - Yet for my soul's deliverance - At dawn and dusk henceforward I know that you will pray." - -So he spoke. Then vanished and was seen no more. - - (_Here follows the Interlude between the two Acts, in which - a recitation concerning Atsumori's death takes place. These - interludes are subject to variation and are not considered part of - the literary text of the play._) - - -PRIEST. - -Since this is so, I will perform all night the rites of prayer for the -dead, and calling upon Amida's name will pray again for the salvation -of Atsumori. - - (_The ghost of_ ATSUMORI _appears, dressed as a young warrior_.) - - -ATSUMORI. - - Would you know who I am - That like the watchmen at Suma Pass - Have wakened at the cry of sea-birds roaming - Upon Awaji shore? - Listen, Rensei. I am Atsumori. - - -PRIEST. - -How strange! All this while I have never stopped beating my gong and -performing the rites of the Law. I cannot for a moment have dozed, yet -I thought that Atsumori was standing before me. Surely it was a dream. - - -ATSUMORI. - -Why need it be a dream? It is to clear the karma of my waking life that -I am come here in visible form before you. - - -PRIEST. - -Is it not written that one prayer will wipe away ten thousand sins? -Ceaselessly I have performed the ritual of the Holy Name that clears -all sin away. After such prayers, what evil can be left? Though you -should be sunk in sin as deep ... - - -ATSUMORI. - - As the sea by a rocky shore, - Yet should I be salved by prayer. - - -PRIEST. - -And that my prayers should save you ... - -ATSUMORI. - - This too must spring - From kindness of a former life.[13] - - -PRIEST. - -Once enemies ... - - -ATSUMORI. - -But now ... - - -PRIEST. - -In truth may we be named ... - - -ATSUMORI. - -Friends in Buddha's Law. - - -CHORUS. - -There is a saying, "Put away from you a wicked friend; summon to your -side a virtuous enemy." For you it was said, and you have proven it -true. - -And now come tell with us the tale of your confession, while the night -is still dark. - - -CHORUS. - - He[14] bids the flowers of Spring - Mount the tree-top that men may raise their eyes - And walk on upward paths; - He bids the moon in autumn waves be drowned - In token that he visits laggard men - And leads them out from valleys of despair. - - -ATSUMORI. - - Now the clan of Taira, building wall to wall, - Spread over the earth like the leafy branches of a great tree: - - -CHORUS. - - Yet their prosperity lasted but for a day; - It was like the flower of the convolvulus. - There was none to tell them[15] - That glory flashes like sparks from flint-stone, - And after,--darkness. - Oh wretched, the life of men! - - -ATSUMORI. - - When they were on high they afflicted the humble; - When they were rich they were reckless in pride. - And so for twenty years and more - They ruled this land. - But truly a generation passes like the space of a dream. - The leaves of the autumn of Juyei[16] - Were tossed by the four winds; - Scattered, scattered (like leaves too) floated their ships. - And they, asleep on the heaving sea, not even in dreams - Went back to home. - Caged birds longing for the clouds,-- - Wild geese were they rather, whose ranks are broken - As they fly to southward on their doubtful journey. - So days and months went by; Spring came again - And for a little while - Here dwelt they on the shore of Suma - At the first valley.[17] - From the mountain behind us the winds blew down - Till the fields grew wintry again. - Our ships lay by the shore, where night and day - The sea-gulls cried and salt waves washed on our sleeves. - We slept with fishers in their huts - On pillows of sand. - We knew none but the people of Suma. - And when among the pine-trees - The evening smoke was rising, - Brushwood, as they call it,[18] - Brushwood we gathered - And spread for carpet. - Sorrowful we lived - On the wild shore of Suma, - Till the clan Taira and all its princes - Were but villagers of Suma. - - -ATSUMORI. - - But on the night of the sixth day of the second month - My father Tsunemori gathered us together. - "To-morrow," he said, "we shall fight our last fight. - To-night is all that is left us." - We sang songs together, and danced. - - -PRIEST. - - Yes, I remember; we in our siege-camp - Heard the sound of music - Echoing from your tents that night; - There was the music of a flute ... - - -ATSUMORI. - -The bamboo-flute! I wore it when I died. - - -PRIEST. - -We heard the singing ... - - -ATSUMORI. - -Songs and ballads ... - - -PRIEST. - -Many voices - - -ATSUMORI. - -Singing to one measure. - - (ATSUMORI _dances_.) - -First comes the Royal Boat. - - -CHORUS. - - The whole clan has put its boats to sea. - He[19] will not be left behind; - He runs to the shore. - But the Royal Boat and the soldiers' boats - Have sailed far away. - - -ATSUMORI. - - What can he do? - - He spurs his horse into the waves. - He is full of perplexity. - And then - - -CHORUS. - - He looks behind him and sees - That Kumagai pursues him; - He cannot escape. - Then Atsumori turns his horse - Knee-deep in the lashing waves, - And draws his sword. - Twice, three times he strikes; then, still saddled, - In close fight they twine; roll headlong together - Among the surf of the shore. - So Atsumori fell and was slain, but now the Wheel of Fate - Has turned and brought him back. - - (ATSUMORI _rises from the ground and advances toward the_ PRIEST - _with uplifted sword_.) - - "There is my enemy," he cries, and would strike, - But the other is grown gentle - And calling on Buddha's name - Has obtained salvation for his foe; - So that they shall be re-born together - On one lotus-seat. - "No, Rensei is not my enemy. - Pray for me again, oh pray for me again." - -FOOTNOTES: - -[11] See p. 226. - -[12] Like Yukihira; see p. 227. - -[13] Atsumori must have done Kumagai some kindness in a former -incarnation. This would account for Kumagai's remorse. - -[14] Buddha. - -[15] I have omitted a line the force of which depends upon a play on -words. - -[16] The Taira evacuated the Capital in the second year of Juyei, 1188. - -[17] Ichi-no-Tani means "First Valley." - -[18] The name of so humble a thing was unfamiliar to the Taira lords. - -[19] Atsumori. This passage is mimed throughout. - - - - -IKUTA - -By ZEMBO MOTOYASU (1453-1532) - - -PERSONS - - _PRIEST (a follower of Honen Shonin)._[20] - _ATSUMORI'S CHILD._ - _ATSUMORI._ - _CHORUS._ - - -PRIEST. - -I am one that serves Honen Shonin of Kurodani; and as for this child -here,--once when Honen was on a visit to the Temple of Kamo he saw -a box lying under a trailing fir-tree; and when he raised the lid, -what should he find inside but a lovely man-child one year old! It -did not seem to be more than a common foundling, but my master in his -compassion took the infant home with him. Ever since then he has had it -in his care, doing all that was needful for it; and now the boy is over -ten years old. - -But it is a hard thing to have no father or mother, so one day after -his preaching the Shonin told the child's story. And sure enough a -young woman stepped out from among the hearers and said it was her -child. And when he took her aside and questioned her, he found that -the child's father was Taira no Atsumori, who had fallen in battle -at Ichi-no-Tani years ago. When the boy was told of this, he longed -earnestly to see his father's face, were it but in a dream, and the -Shonin bade him go and pray at the shrine of Kamo. He was to go every -day for a week, and this is the last day. - - That is why I have brought him out with me. - But here we are at the Kamo shrine. - Pray well, boy, pray well! - - -BOY. - - How fills my heart with awe - When I behold the crimson palisade - Of this abode of gods! - Oh may my heart be clean - As the River of Ablution;[21] - And the God's kindness deep - As its unfathomed waters. Show to me, - Though it were but in dream, - My father's face and form. - Is not my heart so ground away with prayer, - So smooth that it will slip - Unfelt into the favour of the gods? - But thou too, Censor of our prayers, - God of Tadasu,[22] on the gods prevail - That what I crave may be! - -How strange! While I was praying I fell half-asleep and had a wonderful -dream. - - -PRIEST. - -Tell me your wonderful dream. - - -BOY. - -A strange voice spoke to me from within the Treasure Hall, saying, "If -you are wanting, though it were but in a dream, to see your father's -face, go down from here to the woods of Ikuta in the country of -Settsu." That is the marvellous dream I had. - - -PRIEST. - -It is indeed a wonderful message that the God has sent you. And why -should I go back at once to Kurodani? I had best take you straight to -the forest of Ikuta. Let us be going. - - -PRIEST (_describing the journey_). - - From the shrine of Kamo, - From under the shadow of the hills, - We set out swiftly; - Past Yamazaki to the fog-bound - Shores of Minas; - And onward where the gale - Tears travellers' coats and winds about their bones. - "Autumn has come to woods where yesterday - We might have plucked the green."[23] - To Settsu, to those woods of Ikuta - Lo! We are come. - -We have gone so fast that here we are already at the woods of Ikuta in -the country of Settsu. I have heard tell in the Capital of the beauty -of these woods and the river that runs through them. But what I see now -surpasses all that I have heard. - -Look! Those meadows must be the Downs of Ikuta. Let us go nearer and -admire them. - -But while we have been going about looking at one view and another, the -day has dusked. - -I think I see a light over there. There must be a house. Let us go to -it and ask for lodging. - - -ATSUMORI (_speaking from inside a hut_). - - Beauty, perception, knowledge, motion, consciousness,-- - The Five Attributes of Being,-- - All are vain mockery. - How comes it that men prize - So weak a thing as body? - For the soul that guards it from corruption - Suddenly to the night-moon flies, - And the poor naked ghost wails desolate - In the autumn wind. - -Oh! I am lonely. I am lonely! - - -PRIEST. - -How strange! Inside that grass-hut I see a young soldier dressed in -helmet and breastplate. What can he be doing there? - - -ATSUMORI. - -Oh foolish men, was it not to meet me that you came to this place? I -am--oh! I am ashamed to say it,--I am the ghost of what once was ... -Atsumori. - - -BOY. - -Atsumori? My father ... - - -CHORUS. - - And lightly he ran, - Plucked at the warrior's sleeve, - And though his tears might seem like the long woe - Of nightingales that weep, - Yet were they tears of meeting-joy, - Of happiness too great for human heart. - So think we, yet oh that we might change - This fragile dream of joy - Into the lasting love of waking life! - - -ATSUMORI. - - Oh pitiful! - To see this child, born after me, - Darling that should be gay as a flower, - Walking in tattered coat of old black cloth. - Alas! - Child, when your love of me - Led you to Kamo shrine, praying to the God - That, though but in a dream, - You might behold my face, - The God of Kamo, full of pity, came - To Yama, king of Hell. - King Yama listened and ordained for me - A moment's respite, but hereafter, never. - - -CHORUS. - - "The moon is sinking. - Come while the night is dark," he said, - "I will tell my tale." - - -ATSUMORI. - - When the house of Taira was in its pride, - When its glory was young, - Among the flowers we sported, - Among birds, wind and moonlight; - With pipes and strings, with song and verse - We welcomed Springs and Autumns. - Till at last, because our time was come, - Across the bridges of Kiso a host unseen - Swept and devoured us. - Then the whole clan - Our lord leading - Fled from the City of Flowers. - By paths untrodden - To the Western Sea our journey brought us. - Lakes and hills we crossed - Till we ourselves grew to be like wild men. - At last by mountain ways-- - We too tossed hither and thither like its waves-- - To Suma came we, - To the First Valley and the woods of Ikuta. - And now while all of us, - We children of Taira, were light of heart - Because our homes were near, - Suddenly our foes in great strength appeared. - - -CHORUS. - - Noriyori, Yoshitsune,--their hosts like clouds, - Like mists of spring. - For a little while we fought them, - But the day of our House was ended, - Our hearts weakened - That had been swift as arrows from the bowstring. - We scattered, scattered; till at last - To the deep waters of the Field of Life[24] - We came, but how we found there Death, not Life, - What profit were it to tell? - - -ATSUMORI. - -Who is that? - -(_Pointing in terror at a figure which he sees off the stage._) - -Can it be Yama's messenger? He comes to tell me that I have out-stayed -my time. The Lord of Hell is angry: he asks why I am late? - - -CHORUS. - - So he spoke. But behold - Suddenly black clouds rise, - Earth and sky resound with the clash of arms; - War-demons innumerable - Flash fierce sparks from brandished spears. - - -ATSUMORI. - - The Shura foes who night and day - Come thick about me! - - -CHORUS. - - He waves his sword and rushes among them, - Hither and thither he runs slashing furiously; - Fire glints upon the steel. - But in a little while - The dark clouds recede; - The demons have vanished, - The moon shines unsullied; - The sky is ready for dawn. - - -ATSUMORI. - - Oh! I am ashamed.... - And the child to see me so.... - - -CHORUS. - - "To see my misery! - I must go back. - Oh pray for me; pray for me - When I am gone," he said, - And weeping, weeping, - Dropped the child's hand. - He has faded; he dwindles - Like the dew from rush-leaves - Of hazy meadows. - His form has vanished. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[20] A great preacher; died 1212 A.D. - -[21] The name given to streams which flow through temples. In this case -the River Kamo. - -[22] Tadasu means to "straighten," "correct." The shrine of Kamo lay in -the forest of Tadasu. - -[23] Adapted from a poem in the _Shin Kokinshu_. - -[24] Ikuta means "Field of Life." - - - - -TSUNEMASA - -By SEAMI - - -PERSONS - - THE PRIEST GYOKEI. - THE GHOST OF TAIRA NO TSUNEMASA. - CHORUS. - - -GYOKEI. - -I am Gyokei, priest of the imperial temple Ninnaji. You must know that -there was a certain prince of the House of Taira named Tsunemasa, Lord -of Tajima, who since his boyhood has enjoyed beyond all precedent the -favour of our master the Emperor. But now he has been killed at the -Battle of the Western Seas. - -It was to this Tsunemasa in his lifetime that the Emperor had given -the lute called Green Hill. And now my master bids me take it and -dedicate it to Buddha, performing a liturgy of flutes and strings for -the salvation of Tsunemasa's soul. And that was my purpose in gathering -these musicians together. - -Truly it is said that strangers who shelter under the same tree or draw -water from the same pool will be friends in another life. How much the -more must intercourse of many years, kindness and favour so deep ...[25] - - Surely they will be heard, - The prayers that all night long - With due performance of rites - I have reverently repeated in this Palace - For the salvation of Tsunemasa - And for the awakening of his soul. - - -CHORUS. - - And, more than all, we dedicate - The lute Green Hill for this dead man; - While pipe and flute are joined to sounds of prayer. - For night and day the Gate of Law - Stands open and the Universal Road - Rejects no wayfarer. - - -TSUNEMASA (_speaking off the stage_). - - "The wind blowing through withered trees: rain from a cloudless sky. - The moon shining on level sands: frost on a summer's night."[26] - Frost lying ... but I, because I could not lie at rest, - Am come back to the World for a while, - Like a shadow that steals over the grass. - I am like dews that in the morning - Still cling to the grasses. Oh pitiful the longing - That has beset me! - - -GYOKEI. - -How strange! Within the flame of our candle that is burning low because -the night is far spent, suddenly I seemed to see a man's shadow dimly -appearing. Who can be here? - - -TSUNEMASA (_his shadow disappearing_). - -I am the ghost of Tsunemasa. The sound of your prayers has brought me -in visible shape before you. - - -GYOKEI. - -"I am the ghost of Tsunemasa," he said, but when I looked to where the -voice had sounded nothing was there, neither substance nor shadow! - - -TSUNEMASA. - -Only a voice, - - -GYOKEI. - - A dim voice whispers where the shadow of a man - Visibly lay, but when I looked - - -TSUNEMASA. - -It had vanished-- - - -GYOKEI. - -This flickering form ... - - -TSUNEMASA. - -Like haze over the fields. - - -CHORUS. - - Only as a tricking magic, - A bodiless vision, - Can he hover in the world of his lifetime, - Swift-changing Tsunemasa. - By this name we call him, yet of the body - That men named so, what is left but longing? - What but the longing to look again, through the wall of death, - On one he loved? - "Sooner shall the waters in its garden cease to flow - Than I grow weary of living in the Palace of my Lord."[27] - Like a dream he has come, - Like a morning dream. - - -GYOKEI. - -How strange! When the form of Tsunemasa had vanished, his voice -lingered and spoke to me! Am I dreaming or waking? I cannot tell. But -this I know,--that by the power of my incantations I have had converse -with the dead. Oh! marvellous potency of the Law! - - -TSUNEMASA. - -It was long ago that I came to the Palace. I was but a boy then, but -all the world knew me; for I was marked with the love of our Lord, with -the favour of an Emperor. And, among many gifts, he gave to me once -while I was in the World this lute which you have dedicated. My fingers -were ever on its strings. - - -CHORUS. - - Plucking them even as now - This music plucks at your heart; - The sound of the plectrum, then as now - Divine music fulfilling - The vows of Sarasvati.[28] - But this Tsunemasa, - Was he not from the days of his childhood pre-eminent - In faith, wisdom, benevolence, - Honour and courtesy; yet for his pleasure - Ever of birds and flowers, - Of wind and moonlight making - Ballads and songs to join their harmony - To pipes and lutes? - So springs and autumns passed he. - But in a World that is as dew, - As dew on the grasses, as foam upon the waters, - What flower lasteth? - - -GYOKEI. - -For the dead man's sake we play upon this lute Green Hill that he loved -when he was in the World. We follow the lute-music with a concord of -many instruments. - -(_Music._) - - -TSUNEMASA. - -And while they played the dead man stole up behind them. Though he -could not be seen by the light of the candle, they felt him pluck the -lute-strings.... - - -GYOKEI. - -It is midnight. He is playing _Yabanraku_, the dance of midnight-revel. -And now that we have shaken sleep from our eyes ... - - -TSUNEMASA. - -The sky is clear, yet there is a sound as of sudden rain.... - - -GYOKEI. - -Rain beating carelessly on trees and grasses. What season's music[29] -ought we to play? - - -TSUNEMASA. - -No. It is not rain. Look! At the cloud's fringe - - -CHORUS. - - The moon undimmed - Hangs over the pine-woods of Narabi[30] Hills. - It was the wind you heard; - The wind blowing through the pine-leaves - Pattered, like the falling of winter rain. - O wonderful hour! - "The big strings crashed and sobbed - Like the falling of winter rain. - And the little strings whispered secretly together. - The first and second string - Were like a wind sweeping through pine-woods, - Murmuring disjointedly. - The third and fourth string - Were like the voice of a caged stork - Crying for its little ones at night - In low, dejected notes."[31] - The night must not cease. - The cock shall not crow - And put an end to his wandering.[32] - - -TSUNEMASA. - -"One note of the phoenix-flute[33] - - -CHORUS. - - Shakes the autumn clouds from the mountain-side."[34] - The phoenix and his mate swoop down - Charmed by its music, beat their wings - And dance in rapture, perched upon the swaying boughs - Of kiri and bamboo. - -(_Dance._) - - -TSUNEMASA. - -Oh terrible anguish! - -For a little while I was back in the World and my heart set on its -music, on revels of midnight. But now the hate is rising in me....[35] - - -GYOKEI. - - The shadow that we saw before is still visible. - Can it be Tsunemasa? - - -TSUNEMASA. - - Oh! I am ashamed; I must not let them see me. - Put out your candle. - - -CHORUS. - - "Let us turn away from the candle and watch together - The midnight moon." - Lo, he who holds the moon, - The god Indra, in battle appeareth - Warring upon demons. - Fire leaps from their swords, - The sparks of their own anger fall upon them like rain. - To wound another he draws his sword, - But it is from his own flesh - That the red waves flow; - Like flames they cover him. - "Oh, I am ashamed of the woes that consume me. - No man must see me. I will put out the candle!" he said; - For a foolish man is like a summer moth that flies into the flame.[36] - The wind that blew out the candle - Carried him away. In the darkness his ghost has vanished. - The shadow of his ghost has vanished. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[25] The relation between Tsunemasa and the Emperor is meant. - -[26] I. e. the wind sounds like rain; the sands appear to be covered -with frost. A couplet from a poem by Po Ch-i. - -[27] Part of the poem which Tsunemasa gave to the Emperor before he -went to battle. - -[28] Goddess of Music, who vowed that she would lead all souls to -salvation by the music of her lute. - -[29] Different tunes were appropriate to different seasons. - -[30] A range of hills to the south of the Ninnaji. The name means the -"Row of Hills." - -[31] Quotation from Po Ch-i's "Lute Girl's Song"; for paraphrase see -Giles' _Chinese Literature_, p. 166. - -[32] The ghost must return at dawn. - -[33] The _sheng_. - -[34] Quotation from Chinese poem in _Royei Shu_. - -[35] He had died in battle and was therefore condemned to perpetual war -with the demons of Hell. - -[36] "The wise man is like the autumn deer crying in the mountains; the -fool is like the moth which flies into the candle" (_Gempei Seisuiki_, -chap. viii.). - - - - -CHAPTER II - - - KUMASAKA - EBOSHI-ORI - BENKEI ON THE BRIDGE - -These three plays deal with the boyhood of the hero Yoshitsune, whose -child-name was Ushiwaka. - -_Eboshi-ori_ is a _genzai-mono_, that is to say a play which describes -events actually in progress. In _Kumasaka_ these same events are -rehearsed by the ghost of one who participated in them. There are two -other well-known Yoshitsune plays, _Funa-Benkei_ and _Ataka_. In the -former the phantoms of the dead Taira warriors attack the boat in which -Yoshitsune and Benkei are riding; in the latter occurs the famous scene -called the _Kwanjincho_, in which Benkei pretends to read out from a -scroll a long document which he is in reality improvising on the spot. -(See Mr. Sansom's translations of these two plays in the _Transactions -of the Asiatic Society of Japan_, 1911.) The _Kwanjincho_ was borrowed -by the popular stage, and became one of the favourite "turns" of the -great Danjuro (1660-1703) and his successors. - - - - -KUMASAKA - -By ZENCHIKU UJINOBU (1414-1499?) - - -PERSONS - - _A PRIEST FROM THE CAPITAL._ - _A PRIEST OF AKASAKA (really the ghost of the robber KUMASAKA NO - CHOHAN)._ - _CHORUS._ - - -PRIEST. - - These weary feet that found the World - Too sad to walk in, whither - Oh whither shall wandering lead them? - -I am a priest from the Capital. I have never seen the East country, and -now I am minded to go there on pilgrimage. - -(_He describes the journey, walking slowly round the stage._) - - Over the mountains, down the Omi road by a foam-flecked stream; - And through the woods of Awazu. - Over the long bridge of Seta - Heavily my footfall clangs. - In the bamboo-woods of Noji I await the dawn. - There where the morning dew lies thick, over the Greenfield Plain, - Green in name only--for the leaves are red with autumn-- - In evening sunshine to the village of Akasaka I am come! - - -KUMASAKA. - - (_It is convenient to call him this, but he is the ghost of - Kumasaka, appearing in the guise of a priest._) - -Hey, you priest, I have something to say to you! - - -PRIEST. - -What is it you would say to me? - - -KUMASAKA. - -To-day is some one's birthday. I beg of you to pray for the salvation -of his soul. - - -PRIEST. - -I have left the World, and it is my business now to say such prayers; -but of whom am I to think when I pray? - - -KUMASAKA. - -There is no need to know his name. He is buried in that tomb over -there, among the rushes to this side of the pine-tree. It is because he -cannot get free[37] that he needs your prayers. - - -PRIEST. - -No, no; it will not do. I cannot pray for him unless I know his name. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Pray, none the less. For it is written, "All the creatures of the world -shall be profited. - -There shall be no distinction." - - -PRIEST. - -From dying and being born. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Deliver him, oh deliver him! - - -CHORUS. - - For he that taketh a prayer unto himself - Even though his name be not named, if he receive it gladly, - Is the owner of the prayer. - Was not the promise made to the trees of the field, - To the soil of the land? Though the heart that prays marks no name - upon the prayer, - Yet shall it be heard. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Then come back to my cottage with me and pass the night there. - - -PRIEST. - -I will come. - - (_They go into the cottage, which is represented by a wicker - framework at the front._) - -Listen! I thought you were taking me to where there would be a chapel, -so that I could begin my prayers. But here I can see no painted picture -nor carven image that I could put up. There is nothing on the wall -but a great pike,--no handstaff, but only an iron crowbar; and other -weapons of war are nailed up. What is the reason of this? - - -KUMASAKA. - -You must know that when I first took the vows of priesthood I went -round from village to village here, to Tarui, Auhaka and Akasaka--there -is no end to them, but I know all the roads,--through the tall grass at -Aono and the thick woods of Koyasu, night or day, rain or fine. For I -was a hill-bandit in those days, a thief of the night, tilting baggage -from mules' backs; even stripping servant-girls of their clothes, as -they went from farm to farm, and leaving them sobbing. - -Then it was that I used to take with me that pike there and waving it -in their faces, "Stand and deliver!" I would cry. - -But at last a time came when it was not so.[38] And after that time I -was glad enough to find shelter even in such a place as this. I yielded -my will and was content. For at last I had indeed resolved to leave the -hateful World. - -Oh petty prowess of those days! - - -CHORUS. - - For hand of priest unfit indeed - Such deeds and weapons had I thought; - Yet among gods - Hath not the Lord Amida his sharp sword? - Doth not the King of Love[39] - Shoot arrows of salvation from his bow? - Tamon with tilted lance - Outbattled demons and hath swept away - All perils from the world. - - -KUMASAKA. - - Thoughts of love and pity - May be sins fouler - - -CHORUS. - - Than the Five Faults of Datta;[40] - And the taking of life for faith - Be holiness greater - Than the six virtues of Bosatsu.[41] - These things have I seen and heard. - But for the rest, is it not Thought alone - That either wanders in the trackless night - Of Error or awakes to the wide day? - "Master thy thoughts, or they will master thee," - An ancient proverb[42] says. - -(_Speaking for Kumasaka._) - -"But I must have done, or dawn will find me talking still. Go to your -rest, Sir; and I too will doze awhile." So he spoke, and seemed to go -into the bedroom. But suddenly the cottage vanished: nothing was left -but the tall grass. It was under the shadow of a pine-tree that he[43] -had rested! - - (_There is usually an interlude to occupy the time while Kumasaka - is changing his costume. An inhabitant of Akasaka tells stories of - Kumasaka's exploits._) - - -PRIEST. - -I have seen strange things. I cannot sleep, no, not even for a while -as little as the space between the antlers of a young stag. Under this -autumn-winded pine-tree lying, all night long I will perform a service -of chanted prayer.[44] - - -KUMASAKA. - - (_Reappearing with a scarf tied round his head and a long pike over - his shoulder._) - -The wind is rising in the south-east. The clouds of the north-west are -shifting; it is a dark night. A wild wind is sweeping the woods under -the hill. - - -CHORUS. - -See how the branches are heaving. - - -KUMASAKA. - -The moon does not rise till dawn to-night; and even when she rises she -will be covered. - -Send along the order for an assault! - -(_Recollecting himself._) - -The whole heart divided between bow-hand and rein-hand,--oh the sin of -it! For ever seizing another's treasure! Look, look on my misery, how -my heart clings to the World! - - -PRIEST. - -If you are Kumasaka himself, tell me the story of those days. - - -KUMASAKA. - -There was a merchant, a trafficker in gold, called Kichiji of the Third -Ward. Each year he brought together a great store, and loading it in -bales carried it up-country. And thinking to waylay him I summoned -divers trusty men.... - - -PRIEST. - -Tell me the names of those that were chosen by you and the countries -they came from. - - -KUMASAKA. - -There was Kakujo of Kawachi, and the brothers Surihari that had no -rivals in fencing. - - -PRIEST. - -Well, and from within the City itself among many there were-- - - -KUMASAKA. - -There was Emon of the Third Ward and Kozaru of Mibu. - - -PRIEST. - -Skilful torch-throwers; in broken-attack - - -KUMASAKA. - -Their like will never be seen. - - -PRIEST. - -And from the North country, from Echizen - - -KUMASAKA. - -There was Matsuwaka of Asau and Kuro of Mikuni. - - -PRIEST. - -And from the country of Kaga, from Kumasaka - - -KUMASAKA. - -There was this Chohan, the first of them, a great hand at deeds of -villainy; and with him seventy men of the band. - - -PRIEST. - -On all the roads where Kichiji might be passing, up hill and down dale -on every halting-place they spied, till at last - - -KUMASAKA. - -Here at the Inn of Akasaka we found him,--a fine place, with many roads -leading from it. We set watch upon the place. The merchants had sent -for women. From nightfall they feasted. They roystered the hours away-- - - -PRIEST. - - And at last, very late at night, - Kichiji and his brother, with no thought for safety, - Fell into a sodden sleep. - - -KUMASAKA. - - But there was with them a boy of sixteen.[45] - He put his bright eye to a hole in the wall. - He did not make the least noise. - - -PRIEST. - -He did not sleep a wink. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Ushiwaka! We did not know he was there. - - -PRIEST. - -Then the robbers, whose luck was run out, - - -KUMASAKA. - -Thinking that the hour of fortune was come, - - -PRIEST. - -Waited impatiently. - - -CHORUS. - -Oh how long it seemed till at last the order came. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Dash in! - - -CHORUS. - - And, hurling their firebrands, - In they rushed, each jostling to be first, - More of them and more, in a wild onslaught. - Not even the God of Peril had dared to face them. - But little Ushiwaka showed no fear. - He drew his belt-sword and met them. - The Lion Pounce, The Tiger Leap, The Bird Pounce ...[46] - He parried them all. They thrust at him but could not prevail. - Thirteen there were who attacked him; - And now, done to death, on the same pillow head to head they lie. - And others, wounded, have flung down their swords and slunk back - weaponless, - Stripped of all else but life. - Then Kumasaka cried: "What demon or god can he be - Under whose hand all these have fallen? For a man he cannot be! - But even robbers need their lives! This is no work for me; I will - withdraw." - And slinging his pike, slowly he turned to go. - - -KUMASAKA. - -I was thinking. - - -CHORUS. - - He was thinking as he went, - "Though this stripling slash so bravely, - Yet should Kumasaka employ his secret art,-- - Then though the boy be ogre or hobgoblin, - Waist-strangled he would be pressed to dust." - "I will avenge the fallen," he cried, and, turning back, - He levelled his pike and sheltered behind the wattled door, - Waiting for the urchin to come. - Ushiwaka saw him, and drawing his sword held it close to his side, - Stood apart and watched. But Kumasaka too stood with his pike ready. - Each was waiting for the other to spring. - Then Kumasaka lost patience. He lunged with his left foot and with - his pike - Struck a blow that would have pierced an iron wall. - But Ushiwaka parried it lightly and sprang to the left. - Kumasaka was after him in a moment, and as he sprang nimbly over the - pike,[47] - Turned the point towards him. - But as he drew back the pike, Ushiwaka crossed to the right. - Then levelling the pike, Kumasaka struck a great blow. - This time the boy parried it with a blow that disengaged them, - And springing into the air leapt hither and thither with invisible - speed. - And while the robber sought him, - The wonderful boy pranced behind and stuck his sword through a chink - in his coat of mail. - "Hey, what is that?" cried Kumasaka. "Has this urchin touched me?" - And he was very angry. - But soon Heaven's fatal ordinance was sealed by despair: - "This sword-play brings me no advantage," he cried; "I will wrestle - with him." - Then he threw away his pike, and spreading out his great hands, - Down this corridor and into this corner he chased him, but when he - would have grasped him, - Like lightning, mist, moonlight on the water,-- - The eye could see, but the hand could not touch. - - -KUMASAKA. - -I was wounded again and again. - - -CHORUS. - -He was wounded many times, till the fierce strength of his spirit -weakened and weakened. Like dew upon the moss that grows. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Round the foot of this pine-tree - - -CHORUS. - - Are vanished the men of this old tale. - "Oh, help me to be born to happiness." - -(KUMASAKA _entreats the_ PRIEST _with folded hands_.) - - The cocks are crowing. A whiteness glimmers over the night. - He has hidden under the shadow of the pine-trees of Akasaka; - -(KUMASAKA _hides his face with his left sleeve_.) - - Under the shadow of the pine-trees he has hidden himself away. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[37] I. e. he is "attached" to earth and cannot get away to the Western -Paradise. - -[38] I. e. the time of his encounter with Ushiwaka. - -[39] Aizen. - -[40] Devadatta, the wicked contemporary of Buddha. - -[41] The six paths to Bodisattva-hood, i. e. Almsgiving, Observance of -Rules, Forbearance, Meditation, Knowledge and Singleness of Heart. - -[42] Actually from the Nirvana Sutra. - -[43] The Priest. - -[44] _Koye-butsuji_, "Voice-service." - -[45] Yoshitsune (Ushiwaka) had run away from the temple where he was -being educated and joined the merchant's caravan; see p. 70. - -[46] Names of strokes in fencing. - -[47] I have thought it better to print these "recitals" as verse, -though in the original (as obviously in my translation) they are almost -prose. - - - - -EBOSHI-ORI - -By MIYAMASU (sixteenth century?) - - -PERSONS - - _KICHIJI_ } - _HIS BROTHER KICHIROKU_ } _Gold-merchants._ - _USHIWAKA._ - _HATMAKER._ - _INNKEEPER._ - _BRIGANDS._ - _MESSENGER._ - _HATMAKER'S WIFE._ - _KUMASAKA._ - _CHORUS._ - - -KICHIJI. - - We as travellers dressed-- - Our weary feet upon the Eastern road - For many days must speed. - -I am Sanjo no Kichiji. I have now amassed a great store of treasure and -with my brother Kichiroku am going to take it down to the East. Ho! -Kichiroku, let us get together our bundles and start now. - - -KICHIROKU. - -I am ready. Let us start at once. - - -USHIWAKA. - -Hie, you travellers! If you are going up-country, please take me with -you. - - -KICHIJI. - -That is a small thing to ask. Certainly we would take you with us ..., -but by the look of you, I fancy you must be an apprentice playing -truant from your master. If that is so, I cannot take you. - - -USHIWAKA. - -I have neither father nor mother, and my master has turned me adrift. -Please let me go with you. - - -KICHIJI. - -If that is so, I cannot any longer refuse to take you with me. -(_Describing his own action._) - -Then he offered the boy a broad-brimmed hat. - - -USHIWAKA. - - And Ushiwaka eagerly grasped it. - To-day, he said, begins our troublous journey's toil. - - -CHORUS (_describing the journey and speaking for_ USHIWAKA). - - Past the creek of Awata, to Matsusaka, - To the shore of Shinomiya I travel. - Down the road to the barrier of Osaka walking behind pack-ponies, - How long shall I serve in sadness these hucksters of gold? - Here where once the blind harper[48] lay sorrowing - On a cottage-bed, far away from the City, - Thinking perhaps some such thoughts as I do now. - We have passed the plain of Awazu. Over the long bridge of Seta - The hoofs of our ponies clank. - We cross the hill of Moru, where the evening dew - Lies thick on country paths and, caught in the slanting light, - Gleams on the under-leaves till suddenly night - Comes on us and in darkness we approach - The Mirror Inn. - - -KICHIJI. - -We have travelled so fast that we have already reached the Mirror Inn. -Let us rest here for a little while. - - -MESSENGER. - -I am a servant in the Palace of Rokuhara. I have been sent to fetch -back young Ushiwaka, Lord Yoshitomo's son, who has escaped from the -Temple of Kurama. It is thought that he has taken service with the -merchant Kichiji and has gone up-country with him; so they sent me to -bring him back. Why, I believe that is he! But perhaps he is not alone. -I cannot be sure. I had better go home and fetch help, for if I were -one against many, how could I hope to take him? - -[Illustration: YOUNG MAN'S MASK] - - -USHIWAKA. - -I think it is about me that this messenger is speaking. I must not -let him know me. I will cut my hair and wear an _eboshi_[49], so that -people may think I am an Eastern boy. - - (_He goes to the curtain which separates the green-room from the - entrance-passage. This represents for the moment the front of the - hatmaker's shop._) - -May I come in? (_The curtain is raised._) - - -HATMAKER. - -Who is it? - - -USHIWAKA. - -I have come to order an _eboshi_. - - -HATMAKER. - -An _eboshi_ at this time of night? I will make you one to-morrow, if -you like. - - -USHIWAKA. - -Please make it now. I am travelling in a hurry and cannot wait. - - -HATMAKER. - -Very well then; I will make it now. What size do you take? - - -USHIWAKA. - -Please give me an _eboshi_ of the third size, folded to the left. - - -HATMAKER. - -I am afraid I cannot do that. They were worn folded to the left in the -time of the Minamotos. But now that the Tairas rule the whole land it -would not be possible to wear one folded so. - - -USHIWAKA. - -In spite of that I beg of you to make me one. There is a good reason -for my asking. - - -HATMAKER. - -Well, as you are so young there cannot be much harm in your wearing it. -I will make you one. - -(_He begins to make the hat._) - -There is a fine story about these left-folded _eboshi_ and the luck -they bring. Shall I tell it you? - - -USHIWAKA. - -Yes, pray tell me the story. - - -HATMAKER. - - My grandfather lived at Karasu-maru in the Third Ward. - It was the time when Hachimantaro Yoshi-iye, having routed[50] the - brothers Sadato and Muneto, - Came home in triumph to the Capital. - And when he was summoned to the Emperor's Palace, he went first to - my grandfather and ordered from him - A left-folded _eboshi_ for the Audience. And when he was come before - the Throne - The Emperor welcomed him gladly - And as a token of great favour made him lord - Of the lands of Outer Mutsu. - Even such an _eboshi_ it is that I am making now, - A garment of good omen. - Wear it and when into the world - - -CHORUS. - - When into the world you go, who knows but that Fate's turn - May not at last bring you to lordship of lands, - Of Dewa or the country of Michi. - And on that day remember, - Oh deign to remember, him that now with words of good omen - Folds for you this _eboshi_. - On that day forget not the gift you owe! - But alas! - These things were, but shall not be again. - The time of the left-folded _eboshi_ was long ago: - When the houses of Gen and Hei[51] were in their pride, - Like the plum-tree and cherry-tree among flowers, - Like Spring and Autumn among the four seasons. - Then, as snow that would outsparkle the moonlight, - Gen strove with Hei; and after the years of Hogen,[52] - The house of Hei prevailed and the whole land was theirs - So is it now. - But retribution shall come; time shall bring - Its changes to the world and like the cherry-blossom - This _eboshi_ that knows its season - Shall bloom again. Wait patiently for that time! - - -HATMAKER. - -And while they prayed - - -CHORUS. - - Lo! The cutting of the _eboshi_ was done. - Then he decked it brightly with ribbons of three colours, - Tied the strings to it and finished it handsomely. - "Pray deign to wear it," he cried, and set it on the boy's head. - Then, stepping back to look, - "Oh admirable skill! Not even the captain of a mighty host - Need scorn to wear this hat!" - - -HATMAKER. - -There is not an _eboshi_ in the land that fits so well. - - -USHIWAKA. - -You are right; please take this sword in payment for it. - - -HATMAKER. - -No, no! I could not take it in return for such a trifle. - - -USHIWAKA. - -I beg you to accept it. - - -HATMAKER. - -Well, I cannot any longer refuse. How glad my wife will be! -(_Calling._) Are you there? - - -WIFE. - -What is it? (_They go aside._) - - -HATMAKER. - -This young lad asked me to make him an _eboshi_, and when it was made -he gave me this sword as a present. Is it not a noble payment? Here, -look at it. (_The wife takes the sword and when she has examined it -bursts into tears._) Why, I thought you would treasure it like a gift -from Heaven. And here you are shedding tears over it! What is the -matter? - -WIFE. - -Oh! I am ashamed. When I try to speak, tears come first and choke the -words. I am going to tell you something I have never told you before. -I am the sister of Kamada Masakiyo who fell at the Battle of Utsumi in -the country of Noma. At the time when Tokiwa bore Ushiwaka, her third -son, the lord her husband sent her this weapon as a charm-sword, and I -was the messenger whom he charged to carry it. Oh were he in the world -again;[53] then would our eyes no longer behold such misery. Oh sorrow, -sorrow! - - -HATMAKER. - -You say that you are the sister of Kamada Masakiyo? - - -WIFE. - -I am. - - -HATMAKER. - -How strange, how strange! I have lived with you all these years and -months, and never knew till now. But are you sure that you recognize -this weapon? - - -WIFE. - -Yes; this was the sword they called Konnento. - - -HATMAKER. - -Ah! I have heard that name. Then this must be the young Lord Ushiwaka -from Kurama Temple. Come with me. We must go after him and give him -back the sword at once. Why, he is still there! (_To_ USHIWAKA.) Sir, -this woman tells me she knows the sword; I beg of you to take it back. - - -USHIWAKA. - - Oh! strange adventure; to meet so far from home - With humble folk that show me kindness! - - -HATMAKER and WIFE. - -My Lord, forgive us! We did not know you; but now we see in you Lord -Ushiwaka, the nursling of Kurama Temple. - - -USHIWAKA. - -I am no other. (_To the_ WIFE.) And you, perhaps, are some kinswoman of -Masakiyo?[54] - - -WIFE. - -You have guessed wisely, sir; I am the Kamada's sister. - - -USHIWAKA. - -Lady Akoya? - - -WIFE. - -I am. - - -USHIWAKA. - -Truly I have reason to know.... And _I_ - - -CHORUS. - - Am Ushiwaka fallen on profitless days. - Of whom no longer you may speak - As master, but as one sunk in strange servitude. - Dawn is in the east; the pale moon fades from the sky, as he sets - forth from the Mirror Inn. - - -HATMAKER and WIFE. - -Oh! it breaks my heart to see him! A boy of noble name walking barefoot -with merchants, and nothing on his journey but cloth of Shikama to -clothe him. Oh! piteous sight! - - -USHIWAKA. - -Change rules the world for ever, and Man but for a little while. What -are fine clothes to me, what life itself while foemen flaunt? - - -HATMAKER. - -As a journey-present to speed you on the Eastern road ... - - -CHORUS. - -So he spoke and pressed the sword into the young lord's hands. And the -boy could not any longer refuse, but taking it said, "If ever I come -into the World[55] again, I will not forget." And so saying he turned -and went on his way in company with the merchants his masters. On they -went till at last, weary with travel, they came to the Inn of Akasaka -in the country of Mino. - - -KICHIJI (_the merchant_). - -We have come so fast that here we are at the Inn of Akasaka. - -(_To his_ BROTHER.) - -Listen, Kichiroku, you had better take lodging for us here. - - -KICHIROKU. - -I obey. (_Goes towards the hashigakari or actors' entrance-passage._) -May I come in? - - -INNKEEPER. - -Who are you? Ah! it is Master Kichiroku. I am glad to see you back -again so soon. - -(_To_ KICHIJI.) - -Be on your guard, gentleman. For a desperate gang has got wind of your -coming and has sworn to set upon you to-night. - - -KICHIJI. - -What are we to do? - - -KICHIROKU. - -I cannot tell. - - -USHIWAKA (_comes forward_). - -What are you speaking of? - - -KICHIJI. - -We have heard that robbers may be coming to-night. We were wondering -what we should do.... - - -USHIWAKA. - -Let them come in what force they will; yet if one stout soldier go -to meet them, they will not stand their ground, though they be fifty -mounted men. - - -KICHIJI. - -These are trusty words that you have spoken to us. One and all we look -to you.... - - -USHIWAKA. - -Then arm yourselves and wait. I will go out to meet them. - - -CHORUS. - -And while he spoke, evening passed to darkness. "Now is the time," he -cried, "to show the world those arts of war that for many months and -years upon the Mountain of Kurama I have rehearsed." - -Then he opened the double-doors and waited there for the slow in-coming -of the white waves.[56] - - -BRIGANDS. - -Loud the noise of assault. The lashing of white waves against the -rocks, even such is the din of our battle-cry. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Ho, my man! Who is there? - - -BRIGAND. - -I stand before you. - - -KUMASAKA. - -How fared those skirmishers I sent to make a sudden breach? Blew wind -briskly within? - - -BRIGAND. - -Briskly indeed; for some are slain and many grievously wounded. - - -KUMASAKA. - -How can that be? I thought that none were within but the merchants, -Kichiji and his brother. Who else is there? - - -BRIGAND. - -By the light of a rocket[57] I saw a lad of twelve or thirteen years -slashing about him with a short-sword; and he was nimble as a butterfly -or bird. - - -KUMASAKA. - -And the brothers Surihari? - - -BRIGAND. - -Stood foster-fathers[57] to the fire-throwers and were the first to -enter. - -But soon there meets them this child I tell of and with a blow at each -whisks off their heads from their necks. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Ei! Ei! Those two, and the horsemen that were near a hundred -strong,--all smitten! The fellow has bewitched them! - - -BRIGAND. - -When Takase saw this, thinking perhaps no good would come of this -night-attack, he took some seventy horsemen and galloped away with them. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Ha! It is not the first time that lout has played me false. - -How fared the torch-diviners?[57] - - -BRIGAND. - -The first torch was slashed in pieces; the second was trampled on till -it went out; the third they caught and threw back at us, but it too -went out. There are none left. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Then is all lost. For of these torch-diviners they sing that the first -torch is the soul of an army, the second torch is the wheel of Fate, -and the third torch--Life itself. All three are out, and there is no -hope left for this night's brigandage. - - -BRIGAND. - -It is as you say. Though we were gods, we could not redeem our plight. -Deign to give the word of retreat. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Why, even brigands must be spared from slaughter. Come, withdraw my men. - - -BRIGAND. - -I obey. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Stay! Shall Kumasaka Chohan be worsted in to-night's affray? Never! -Where could he then hide his shame? Come, robbers, to the attack! - - -CHORUS. - -So with mighty voice he called them to him, and they, raising their -war-cry, leapt to the assault. - -(_Speaking for_ USHIWAKA.) - -"Hoho! What a to-do! Himself has come, undaunted by the fate of those -he sent before him. Now, Hachiman,[58] look down upon me, for no other -help is here." So he prayed, and stood waiting at the gap. - -(_Speaking for_ KUMASAKA.) - -"Sixty-three years has Kumasaka lived, and to-day shall make his last -night-assault."[59] So he spoke and kicking off his iron-shoes in a -twinkling he levelled his great battle-sword that measured five foot -three, and as he leapt forward like a great bird pouncing on his prey, -no god or demon had dared encounter him. - -(_Speaking for_ USHIWAKA.) - -"Ha, bandit! Be not so confident! These slinking night-assaults -displease me"; and leaving him no leisure, the boy dashed in to the -attack. - -Then, Kumasaka, deeply versed in use of the battle-sword, lunged with -his left foot and in succession he executed The Ten-Side Cut, The -Eight-Side Sweep, The Body Wheel, The Hanyu Turn, The Wind Roll, The -Blade Drop, The Gnashing Lion, The Maple-Leaf Double, The Flower Double. - - Now fire dances at the sword-points; - Now the sword-backs clash. - -At last even the great battle-sword has spent its art. Parried by -the little belt-sword of Zoshi,[60] it has become no more than a -guard-sword. - -(_Speaking for_ KUMASAKA.) - -"This sword-play brings me no advantage; I will close with him and try -my strength!" - -Then he threw down his battle-sword and spreading out his great hands -rushed wildly forward. But Ushiwaka dodged him, and as he passed mowed -round at his legs. - - The robber fell with a crash, and as he struggled to rise - The belt-sword of Ushiwaka smote him clean through the waist. - And Kumasaka that had been one man - Lay cloven in twain. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[48] Semimaru. - -[49] A tall, nodding hat. - -[50] 1064 A.D. - -[51] I. e. Minamoto and Taira. - -[52] 1156-1159 A.D. - -[53] Yoshi-iye. - -[54] Ushiwaka had not heard this conversation between the hatmaker and -his wife, which takes place as an "aside." - -[55] I. e. into power. - -[56] I. e. robbers. A band of brigands who troubled China in 184 A. -D. were known the White Waves, and the phrase was later applied to -robbers in general. - -[57] Torches were thrown among the enemy to discover their number and -defences. - -[58] God of War and clan-god of the Minamotos. - -[59] He feels that he is too old for the work. - -[60] I. e. Ushiwaka. - - - - -BENKEI ON THE BRIDGE - -(HASHI-BENKEI) - -By HIYOSHI SA-AMI YASUKIYO - -(_Date unknown, probably first half of the fifteenth century._) - - -PERSONS - - _BENKEI._ - _USHIWAKA._ - _FOLLOWER._ - _CHORUS._ - - -BENKEI. - -I am one who lives near the Western Pagoda. My name is Musashi-bo -Benkei. In fulfillment of a certain vow I have been going lately by -night at the hour of the Ox[61] to worship at the Gojo Temple. To-night -is the last time; I ought soon to be starting. - -Hie! Is any one there? - - -FOLLOWER. - -Here I am. - - -BENKEI. - -I sent for you to tell you that I shall be going to the Gojo Temple -to-night. - - -FOLLOWER. - -I tremble and listen. But there is a matter that I must bring to your -notice. I hear that yesterday there was a boy of twelve or thirteen -guarding the Gojo Bridge. They say he was slashing round with his short -sword as nimble as a bird or butterfly. I beg that you will not make -your pilgrimage to-night. Do not court this peril. - - -BENKEI. - -That's a strange thing to ask! Why, were he demon or hobgoblin, he -could not stand alone against many. We will surround him and you shall -soon see him on his knees. - - -FOLLOWER. - -They have tried surrounding him, but he always escapes as though by -magic, and none is able to lay hands on him. - - -BENKEI. - -When he seems within their grasp - - -FOLLOWER. - -From before their eyes - - -BENKEI. - -Suddenly he vanishes. - - -CHORUS. - - This strange hobgoblin, elfish apparition, - Into great peril may bring - The reverend limbs of my master. - In all this City none can withstand the prowess - Of this unparalleled monster. - - -BENKEI. - -If this is as you say, I will not go to-night; and yet ... No. It is -not to be thought of that such a one as Benkei should be affrighted by -a tale. To-night when it is dark I will go to the bridge and humble -this arrogant elf. - - -CHORUS. - - And while he spoke, - Evening already to the western sky had come; - Soon the night-wind had shattered and dispersed - The shapes of sunset. Cheerless night - Came swiftly, but with step too slow - For him who waits. - - (_A Comic interlude played by a bow-master is sometimes used here - to fill in the time while_ BENKEI _is arming himself_.) - - -USHIWAKA. - -I am Ushiwaka. I must do as my mother told me; "Go up to the Temple[62] -at daybreak," she said. But it is still night. I will go to Gojo -Bridge and wait there till suddenly - - Moonlight mingles with the rising waves; - No twilight closes - The autumn day, but swiftly - The winds of night bring darkness. - - -CHORUS (_speaking for_ USHIWAKA). - - Oh! beauty of the waves! High beats my heart, - High as their scattered pearls! - Waves white as dewy calabash[63] at dawn, - By Gojo Bridge. - Silently the night passes, - No sound but my own feet upon the wooden planks - Clanking and clanking; still I wait - And still in vain. - - -BENKEI. - - The night grows late. Eastward the bells of the Three Pagodas toll. - By the moonlight that gleams through leaves of these thick cedar-trees - I gird my armour on; - I fasten the black thongs of my coat of mail. - I adjust its armoured skirts. - By the middle I grasp firmly - My great halberd that I have loved so long. - I lay it across my shoulder; with leisurely step stride forward. - Be he demon or hobgoblin, how shall he stand against me? - Such trust have I in my own prowess. Oh, how I long - For a foeman worthy of my hand! - - -USHIWAKA. - - The river-wind blows keen; - The night is almost spent, - But none has crossed the Bridge. - I am disconsolate and will lie down to rest. - - -BENKEI. - - Then Benkei, all unknowing, - Came towards the Bridge where white waves lapped. - Heavily his feet clanked on the boards of the Bridge. - - -USHIWAKA. - - And even before he saw him Ushiwaka gave a whoop of joy. - "Some one has come," he cried, and hitching his cloak over his - shoulder - Took his stand at the bridge-side. - - -BENKEI. - - Benkei discerned him and would have spoken.... - But when he looked, lo! it was a woman's form! - Then, because he had left the World,[64] with troubled mind he - hurried on. - - -USHIWAKA. - - Then Ushiwaka said, - "I will make game of him," and as Benkei passed - Kicked at the button of his halberd so that it jerked into the air. - - -BENKEI (_cries out in surprise_). - -Ah! fool, I will teach you a lesson! - - -CHORUS. - - Then Benkei while he retrieved his halberd - Cried out in anger, - "You shall soon feel the strength of my arm," and fell fiercely - upon him. - But the boy, not a jot alarmed, - Stood his ground and with one hand pulled aside his cloak, - While with the other he quietly drew his sword from the scabbard - And parried the thrust of the halberd that threatened him. - Again and again he parried the halberd's point. - And so they fought, now closing, now breaking. - What shall Benkei do? For when he thinks that he has conquered, - With his little sword the boy thrusts the blow aside. - Again and again Benkei strikes. - Again and again his blows are parried, - Till at last even he, mighty Benkei, - Can do battle no longer. - Disheartened he steps back the space of a few bridge-beams. - "Monstrous," he cries, "that this stripling ... No, it cannot be. - He shall not outwit my skill." - And holding out his halberd at full length before him - He rushed forward and dealt a mighty blow. - But Ushiwaka turned and dived swiftly to the left. - Benkei recovered his halberd and slashed at the boy's skirts; - But _he_, unfaltering, instantly leapt from the ground. - And when he thrust at the boy's body, - Then Ushiwaka squirmed with head upon the ground. - Thus a thousand, thousand bouts they fought, - Till the halberd fell from Benkei's weary hands. - He would have wrestled, but the boy's sword flashed before him, - And he could get no hold. - Then at his wits' end, "Oh, marvellous youth!" - Benkei cried, and stood dumbfounded. - - -CHORUS. - -Who are you that, so young and frail, possess such daring? Tell us your -name and state. - - -USHIWAKA. - -Why should I conceal it from you? I am Minamoto Ushiwaka. - - -CHORUS. - -Yoshitomo's son? - - -USHIWAKA. - -I am. And your name ...? - - -CHORUS (_speaking for_ BENKEI). - - "I am called Musashi Benkei of the Western Pagoda. - And now that we have told our names, - I surrender myself and beg for mercy; - For you are yet a child, and I a priest. - Such are your rank and lineage, such your prowess - That I will gladly serve you. - Too hastily you took me for an enemy; but now begins - A three lives' bond; henceforward[65] - As slave I serve you." - So, while the one made vows of homage, the other girded up his cloak. - Then Benkei laid his halberd across his shoulder - And together they went on their way - To the palace of Kujo.[66] - -FOOTNOTES: - -[61] 1-3 A.M. - -[62] The Kurama Temple. - -[63] Flowers of the _yugao_ or calabash. There is a reference to Lady -Yugao (see p. 142), who lived at Gojo. - -[64] Because he was a priest. - -[65] I. e. three incarnations. - -[66] Ushiwaka's home. - - - - -CHAPTER III - - KAGEKIYO - HACHI NO KI - SOTOBA KOMACHI - - - - -KAGEKIYO - -By SEAMI - - -PERSONS - - _A GIRL (Kagekiyo's daughter)._ - _KAGEKIYO THE PASSIONATE._ - _HER ATTENDANT._ - _A VILLAGER._ - - _CHORUS._ - - -GIRL and ATTENDANT. - - Late dewdrops are our lives that only wait - Till the wind blows, the wind of morning blows. - - -GIRL. - -I am Hitomaru. I live in the valley of Kamegaye. My father Kagekiyo -the Passionate fought for the House of Hei[67] and for this was hated -by the Genji.[68] I am told they have banished him to Miyazaki in the -country of Hyuga, and there in changed estate he passes the months -and years. I must not be downcast at the toil of the journey;[69] for -hardship is the lot of all that travel on unfamiliar roads, and I must -bear it for my father's sake. - - -GIRL and ATTENDANT. - - Oh double-wet our sleeves - With the tears of troubled dreaming and the dews - That wet our grassy bed. - We leave Sagami; who shall point the way - To Totomi, far off not only in name?[70] - Over the sea we row: - And now the eight-fold Spider Bridge we cross - To Mikawa. How long, O City of the Clouds,[71] - Shall we, inured to travel, see you in our dreams? - - -ATTENDANT. - -We have journeyed so fast that I think we must already have come to -Miyazaki in the country of Hyuga. It is here you should ask for your -father. - - (_The voice of_ KAGEKIYO _is heard from within his hut_.) - - -KAGEKIYO. - - Behind this gate, - This pine-wood barricade shut in alone - I waste the hours and days; - By me not numbered, since my eyes no longer - See the clear light of heaven, but in darkness, - Unending darkness, profitlessly sleep - In this low room. - For garment given but one coat to cover - From winter winds or summer's fire - This ruin, this anatomy! - - -CHORUS (_speaking for_ KAGEKIYO). - - Oh better had I left the world, to wear - The black-stained sleeve. - Who will now pity me, whose withered frame - Even to myself is hateful? - Or who shall make a care to search for me - And carry consolation to my woes? - - -GIRL. - -How strange! That hut is so old, I cannot think that any one can live -there. Yet I heard a voice speaking within. Perhaps some beggar lodges -there; I will not go nearer. (_She steps back_.) - - -KAGEKIYO. - - Though my eyes see not autumn - Yet has the wind brought tiding - - -GIRL. - - Of one who wanders - By ways unknown bewildered, - Finding rest nowhere-- - - -KAGEKIYO. - - For in the Three Worlds of Being - Nowhere is rest,[72] but only - In the Void Eternal. - None is, and none can answer - _Where_ to thy asking. - - -ATTENDANT (_going up to_ KAGEKIYO'S _hut_). - -I have come to your cottage to ask you something. - - -KAGEKIYO. - -What is it you want? - - -ATTENDANT. - -Can you tell me where the exile lives? - - -KAGEKIYO. - -The exile? What exile do you mean? Tell me his name. - - -ATTENDANT. - -We are looking for Kagekiyo the Passionate who fought for the Taira. - - -KAGEKIYO. - -I have heard of him indeed. But I am blind, and have not seen him. I -have heard such sad tales of his plight that I needs must pity him. Go -further; ask elsewhere. - - -ATTENDANT (_to_ GIRL, _who has been waiting_). - -It does not seem that we shall find him here. Let us go further and ask -again. (_They pass on._) - - -KAGEKIYO. - -Who can it be that is asking for me? What if it should be the child of -this blind man? For long ago when I was at Atsuta in Owari I courted a -woman and had a child by her. But since the child was a girl, I thought -I would get no good of her and left her with the head-man of the valley -of Kamegaye. But she was not content to stay with her foster-parents -and has come all this way to meet her true father. - - -CHORUS. - - To hear a voice, - To hear and not to see! - Oh pity of blind eyes! - I have let her pass by; - I have not told my name; - But it was love that bound me, - Love's rope that held me. - - -ATTENDANT (_calling into the side-bridge_). - -Hie! Is there any villager about? - - -VILLAGER (_raising the curtain that divides the side-bridge from the -stage_). - -What do you want with me? - - -ATTENDANT. - -Do you know where the exile lives? - - -VILLAGER. - -The exile? What exile is it you are asking for? - - -ATTENDANT. - -One called Kagekiyo the Passionate who fought for the Taira. - - -VILLAGER. - -Did you not see some one in a thatched hut under the hillside as you -came along? - - -ATTENDANT. - -Why, we saw a blind beggar in a thatched hut. - - -VILLAGER. - -That blind beggar is your man. _He_ is Kagekiyo. - - (_The_ GIRL _starts and trembles_.) - -But why does your lady tremble when I tell you that he is Kagekiyo? -What is amiss with her? - - -ATTENDANT. - -No wonder that you ask. I will tell you at once; this lady is -Kagekiyo's daughter. She has borne the toil of this journey because she -longed to meet her father face to face. Please take her to him. - - -VILLAGER. - -She is Kagekiyo's daughter? How strange, how strange! But, lady, calm -yourself and listen. - -Kagekiyo went blind in both his eyes, and finding himself helpless, -shaved his head and called himself the beggar of Hyuga. He begs a -little from travellers; and we villagers are sorry for him and see to -it that he does not starve. Perhaps he would not tell you his name -because he was ashamed of what he has become. But if you will come with -me I will shout "Kagekiyo" at him. He will surely answer to his own -name. Then you shall go to him and talk of what you will, old times or -now. Please come this way. - - (_They go towards the hut._) - -Hie, Kagekiyo, Kagekiyo! Are you there, Kagekiyo the Passionate? - - -KAGEKIYO (_stopping his ears with his hands, irritably_). - -Noise, noise! - -Silence! I was vexed already. For a while ago there came travellers -from my home! Do you think I let them stay? No, no. I could not show -them my loathsomeness.... It was hard to let them go,--not tell them my -name! - - A thousand rivers of tears soften my sleeve! - A thousand, thousand things I do in dream - And wake to idleness! Oh I am resolved - To be in the world as one who is not in the world. - Let them shout "Kagekiyo, Kagekiyo": - Need beggars answer? - Moreover, in this land I have a name. - - -CHORUS. - - "In Hyuga sunward-facing - A fit name found I. - Oh call me not by the name - Of old days that have dropped - Like the bow from a stricken hand! - For I whom passion - Had left for ever - At the sound of that wrathful name - Am angry, angry." - - (_While the_ CHORUS _speaks his thought_ KAGEKIYO _mimes their - words, waving his stick and finally beating it against his thigh in - a crescendo of rage_.) - - -KAGEKIYO (_suddenly lowering his voice, gently_). - -But while I dwell here - - -CHORUS. - - "But while I dwell here - To those that tend me - Should I grow hateful - Then were I truly - A blind man staffless. - Oh forgive - Profitless anger, tongue untended, - A cripple's spleen." - - -KAGEKIYO. - -For though my eyes be darkened - - -CHORUS. - - "Though my eyes be darkened - Yet, no word spoken, - Men's thoughts I see. - Listen now to the wind - In the woods upon the hill: - Snow is coming, snow! - Oh bitterness to wake - From dreams of flowers unseen! - And on the shore, - Listen, the waves are lapping - Over rough stones to the cliff. - The evening tide is in. - - (KAGEKIYO _fumbles for his staff and rises, coming just outside the - hut. The mention of "waves," "shore," "tide," has reminded him of - the great shore-battle at Yashima in which the Tairas triumphed_.) - -"I was one of them, of those Tairas. If you will listen, I will tell -the tale...." - - -KAGEKIYO (_to the_ VILLAGER). - -There was a weight on my mind when I spoke to you so harshly. Pray -forgive me. - - -VILLAGER. - -No, no! you are always so! I do not heed you. But tell me, did not some -one come before, asking for Kagekiyo? - - -KAGEKIYO. - -No,--you are the only one who has asked. - - -VILLAGER. - -It is not true. Some one came here saying that she was Kagekiyo's -daughter. Why did you not tell her? I was sorry for her and have -brought her back with me. - -(_To the_ GIRL.) Come now, speak with your father. - - -GIRL (_going to_ KAGEKIYO'S _side and touching his sleeve_). - - It is I who have come to you. - I have come all the long way, - Through rain, wind, frost and dew. - And now--you have not understood; it was all for nothing. - Am I not worth your love? Oh cruel, cruel! (_She weeps._) - - -KAGEKIYO. - - All that till now I thought to have concealed - Is known; where can I hide, - I that have no more refuge than the dew - That finds no leaf to lie on? - Should you, oh flower delicately tended, - Call me your father, then would the World know you - A beggar's daughter. Oh think not ill of me - That I did let you pass! - - (_He gropes falteringly with his right hand and touches her - sleeve._) - - -CHORUS. - - Oh sad, sad! - He that of old gave welcome - To casual strangers and would raise an angry voice - If any passed his door, - Now from his own child gladly - Would hide his wretchedness. - He that once - Among all that in the warships of Taira - Shoulder to shoulder, knee locked with knee, - Dwelt crowded-- - Even Kagekiyo keen - As the clear moonlight-- - Was ever called on to captain - The Royal Pinnace. - And though among his men - Many were brave and many of wise counsel, - Yet was he even as the helm of the boat. - And of the many who served him - None cavilled, disputed. - But now - He that of all was envied - Is like Kirin[73] grown old, - By every jade outrun. - - -VILLAGER (_seeing the_ GIRL _standing sadly apart_). - -Poor child, come back again. - - (_She comes back to her father's side._) - -Listen, Kagekiyo, there is something your daughter wants of you. - - -KAGEKIYO. - -What is it she wants? - - -VILLAGER. - -She tells me that she longs to hear the story of your high deeds at -Yashima. Could you not tell us the tale? - - -KAGEKIYO. - -That is a strange thing for a girl to ask. Yet since kind love brought -her this long, long way to visit me, I cannot but tell her the tale. -Promise me that when it is finished you will send her back again to her -home. - - -VILLAGER. - -I will. So soon as your tale is finished, I will send her home. - - -KAGEKIYO. - - It was in the third year of Juyei,[74] - At the close of the third month. - We of Heike were in our ships, - The men of Genji on shore. - Two armies spread along the coast - Eager to bid in battle - For final mastery. - Then said Noritsune, Lord of Noto, - "Last year at Muro Hill in the land of Harima, - At Water Island, even at Jackdaw Pass, - We were beaten again and again; outwitted - By Yoshitsune's strategy. - Oh that some plan might be found, some counsel given - For the slaying of Kuro."[75] So spoke he. - Then thought Kagekiyo in his heart, - "Though he be called 'Judge,' - Yet is he no god or demon, this Yoshitsune. - An easy task! Oh easy for one that loves not - His own life chiefly!" - So he took leave of Noritsune - And landed upon the beach. - The soldiers of Genji - "Death to him, death to him!" cried - As they swept towards him. - - -CHORUS. - - And when he saw them, - "What great to-do!" he cried, then waving - His sword in the evening sunlight - He fell upon them swiftly. - They fled before his sword-point, - They could not withstand him, those soldiers; - This way, that way, they scuttled wildly, and he cried, - "They shall not escape me!" - - -KAGEKIYO (_breaking in excitedly_). - -Cowards, cowards all of you! - - -CHORUS. - - Cowards, all of you! - Sight shameful alike for Gen and Hei. - Then, thinking that to stop one man - Could not but be easy, - Sword under arm, - "I am Kagekiyo," he cried, - "Kagekiyo the Passionate, a captain of the soldiers of Hei." - And swiftly pursued, with naked hand to grasp - The helm that Mionoya wore. - He clutched at the neck-piece, - Twice and again he clutched, but it slipped from him, slid through - his fingers. - Then crying "He shall not escape me, this foe I have chosen," - Swooped like a bird, seized upon the helmet, - "Eya, eya," he cried, tugging, - Till "Crack"--the neck-piece tore from the helm and was left in - his hand, - While the master of it, suddenly free, ran till he was come - A good way off, then turning, - "O mighty Kagekiyo, how terrible the strength of your arm!" - And the other called back to him, "Nay, say rather 'How strong - the shaft - Of Mionoya's neck!'" So laughed they across the battle, - And went off each his way. - - (KAGEKIYO, _who has been miming the battle, breaks off abruptly and - turns to the_ VILLAGER. _The_ CHORUS _speaks for him_.) - - -CHORUS. - - "I am old: I have forgotten--things unforgettable! - My thoughts are tangled: I am ashamed. - But little longer shall this world, - This sorrowful world torment me. - The end is near: go to your home; - Pray for my soul departed, child, candle to my darkness, - Bridge to salvation! - - (_He rises to his feet groping with his stick, comes to the_ GIRL, - _and gently pushes her before him towards the wing_.) - - "I stay," he said; and she "I go." - The sound of this word - Was all he kept of her, - Nor passed between them - Remembrance other. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[67] The Tairas. - -[68] The Minamotos, who came into power at the end of the twelfth -century. - -[69] The journey to look for her father. - -[70] Totomi is written with characters meaning "distant estuary." The -whole passage is full of double-meanings which cannot be rendered. - -[71] The Capital. - -[72] Quotation from the Parable Chapter of the _Hokkekyo_. - -[73] A Chinese Pegasus. The proverb says, "Even Kirin, when he was old, -was outstripped by hacks." Seami quotes this proverb, _Works_, p. 9. - -[74] "Le vieux guerrier avengle, assis devant sa cabane d'exil, mime -son dernier combat de gestes incertains et tremblants" (Pri). - -[75] Yoshitsune. - - - - -HACHI NO KI - -By SEAMI - - -PERSONS - - _THE PRIEST (Lord Tokiyori disguised)._ - _TSUNEYO GENZAYEMON (a former retainer of Tokiyori)._ - _GENZAYEMON'S WIFE._ - _TOKIYORI'S MINISTER, and followers._ - _CHORUS._ - - -PRIEST. - - No whence nor whither know I, only onward, - Onward my way. - -I am a holy man of no fixed abode. I have been travelling through the -land of Shinano; but the snow lies thick. I had best go up to Kamakura -now and wait there. When Spring comes I will set out upon my pilgrimage. - - (_He walks round the stage singing his song of travel._) - - Land of Shinano, Peak of Asama, - Thy red smoke rising far and near! Yet cold - Blows the great wind whose breath - From Greatwell Hill is fetched. - On to the Village of Friends--but friendless I, - Whose self is cast aside, go up the path - Of Parting Hill, that from the temporal world - Yet further parts me. Down the river, down - Runs my swift raft plank-nosed to Plank-nose Inn, - And to the Ford of Sano I am come. - -I have travelled so fast that I am come to the Ford of Sano in the -country of Kozuke. Ara! It is snowing again. I must seek shelter here. -(_Goes to the wing and knocks._) Is there anyone in this house? - - -TSUNEYO'S WIFE (_raising the curtain that divides the hashigakari from -the stage_). - -Who is there? - - -PRIEST. - -I am a pilgrim; pray lodge me here to-night. - - -WIFE. - -That is a small thing to ask. But since the master is away, you cannot -lodge in this house. - - -PRIEST. - -Then I will wait here till he comes back. - - -WIFE. - -That must be as you please. I will go to the corner and watch for him. -When he comes I will tell him you are here. - - (_Enter_ TSUNEYO _from the wing, making the gesture of one who - shakes snow from his clothes_.) - - -TSUNEYO. - -Ah! How the snow falls! Long ago when I was in the World[76] I loved to -see it: - - "Hither and thither the snow blew like feathers plucked from a - goose; - Long, long I watched it fall, till it dressed me in a white coat." - So I sang; and the snow that falls now is the same that I saw then. - But I indeed am frost-white[77] that watch it! - Oh how shall this thin dress of Kefu-cloth[78] - Chase from my bones the winter of to-day, - Oh pitiless day of snow! - - (_He sees his_ WIFE _standing waiting_.) - -What is this! How comes it that you are waiting here in this great -storm of snow? - - -WIFE. - -A pilgrim came this way and begged for a night's lodging. And when I -told him you were not in the house, he asked if he might wait till you -returned. That is why I am here. - - -TSUNEYO. - -Where is this pilgrim now? - - -WIFE. - -There he stands! - - -PRIEST. - -I am he. Though the day is not far spent, how can I find my way in this -great storm of snow? Pray give me shelter for the night. - - -TSUNEYO. - -That is a small thing to ask; but I have no lodging fit for you; I -cannot receive you. - - -PRIEST. - -No, no. I do not care how poor the lodging may be. Pray let me stay -here for one night. - - -TSUNEYO. - -I would gladly ask you to stay, but there is scarce space for us two, -that are husband and wife. How can we give you lodging? At the village -of Yamamoto yonder, ten furlongs further, you will find a good inn. You -had best be on your way before the daylight goes. - - -PRIEST. - -So you are resolved to turn me away? - - -TSUNEYO. - -I am sorry for it, but I cannot give you lodging. - - -PRIEST (_turning away_). - -Much good I got by waiting for such a fellow! I will go my way. (_He -goes._) - - -WIFE. - -Alas, it is because in a former life we neglected the ordinances[79] -that we are now come to ruin. And surely it will bring us ill-fortune -in our next life, if we give no welcome to such a one as this! If it is -by any means possible for him to shelter here, please let him stay. - - -TSUNEYO. - -If you are of that mind, why did you not speak before? (_Looking after -the_ PRIEST.) No, he cannot have gone far in this great snowstorm. I -will go after him and stop him. Hie, traveller, hie! We will give you -lodging. Hie! The snow is falling so thick that he cannot hear me. -What a sad plight he is in. Old-fallen snow covers the way he came -and snow new-fallen hides the path where he should go. Look, look! He -is standing still. He is shaking the snow from his clothes; shaking, -shaking. It is like that old song: - - "At Sano Ferry - No shelter found we - To rest our horses, - Shake our jackets, - In the snowy twilight." - - That song was made at Sano Ferry, - At the headland of Miwa on the Yamato Way. - - -CHORUS. - - But now at Sano on the Eastern Way - Would you wander weary in the snow of twilight? - Though mean the lodging, - Rest with us, oh rest till day! - - (_The_ PRIEST _goes with them into the hut_.) - - -TSUNEYO (_to his_ WIFE). - -Listen. We have given him lodging, but have not laid the least thing -before him. Is there nothing we can give? - - -WIFE. - -It happens that we have a little boiled millet;[80] we can give him -that if he will take it. - - -TSUNEYO. - -I will tell him. (_To the_ PRIEST.) I have given you lodging, but I -have not yet laid anything before you. It happens that we have a little -boiled millet. It is coarse food, but pray eat it if you can. - - -PRIEST. - -Why, that's a famous dish! Please give it me. - - -TSUNEYO (_to_ WIFE). - -He says he will take some; make haste and give it to him. - - -WIFE. - -I will do so. - - -TSUNEYO. - -Long ago when I was in the World I knew nothing of this stuff called -millet but what I read of it in poems and songs. But now it is the prop -of my life. - - Truly Rosei's dream of fifty years' glory - That he dreamed at Kntn on lent pillow propped - Was dreamed while millet cooked, as yonder dish now. - Oh if I might but sleep as he slept, and see in my dream - Times that have passed away, then should I have comfort; - But now through battered walls - - -CHORUS. - - Cold wind from the woods - Blows sleep away and the dreams of recollection. - - (_While the_ CHORUS _sings these words an_ ATTENDANT _brings on to - the stage the three dwarf trees_.) - - -TSUNEYO. - -How cold it is! And as the night passes, each hour the frost grows -keener. If I had but fuel to light a fire with, that you might sit by -it and warm yourself! Ah! I have thought of something. I have some -dwarf trees. I will cut them down and make a fire of them. - - -PRIEST. - -Have you indeed dwarf trees? - - -TSUNEYO. - -Yes, when I was in the World I had a fine show of them; but when my -trouble came I had no more heart for tree-fancying, and gave them away. -But three of them, I kept,--plum, cherry and pine. Look, there they -are, covered with snow. They are precious to me; yet for this night's -entertainment I will gladly set light to them. - - -PRIEST. - -No, no, that must not be. I thank you for your kindness, but it is -likely that one day you will go back to the World again and need them -for your pleasure. Indeed it is not to be thought of. - - -TSUNEYO. - - My life is like a tree the earth has covered; - I shoot no blossoms upward to the world. - - -WIFE. - - And should we burn for you - These shrubs, these profitless toys, - - -TSUNEYO. - -Think them the faggots of our Master's servitude.[81] - - -WIFE. - -For snow falls now upon them, as it fell - - -TSUNEYO. - - When he to hermits of the cold - Himalayan Hills was carrier of wood. - - -WIFE. - -So let it be. - - -CHORUS. - - "Shall I from one who has cast life aside, - Dear life itself, withold these trivial trees?" - - (TSUNEYO _goes and stands by the dwarf trees_.) - - Then he brushed the snow from off them, and when he looked, - "I cannot, cannot," he cried, "O beautiful trees, - Must I begin? - You, plum-tree, among bare boughs blossoming - Hard by the window, still on northward face - Snow-sealed, yet first to scent - Cold air with flowers, earliest of Spring; - 'You first shall fall.' - You by whose boughs on mountain hedge entwined - Dull country folk have paused and caught their breath,[82] - Hewn down for firewood. Little had I thought - My hand so pitiless!" - - (_He cuts down the plum-tree._) - - "You, cherry (for each Spring your blossom comes - Behind the rest), I thought a lonely tree - And reared you tenderly, but now - _I_, _I_ am lonely left, and you, cut down, - Shall flower but with flame." - - -TSUNEYO. - - You now, O pine, whose branches I had thought - One day when you were old to lop and trim, - Standing you in the field, a football-post,[83] - Such use shall never know. - Tree, whom the winds have ever wreathed - With quaking mists, now shimmering in the flame - Shall burn and burn. - Now like a beacon, sentinels at night - Kindle by palace gate to guard a king, - Your fire burns brightly. - Come, warm yourself. - - -PRIEST. - -Now we have a good fire and can forget the cold. - - -TSUNEYO. - -It is because you lodged with us that we too have a fire to sit by. - - -PRIEST. - -There is something I must ask you: I would gladly know to what clan my -host belongs. - - -TSUNEYO. - -I am not of such birth; I have no clan-name. - - -PRIEST. - -Say what you will, I cannot think you a commoner. The times may change; -what harm will you get by telling me your clan? - - -TSUNEYO. - -Indeed I have no reason to conceal it. Know then that Tsuneyo -Genzayemon, Lord of Sano, is sunk to this! - - -PRIEST. - -How came it, sir, that you fell to such misery? - - -TSUNEYO. - -Thus it was: kinsmen usurped my lands, and so I became what I am. - - -PRIEST. - -Why do you not go up to the Capital and lay your case before the -Shikken's court? - - -TSUNEYO. - -By further mischance it happens that Lord Saimyoji[84] himself is -absent upon pilgrimage. And yet not all is lost; for on the wall a tall -spear still hangs, and armour with it; while in the stall a steed is -tied. And if at any time there came from the City news of peril to our -master-- - - Then, broken though it be I would gird this armour on, - And rusty though it be I would hold this tall spear, - And lean-ribbed though he be I would mount my horse and ride - Neck by neck with the swiftest, - To write my name on the roll. - And when the fight began - Though the foe were many, yet would I be the first - To cleave their ranks, to choose an adversary - To fight with him and die. - - (_He covers his face with his hands; his voice sinks again._) - - But now, another fate, worn out with hunger - To die useless. Oh despair, despair! - - -PRIEST. - -Take courage; you shall not end so. If I live, I will come to you -again. Now I go. - - -TSUNEYO and WIFE. - -We cannot let you go. At first we were ashamed that you should see the -misery of our dwelling; but now we ask you to stay with us awhile. - - -PRIEST. - -Were I to follow my desire, think you I would soon go forth into the -snow? - - -TSUNEYO and WIFE. - -After a day of snow even the clear sky is cold, and to-night-- - - -PRIEST. - -Where shall I lodge? - - -WIFE. - -Stay with us this one day. - - -PRIEST. - -Though my longing bides with you-- - - -TSUNEYO and WIFE. - -You leave us? - - -PRIEST. - -Farewell, Tsuneyo! - - -BOTH. - -Come back to us again. - - -CHORUS (_speaking for_ PRIEST). - -"And should you one day come up to the City, seek for me there. A -humble priest can give you no public furtherance, yet can he find ways -to bring you into the presence of Authority. Do not give up your suit." -He said no more. He went his way,--he sad to leave them and they to -lose him from their sight. - - * * * * * - -(_Interval of Six Months._) - - -TSUNEYO (_standing outside his hut and seeming to watch travellers on -the road_). - -Hie, you travellers! Is it true that the levies are marching to -Kamakura? They are marching in great force, you say? So it is true. -Barons and knights from the Eight Counties of the East all riding to -Kamakura! A fine sight it will be. Tasselled breastplates of beaten -silver; swords and daggers fretted with gold. On horses fat with fodder -they ride; even the grooms of the relay-horses are magnificently -apparelled. And along with them (_miming the action of leading a -horse_) goes Tsuneyo, with horse, armour and sword that scarce seem -worthy of such names. They may laugh, yet I am not, I think, a -worse man than they; and had I but a steed to match my heart, then -valiantly--(_making the gesture of cracking a whip_) you laggard! - - -CHORUS. - -The horse is old, palsied as a willow-bough; it cannot hasten. It is -lean and twisted. Not whip or spur can move it. It sticks like a coach -in a bog. He follows far behind the rest. - - -PRIEST (_again ruler[85] of Japan, seated on a throne_). - -Are you there? - - -ATTENDANT. - -I stand before you. - - -PRIEST. - -Have the levies of all the lands arrived? - - -ATTENDANT. - -They are all come. - - -PRIEST. - -Among them should be a knight in broken armour, carrying a rusty sword, -and leading his own lean horse. Find him, and bring him to me. - - -ATTENDANT. - -I tremble and obey. (_Going to_ TSUNEYO.) I must speak with you. - - -TSUNEYO. - -What is it? - - -ATTENDANT. - -You are to appear immediately before my lord. - - -TSUNEYO. - -Is it I whom you are bidding appear before his lordship? - - -ATTENDANT. - -Yes, you indeed. - - -TSUNEYO. - -How can it be I? You have mistaken me for some other. - - -ATTENDANT. - -Oh no, it is you. I was told to fetch the most ill-conditioned of all -the soldiers; and I am sure you are he. Come at once. - - -TSUNEYO. - -The most ill-conditioned of all the soldiers? - - -ATTENDANT. - -Yes, truly. - - -TSUNEYO. - -Then I am surely he. - -Tell your lord that I obey. - - -ATTENDANT. - -I will do so. - - -TSUNEYO. - -I understand; too well I understand. Some enemy of mine has called me -traitor, and it is to execution that I am summoned before the Throne. -Well, there is no help for it. Bring me into the Presence. - - -CHORUS. - - He was led to where on a great das - All the warriors of this levy were assembled - Like a bright bevy of stars. - Row on row they were ranged, - Samurai and soldiers; - Swift scornful glances, fingers pointed - And the noise of laughter met his entering. - - -TSUNEYO. - - Stuck through his tattered, his old side-sewn sash, - His rusty sword sags and trails,--yet he undaunted, - "My Lord, I have come." - - (_He bows before the Throne._) - - -PRIEST. - -Ha! He has come, Tsuneyo of Sano! - -Have you forgotten the priest whom once you sheltered from the -snowstorm? You have been true to the words that you spoke that night at -Sano: - - "If at any time there came news from the City of peril to our master - Then broken though it be, I would gird this armour on, - And rusty though it be, I would hold this tall spear, - And bony though he be, I would mount my horse and ride - Neck by neck with the swiftest." - -These were not vain words; you have come valiantly. But know that this -levy of men was made to this purpose: to test the issue of your words -whether they were spoken false or true; and to hear the suits of all -those that have obeyed my summons, that if any among them have suffered -injury, his wrongs may be righted. - -And first in the case of Tsuneyo, I make judgment. To him shall be -returned his lawful estate, thirty parishes in the land of Sano. - -But above all else one thing shall never be forgotten, that in the -great snowstorm he cut down his trees, his treasure, and burnt them for -firewood. And now in gratitude for the three trees of that time,--plum, -cherry and pine,--we grant to him three fiefs, Plumfield in Kaga, -Cherrywell in Etchu and Pine-branch in Kozuke. - -He shall hold them as a perpetual inheritance for himself and for his -heirs; in testimony whereof we give this title-deed, by our own hand -signed and sealed, together with the safe possession of his former -lands. - - -TSUNEYO. - -Then Tsuneyo took the deeds. - - -CHORUS. - -He took the deeds, thrice bowing his head. - - (_Speaking for_ TSUNEYO.) - - "Look, all you barons! (TSUNEYO _holds up the documents_.) - Look upon this sight - And scorn to envy turn!" - Then the levies of all the lands - Took leave of their Lord - And went their homeward way. - - -TSUNEYO. - -And among them Tsuneyo - - -CHORUS. - - Among them Tsuneyo, - Joy breaking on his brow, - Rides now on splendid steed - To the Boat-bridge of Sano, to his lands once torn - Pitiless from him as the torrent tears - That Bridge of Boats at Sano now his own. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[76] Po Ch-i's _Works_, iii. 13. - -[77] Alluding partly to the fact that he is snow-covered, partly to his -grey hairs. - -[78] _Kefu_, "to-day." - -[79] Buddhist ordinances, such as hospitality to priests. - -[80] Food of the poorest peasants. - -[81] After Shakyamuni left the palace, he served the Rishi of the -mountains. - -[82] Using words from a poem by Michizane (845-903 A.D.). - -[83] For Japanese football, see p. 248. A different interpretation has -lately been suggested by Mr. Suzuki. - -[84] I. e. Tokiyori. - -[85] Hojo no Tokiyori ruled at Kamakura from 1246 till 1256. He then -became a priest and travelled through the country incognito in order to -acquaint himself with the needs of his subjects. - - - - -NOTE ON KOMACHI. - - -The legend of Komachi is that she had many lovers when she was young -but was cruel and mocked at their pain. Among them was one, Shii no -Shosho, who came a long way to court her. She told him that she would -not listen to him till he had come on a hundred nights from his house -to hers and cut a hundred notches on the shaft-bench of his chariot. -And so he came a hundred nights all but one, through rain, hail, snow, -and wind. But on the last night he died. - -Once, when she was growing old, the poet Yasuhide asked her to go with -him to Mikawa. She answered with the poem: - - "I that am lonely, - Like a reed root-cut, - Should a stream entice me, - Would go, I think." - -When she grew quite old, both her friends and her wits forsook her. She -wandered about in destitution, a tattered, crazy beggar-woman. - -As is shown in this play, her madness was a "possession" by the spirit -of the lover whom she had tormented. She was released from this -"possession" by the virtue of a sacred Stupa[86] or log carved into -five parts, symbolic of the Five Elements, on which she sat down to -rest. - -In the disputation between Komachi and the priests, she upholds the -doctrines of the Zen Sect, which uses neither scriptures nor idols; -the priests defend the doctrines of the Shingon Sect, which promises -salvation by the use of incantations and the worship of holy images.[87] - -There is no doubt about the authorship of this play. Seami (_Works_, -p. 246) gives it as the work of his father, Kwanami Kiyotsugu. Kwanami -wrote another play, _Shii no Shosho_,[88] in which Shosho is the -principal character and Komachi the _tsure_ or subordinate. - -Seami also used the Komachi legend. In his _Sekidera Komachi_ he tells -how when she was very old the priests of _Sekidera_ invited her to -dance at the festival of Tanabata. She dances, and in rehearsing the -splendours of her youth for a moment becomes young again. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[86] Sanskrit; Jap. _sotoba_. - -[87] See p. 32. - -[88] Now generally called _Kayoi Komachi_. - - - - -SOTOBA KOMACHI - -By KWANAMI - - -PERSONS - - _A PRIEST OF THE KOYASAN._ - _SECOND PRIEST._ - _ONO NO KOMACHI._ - _CHORUS._ - - -PRIEST. - - We who on shallow hills[89] have built our home - In the heart's deep recess seek solitude. - - (_Turning to the audience._) - -I am a priest of the Koyasan. I am minded to go up to the Capital to -visit the shrines and sanctuaries there. - - The Buddha of the Past is gone, - And he that shall be Buddha has not yet come into the world. - - -SECOND PRIEST. - - In a dream-lull our lives are passed; all, all - That round us lies - Is visionary, void. - Yet got we by rare fortune at our birth - Man's shape, that is hard to get; - And dearer gift was given us, harder to win, - The doctrine of Buddha, seed of our Salvation. - And me this only thought possessed, - How I might bring that seed to blossom, till at last - I drew this sombre cassock across my back. - And knowing now the lives before my birth, - No love I owe - To those that to this life engendered me, - Nor seek a care (have I not disavowed - Such hollow bonds?) from child by me begot. - A thousand leagues - Is little road - To the pilgrim's feet. - The fields his bed, - The hills his home - Till the travel's close. - - -PRIEST. - -We have come so fast that we have reached the pine-woods of Abeno, in -the country of Tsu. Let us rest in this place. - - (_They sit down by the Waki's pillar._) - - -KOMACHI. - - Like a root-cut reed,[90] - Should the tide entice, - I would come, I think; but now - No wave asks; no stream stirs. - Long ago I was full of pride; - Crowned with nodding tresses, halcyon locks, - I walked like a young willow delicately wafted - By the winds of Spring. - I spoke with the voice of a nightingale that has sipped the dew. - I was lovelier than the petals of the wild-rose open-stretched - In the hour before its fall. - But now I am grown loathsome even to sluts, - Poor girls of the people, and they and all men - Turn scornful from me. - Unhappy months and days pile up their score; - I am old; old by a hundred years. - In the City I fear men's eyes, - And at dusk, lest they should cry "Is it she?" - Westward with the moon I creep - From the cloud-high City of the Hundred Towers. - No guard will question, none challenge - Pilgrim so wretched: yet must I be walking - Hid ever in shadow of the trees. - Past the Lovers' Tomb, - And the Hill of Autumn - To the River of Katsura, the boats, the moonlight. - - (_She shrinks back and covers her face, frightened of being - known._) - - Who are those rowing in the boats?[91] - Oh, I am weary. I will sit on this tree-stump and rest awhile. - - -PRIEST. - -Come! The sun is sinking; we must hasten on our way. Look, look at that -beggar there! It is a holy Stupa that she is sitting on! I must tell -her to come off it. - -Now then, what is that you are sitting on? Is it not a holy Stupa, the -worshipful Body of Buddha? Come off it and rest in some other place. - - -KOMACHI. - -Buddha's worshipful body, you say? But I could see no writing on it, -nor any figure carved. I thought it was only a tree-stump. - - -PRIEST. - - Even the little black tree on the hillside - When it has put its blossoms on - Cannot be hid; - And think you that this tree - Cut fivefold in the fashion of Buddha's holy form - Shall not make manifest its power? - - -KOMACHI. - - I too am a poor withered bough. - But there are flowers at my heart,[92] - Good enough, maybe, for an offering. - But why is this called Buddha's body? - - -PRIEST. - -Hear then! This Stupa is the Body of the Diamond Lord.[93] It is the -symbol of his incarnation. - - -KOMACHI. - -And in what elements did he choose to manifest his body? - - -PRIEST. - -Earth, water, wind, fire and space. - - -KOMACHI. - -Of these five man also is compounded. Where then is the difference? - - -PRIEST. - -The forms are the same, but not the virtue. - - -KOMACHI. - -And what is the virtue of the Stupa? - - -PRIEST. - -"He that has looked once upon the Stupa, shall escape forever from the -Three Paths of Evil."[94] - - -KOMACHI. - -"One thought can sow salvation in the heart."[95] Is that of less price? - - -SECOND PRIEST. - -If your heart has seen salvation, how comes it that you linger in the -World? - - -KOMACHI. - -It is my body that lingers, for my heart left it long ago. - - -PRIEST. - -You have no heart at all, or you would have known the Body of Buddha. - - -KOMACHI. - -It was because I knew it that I came to see it! - - -SECOND PRIEST. - -And knowing what you know, you sprawled upon it without a word of -prayer? - - -KOMACHI. - -It was on the ground already. What harm could it get by my resting on -it? - - -PRIEST. - -It was an act of discord.[96] - - -KOMACHI. - -Sometimes from discord salvation springs. - - -SECOND PRIEST. - -From the malice of Daiba ...[97] - - -KOMACHI. - -As from the mercy of Kwannon.[98] - - -PRIEST. - -From the folly of Handoku ...[99] - - -KOMACHI. - -As from the wisdom of Monju.[100] - - -SECOND PRIEST. - -That which is called Evil - - -KOMACHI. - -Is Good. - - -PRIEST. - -That which is called Illusion - - -KOMACHI. - -Is Salvation.[101] - - -SECOND PRIEST. - -For Salvation - - -KOMACHI. - -Cannot be planted like a tree. - - -PRIEST. - -And the Heart's Mirror - - -KOMACHI. - -Hangs in the void. - - -CHORUS (_speaking for_ KOMACHI). - - "Nothing is real. - Between Buddha and Man - Is no distinction, but a seeming of difference planned - For the welfare of the humble, the ill-instructed, - Whom he has vowed to save. - Sin itself may be the ladder of salvation." - So she spoke, eagerly; and the priests, - "A saint, a saint is this decrepit, outcast soul." - And bending their heads to the ground, - Three times did homage before her. - - -KOMACHI. - - I now emboldened - Recite a riddle, a jesting song. - "Were I in Heaven - The Stupa were an ill seat; - But here, in the world without, - What harm is done?"[102] - - -CHORUS. - - The priests would have rebuked her; - But they have found their match. - - -PRIEST. - -Who are you? Pray tell us the name you had, and we will pray for you -when you are dead. - - -KOMACHI. - -Shame covers me when I speak my name; but if you will pray for -me, I will try to tell you. This is my name; write it down in your -prayer-list: I am the ruins of Komachi, daughter of Ono no Yoshizane, -Governor of the land of Dewa. - - -PRIESTS. - - Oh piteous, piteous! Is this - Komachi that once - Was a bright flower, - Komachi the beautiful, whose dark brows - Linked like young moons; - Her face white-farded ever; - Whose many, many damask robes - Filled cedar-scented halls? - - -KOMACHI. - - I made verses in our speech - And in the speech of the foreign Court. - - -CHORUS. - - The cup she held at the feast - Like gentle moonlight dropped its glint on her sleeve. - Oh how fell she from splendour, - How came the white of winter - To crown her head? - Where are gone the lovely locks, double-twined, - The coils of jet? - Lank wisps, scant curls wither now - On wilted flesh; - And twin-arches, moth-brows tinge no more - With the hue of far hills. "Oh cover, cover - From the creeping light of dawn - Silted seaweed locks that of a hundred years - Lack now but one. - Oh hide me from my shame." - - (KOMACHI _hides her face_.) - - -CHORUS (_speaking for the_ PRIEST). - -What is it you carry in the wallet string at your neck? - - -KOMACHI. - - Death may come to-day--or hunger to-morrow. - A few beans and a cake of millet: - That is what I carry in my bag. - - -CHORUS. - -And in the wallet on your back? - - -KOMACHI. - -A garment stained with dust and sweat. - - -CHORUS. - -And in the basket on your arm? - - -KOMACHI. - -Sagittaries white and black. - - -CHORUS. - -Tattered cloak,[103] - - -KOMACHI. - -Broken hat ... - - -CHORUS. - - She cannot hide her face from our eyes; - And how her limbs - - -KOMACHI. - -From rain and dew, hoar-frost and snow? - - -CHORUS (_speaking for_ KOMACHI _while she mimes the actions they -describe_). - - Not rags enough to wipe the tears from my eyes! - Now, wandering along the roads - I beg an alms of those that pass. - And when they will not give, - An evil rage, a very madness possesses me. - My voice changes. - Oh terrible! - - -KOMACHI (_thrusting her hat under the_ PRIESTS' _noses and shrieking at -them menacingly_). - -Grr! You priests, give me something: give me something ... Ah! - - -PRIEST. - -What do you want? - - -KOMACHI. - -Let me go to Komachi.[104] - - -PRIEST. - -But you told us you were Komachi. What folly is this you are talking? - - -KOMACHI. - - No, no.... Komachi was very beautiful. - Many letters came to her, many messages,-- - Thick as raindrops out of a black summer sky. - But she sent no answer, not even an empty word. - And now in punishment she has grown old: - She has lived a hundred years-- - I love her, oh I love her! - - -PRIEST. - -You love Komachi? Say then, whose spirit has possessed you? - - -KOMACHI. - - There were many who set their hearts on her, - But among them all - It was Shosho who loved her best, - Shii no Shosho of the Deep Grass.[105] - - -CHORUS (_speaking for_ KOMACHI, _i. e._ _for the spirit of Shosho_). - - The wheel goes back; I live again through the cycle of my woes. - Again I travel to the shaft-bench. - The sun ... what hour does he show? - Dusk.... Alone in the moonlight - I must go my way. - Though the watchmen of the barriers - Stand across my path, - They shall not stop me! - - (_Attendants robe_ KOMACHI _in the Court hat and travelling-cloak - of Shosho_.) - -Look, I go! - - -KOMACHI. - -Lifting the white skirts of my trailing dress, - - -CHORUS (_speaking for_ KOMACHI, _while she, dressed as her lover -Shosho, mimes the night-journey_). - - Pulling down over my ears the tall, nodding hat, - Tying over my head the long sleeves of my hunting cloak, - Hidden from the eyes of men, - In moonlight, in darkness, - On rainy nights I travelled; on windy nights, - Under a shower of leaves; when the snow was deep, - - -KOMACHI. - -And when water dripped at the roof-eaves,--tok, tok ... - - -CHORUS. - - Swiftly, swiftly coming and going, coming and going ... - One night, two nights, three nights, - Ten nights (and this was harvest night) ... - I never saw her, yet I travelled; - Faithful as the cock who marks each day the dawn, - I carved my marks on the bench. - I was to come a hundred times; - There lacked but one ... - - -KOMACHI (_feeling the death-agony of Shosho_). - -My eyes dazzle. Oh the pain, the pain! - - -CHORUS. - - Oh the pain! and desperate, - Before the last night had come, - He died--Shii no Shosho the Captain. - - (_Speaking for_ KOMACHI, _who is now no longer possessed by - Shosho's spirit_.) - - Was it his spirit that possessed me, - Was it his anger that broke my wits? - If this be so, let me pray for the life hereafter, - Where alone is comfort; - Piling high the sands[106] - Till I be burnished as gold.[107] - See, I offer my flower[108] to Buddha, - I hold it in both hands. - Oh may He lead me into the Path of Truth, - Into the Path of Truth. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[89] The Koyasan is not so remote as most mountain temples. - -[90] See p. 113. - -[91] Seami, writing c. 1430, says: "_Komachi_ was once a long play. -After the words 'Who are those,' etc., there used to be a long lyric -passage" (_Works_, p. 240). - -[92] "Heart flowers," _kokoro no hana_, is a synonym for "poetry." - -[93] Vajrasattva, himself an emanation of Vairochana, the principal -Buddha of the Shingon Sect. - -[94] From the Nirvana Sutra. - -[95] From the Avatamsaka Sutra. - -[96] Lit. "discordant karma." - -[97] A wicked disciple who in the end attained to Illumination. Also -called Datta; cp. _Kumasaka_, p. 63. - -[98] The Goddess of Mercy. - -[99] A disciple so witless that he could not recite a single verse of -Scripture. - -[100] God of Wisdom. - -[101] From the Nirvana Sutra. - -[102] The riddle depends on a pun between _sotoba_ and _soto wa_, -"without" "outside." - -[103] The words which follow suggest the plight of her lover Shosho -when he travelled to her house "a hundred nights all but one," to cut -his notch on the bench. - -[104] The spirit of her lover Shosho has now entirely possessed her: -this "possession-scene" lasts very much longer on the stage than the -brief words would suggest. - -[105] Fukagusa the name of his native place, means "deep grass." - -[106] See _Hokkekyo_, II. 18. - -[107] The colour of the saints in heaven. - -[108] Her "heart-flower," i. e. poetic talent. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -UKAI - -AYA NO TSUZUMI - -AOI NO UYE - - - - -NOTE ON UKAI. - - -Seami tells us (_Works_, p. 246) that this play was written by Enami no -Sayemon. "But as I removed bad passages and added good ones, I consider -the play to be really my work" (p. 247). - -On p. 245 he points out that the same play on words occurs in _Ukai_ -three times, and suggests how one passage might be amended. The text -of the play which we possess to-day still contains the passages which -Seami ridiculed, so that it must be Enami no Sayemon's version which -has survived, while Seami's amended text is lost. - -It is well known that Buddhism forbids the taking of life, especially -by cruel means or for sport. The cormorant-fisher's trade had long been -considered particularly wicked, as is shown by an early folk-song:[109] - - "Woe to the cormorant-fisher - Who binds the heads of his cormorants - And slays the tortoise whose span is ten thousand ons! - In this life he may do well enough, - But what will become of him at his next birth?" - -This song, which is at least as old as the twelfth century, and may be -much earlier, seems to be the seed from which the No play _Ukai_ grew. - -FOOTNOTE: - -[109] _Ryojin Hissho_, p. 135. - - - - -UKAI - -(THE CORMORANT-FISHER) - -By ENAMI NO SAYEMON (_c._ 1400). - - -PERSONS - - _PRIEST._ - _SECOND PRIEST._ - _FISHER._ - _YAMA, KING OF HELL._ - _CHORUS._ - - -PRIEST. - -I am a priest from Kiyosumi in Awa. I have never yet seen the country -of Kai, so now I am minded to go there on pilgrimage. - - (_Describing the journey._) - - On the foam of white waves - From Kiyosumi in the land of Awa riding - To Mutsura I come; to the Hill of Kamakura, - Lamentably tattered, yet because the World - Is mine no longer, unashamed on borrowed bed, - Mattress of straw, to lie till the bell swings - Above my pillow. Away, away! For dawn - Is on the hemp-fields of Tsuru. Now the noonday sun - Hangs high above us as we cross the hills. - Now to the village of Isawa we come. - Let us lie down and rest awhile in the shelter of this shrine. - - (_The_ FISHER _comes along the hashigakari towards the stage - carrying a lighted torch_.) - - -FISHER. - - When the fisher's torch is quenched - What lamp shall guide him on the dark road that lies before? - Truly, if the World had tasked me hardly - I might be minded to leave it, but this bird-fishing, - Cruel though it be in the wanton taking of life away, - Is a pleasant trade to ply - Afloat on summer streams. - -I have heard it told that Yushi and Hakuyo vowed their love-vows by -the moon, and were changed to wedded stars of heaven. And even to-day -the high ones of the earth are grieved by moonless nights. Only I grow -weary of her shining and welcome nights of darkness. But when the -torches on the boats burn low, - - Then, in the dreadful darkness comes repentance - Of the crime that is my trade, - My sinful sustenance; and life thus lived - Is loathsome then. - Yet I would live, and soon - Bent on my oar I push between the waves - To ply my hateful trade. - -I will go up to the chapel as I am wont to do, and give my cormorants -rest. (_Seeing the_ PRIESTS.) What, have travellers entered here? - - -PRIEST. - -We are pilgrim-priests. We asked for lodging in the village. But they -told us that it was not lawful for them to receive us, so we lay down -in the shelter of this shrine. - - -FISHER. - -Truly, truly: I know of none in the village that could give you lodging. - - -PRIEST. - -Pray tell me, sir, what brings you here? - - -FISHER. - -Gladly. I am a cormorant-fisher. While the moon is shining I rest at -this shrine; but when the moon sinks, I go to ply my trade. - - -PRIEST. - -Then you will not mind our lodging here. But, sir, this work of -slaughter ill becomes you; for I see that the years lie heavy on you. -Pray leave this trade and find yourself another means of sustenance. - - -FISHER. - -You say well. But this trade has kept me since I was a child. I cannot -leave it now. - - -SECOND PRIEST. - -Listen. The sight of this man has brought back something to my mind. -Down this river there is a place they call Rock-tumble. And there, when -I passed that way three years ago, I met just such a fisherman as this. -And when I told him this cormorant-fishing was reckoned a sin against -life, I think he listened; for he brought me back to his house and -lodged me with uncommon care. - - -FISHER. - -And you are the priest that came then? - - -SECOND PRIEST. - -Yes, I am he. - - -FISHER. - -That cormorant-fisher died. - - -PRIEST. - -How came he to die? - - -FISHER. - -Following his trade, more shame to him. Listen to his story and give -his soul your prayers. - - -PRIEST. - -Gladly we will. - - -FISHER (_seats himself facing the audience and puts down his torch_). - -You must know that on this river of Isawa, for a stretch of three -leagues up stream and down, the killing of any living creature is -forbidden. Now at that Rock-tumble you spoke of there were many -cormorant-fishers who every night went secretly to their fishing. And -the people of the place, hating the vile trade, made plans to catch -them at their task. But he knew nothing of this; and one night he went -there secretly and let his cormorants loose. - -There was an ambush set for him; in a moment they were upon him. "Kill -him!" they cried; "one life for many," was their plea. Then he pressed -palm to palm. "Is the taking of life forbidden in this place? Had I but -known it! But now, never again...." So with clasped hands he prayed and -wept; but none helped him; and as fishers set their stakes they planted -him deep in the stream. He cried, but no sound came. (_Turning to the_ -PRIEST _suddenly_.) I am the ghost of that fisherman. - - -PRIEST. - -Oh strange! If that be so, act out before me the tale of your -repentance. Show me your sin and I will pray for you tenderly. - - -FISHER. - -I will act before your eyes the sin that binds me, the -cormorant-fishing of those days. Oh give my soul your prayer! - - -PRIEST. - -I will. - - -FISHER (_rising and taking up his torch_). - - The night is passing. It is fishing-time. - I must rehearse the sin that binds me. - - -PRIEST. - - I have read in tales of a foreign land[110] - How sin-laden the souls of the dead - Have toiled at bitter tasks; - But strange, before my eyes - To see such penance done! - - -FISHER (_describing his own action_). - -He waved the smeared torches. - - -PRIEST (_describing the_ FISHER'S _action_). - -Girt up his coarse-spun skirts. - - -FISHER (_going to the "flute-pillar" and bending over as if opening a -basket_). - -Then he opened the basket, - - -PRIEST. - -And those fierce island-birds - - -FISHER. - -Over the river-waves suddenly he loosed.... - - -CHORUS. - - See them, see them clear in the torches' light - Hither and thither darting, - Those frightened fishes.[111] - Swift pounce the diving birds, - Plunging, scooping, - Ceaselessly clutch their prey: - In the joy of capture - Forgotten sin and forfeit - Of the life hereafter! - Oh if these boiling waters would be still, - Then would the carp rise thick - As goldfinch in a bowl. - Look how the little ayu leap[112] - Playing in the shallow stream. - Hem them in: give them no rest! - Oh strange! - The torches burn still, but their light grows dim; - And I remember suddenly and am sad. - It is the hated moon! - - (_He throws down the torch._) - - The lights of the fishing-boat are quenched; - Homeward on the Way of Darkness[113] - In anguish I depart. - - (_He leaves the stage._) - - -PRIEST (_sings his "machi-utai" or waiting-song, while the actor who -has taken the part of the_ FISHER _changes into the mask and costume of -the_ KING OF HELL.) - - I dip my hand in the shallows, - I gather pebbles in the stream. - I write Scripture upon them, - Upon each stone a letter of the Holy Law. - Now I cast them back into the waves and their drowned spell - Shall raise from its abyss a foundered soul. - - (_Enter_ YAMA, KING OF HELL; _he remains on the hashigakari_.) - - -YAMA. - - Hell is not far away: - All that your eyes look out on in the world - Is the Fiend's home. - -I am come to proclaim that the sins of this man, who from the days of -his boyhood long ago has fished in rivers and streams, were grown so -many that they filled the pages of the Iron Book;[114] while on the -Golden Leaves there was not a mark to his name. And he was like to have -been thrown down into the Deepest Pit; but now, because he once gave -lodging to a priest, I am commanded to carry him quickly to Buddha's -Place. - - The Demon's rage is stilled, - The fisher's boat is changed - To the ship of Buddha's vow,[115] - Lifeboat of the Lotus Law.[116] - -FOOTNOTES: - -[110] Or, according to another reading, "tales of Hell." - -[111] The Fisher holds up his torch and looks down as though peering -into the water. - -[112] I have omitted the line "Though this be not the river of -Tamashima," a reference to the Empress Jingo, who caught an _ayu_ at -Tamashima when on her way to fight the Coreans. - -[113] A name for Hades. - -[114] Good deeds were recorded in a golden book, evil deeds in an iron -one. - -[115] He vowed that he would come as a ship to those drowning in the -Sea of Delusion. - -[116] Here follow the twelve concluding lines, too full of Buddhist -technicalities to interest a general reader. - - - - -AYA NO TSUZUMI - -(THE DAMASK DRUM) - -ATTRIBUTED TO SEAMI, BUT PERHAPS EARLIER. - - -PERSONS - - _A COURTIER._ - _AN OLD GARDENER._ - _THE PRINCESS._ - - -COURTIER. - -I am a courtier at the Palace of Kinomaru in the country of Chikuzen. -You must know that in this place there is a famous pond called the -Laurel Pond, where the royal ones often take their walks; so it -happened that one day the old man who sweeps the garden here caught -sight of the Princess. And from that time he has loved her with a love -that gives his heart no rest. - -Some one told her of this, and she said, "Love's equal realm knows no -divisions,"[117] and in her pity she said, "By that pond there stands a -laurel-tree, and on its branches there hangs a drum. Let him beat the -drum, and if the sound is heard in the Palace, he shall see my face -again." - -I must tell him of this. - -Listen, old Gardener! The worshipful lady has heard of your love and -sends you this message: "Go and beat the drum that hangs on the tree -by the pond, and if the sound is heard in the Palace, you shall see my -face again." Go quickly now and beat the drum! - - -GARDENER. - -With trembling I receive her words. I will go and beat the drum. - - -COURTIER. - -Look, here is the drum she spoke of. Make haste and beat it! - - (_He leaves the_ GARDENER _standing by the tree and seats himself - at the foot of the "Waki's pillar."_) - - -GARDENER. - -They talk of the moon-tree, the laurel that grows in the Garden of the -Moon.... But for me there is but one true tree, this laurel by the -lake. Oh, may the drum that hangs on its branches give forth a mighty -note, a music to bind up my bursting heart. - - Listen! the evening bell to help me chimes; - But then tolls in - A heavy tale of day linked on to day, - - -CHORUS (_speaking for the_ GARDENER). - - And hope stretched out from dusk to dusk. - But now, a watchman of the hours, I beat - The longed-for stroke. - - -GARDENER. - - I was old, I shunned the daylight, - I was gaunt as an aged crane; - And upon all that misery - Suddenly a sorrow was heaped, - The new sorrow of love. - The days had left their marks, - Coming and coming, like waves that beat on a sandy shore ... - - -CHORUS. - - Oh, with a thunder of white waves - The echo of the drum shall roll. - - -GARDENER. - - The after-world draws near me, - Yet even now I wake not - From this autumn of love that closes - In sadness the sequence of my years. - - -CHORUS. - - And slow as the autumn dew - Tears gather in my eyes, to fall - Scattered like dewdrops from a shaken flower - On my coarse-woven dress. - See here the marks, imprint of tangled love, - That all the world will read. - - -GARDENER. - -I said "I will forget," - - -CHORUS. - - And got worse torment so - Than by remembrance. But all in this world - Is as the horse of the aged man of the land of Sai;[118] - And as a white colt flashes - Past a gap in the hedge, even so our days pass.[119] - And though the time be come, - Yet can none know the road that he at last must tread, - Goal of his dewdrop-life. - All this I knew; yet knowing, - Was blind with folly. - - -GARDENER. - -"Wake, wake," he cries,-- - - -CHORUS. - - The watchman of the hours,-- - "Wake from the sleep of dawn!" - And batters on the drum. - For if its sound be heard, soon shall he see - Her face, the damask of her dress ... - Aye, damask! He does not know - That on a damask drum he beats, - Beats with all the strength of his hands, his aged hands, - But hears no sound. - "Am I grown deaf?" he cries, and listens, listens: - Rain on the windows, lapping of waves on the pool-- - Both these he hears, and silent only - The drum, strange damask drum. - Oh, will it never sound? - I thought to beat the sorrow from my heart, - Wake music in a damask drum; an echo of love - From the voiceless fabric of pride! - - -GARDENER. - - Longed for as the moon that hides - In the obstinate clouds of a rainy night - Is the sound of the watchman's drum, - To roll the darkness from my heart. - - -CHORUS. - - I beat the drum. The days pass and the hours. - It was yesterday, and it is to-day. - - -GARDENER. - -But she for whom I wait - - -CHORUS. - -Comes not even in dream. At dawn and dusk - - -GARDENER. - -No drum sounds. - - -CHORUS. - - She has not come. Is it not sung that those - Whom love has joined - Not even the God of Thunder can divide? - Of lovers, I alone - Am guideless, comfortless. - Then weary of himself and calling her to witness of his woe, - "Why should I endure," he cried, - "Such life as this?" and in the waters of the pond - He cast himself and died. - - (GARDENER _leaves the stage_.) - - _Enter the_ PRINCESS. - - -COURTIER. - -I would speak with you, madam. - -The drum made no sound, and the aged Gardener in despair has flung -himself into the pond by the laurel tree, and died. The soul of such a -one may cling to you and do you injury. Go out and look upon him - - -PRINCESS (_speaking wildly, already possessed by the_ GARDENER'S _angry -ghost, which speaks through her_).[120] - - Listen, people, listen! - In the noise of the beating waves - I hear the rolling of a drum. - Oh, joyful sound, oh joyful! - The music of a drum. - - -COURTIER. - - Strange, strange! - This lady speaks as one - By phantasy possessed. - What is amiss, what ails her? - - -PRINCESS. - - Truly, by phantasy I am possessed. - Can a damask drum give sound? - When I bade him beat what could not ring, - Then tottered first my wits. - - -COURTIER. - - She spoke, and on the face of the evening pool - A wave stirred. - - -PRINCESS. - -And out of the wave - -COURTIER. - -A voice spoke. - - (_The voice of the_ GARDENER _is heard; as he gradually advances - along the hashigakari it is seen that he wears a "demon mask," - leans on a staff and carries the "demon mallet" at his girdle_.) - - -GARDENER'S GHOST. - -I was driftwood in the pool, but the waves of bitterness - - -CHORUS. - -Have washed me back to the shore. - - -GHOST. - - Anger clings to my heart, - Clings even now when neither wrath nor weeping - Are aught but folly. - - -CHORUS. - - One thought consumes me, - The anger of lust denied - Covers me like darkness. - I am become a demon dwelling - In the hell of my dark thoughts, - Storm-cloud of my desires. - - -GHOST. - - "Though the waters parch in the fields - Though the brooks run dry, - Never shall the place be shown - Of the spring that feeds my heart."[121] - So I had resolved. Oh, why so cruelly - Set they me to win - Voice from a voiceless drum, - Spending my heart in vain? - And I spent my heart on the glimpse of a moon that slipped - Through the boughs of an autumn tree.[122] - - -CHORUS. - -This damask drum that hangs on the laurel-tree - - -GHOST. - -Will it sound, will it sound? - - (_He seizes the_ PRINCESS _and drags her towards the drum_.) - -Try! Strike it! - - -CHORUS. - - "Strike!" he cries; - "The quick beat, the battle-charge! - Loud, loud! Strike, strike," he rails, - And brandishing his demon-stick - Gives her no rest. - "Oh woe!" the lady weeps, - "No sound, no sound. Oh misery!" she wails. - And he, at the mallet stroke, "Repent, repent!" - Such torments in the world of night - Aborasetsu, chief of demons, wields, - Who on the Wheel of Fire - Sears sinful flesh and shatters bones to dust. - Not less her torture now! - "Oh, agony!" she cries, "What have I done, - By what dire seed this harvest sown?" - - -GHOST. - -Clear stands the cause before you. - - -CHORUS. - - Clear stands the cause before my eyes; - I know it now. - By the pool's white waters, upon the laurel's bough - The drum was hung. - He did not know his hour, but struck and struck - Till all the will had ebbed from his heart's core; - Then leapt into the lake and died. - And while his body rocked - Like driftwood on the waves, - His soul, an angry ghost, - Possessed the lady's wits, haunted her heart with woe. - The mallet lashed, as these waves lash the shore, - Lash on the ice of the eastern shore. - The wind passes; the rain falls - On the Red Lotus, the Lesser and the Greater.[123] - The hair stands up on my head. - "The fish that leaps the falls - To a fell snake is turned,"[124] - - In the Kwanze School this play is replaced by another called _The - Burden of Love_, also attributed to Seami, who writes (_Works_, p. - 166): "_The Burden of Love_ was formerly _The Damask Drum_." The - task set in the later play is the carrying of a burden a thousand - times round the garden. The Gardener seizes the burden joyfully and - begins to run with it, but it grows heavier and heavier, till he - sinks crushed to death beneath it. - - I have learned to know them; - Such, such are the demons of the World of Night. - "O hateful lady, hateful!" he cried, and sank again - Into the whirlpool of desire. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[117] A twelfth-century folk-song (_Ryojin Hissho_, p. 126), speaks of -"The Way of Love which knows no castes of 'high' and 'low.'" - -[118] A story from _Huai-nan Tzu_. What looks like disaster turns out -to be good fortune and _vice versa_. The horse broke away and was lost. -A revolution occurred during which the Government seized all horses. -When the revolution was over the man of Sai's horse was rediscovered. -If he had not lost it the Government would have taken it. - -[119] This simile, which passed into a proverb in China and Japan, -occurs first in _Chuang Tzu_, chap. xxii. - -[120] Compare the "possession" in _Sotoba Komachi_. - -[121] Adapted from a poem in the _Gosenshu_. - -[122] Adapted from a poem in the _Kokinshu_. - -[123] The names of two of the Cold Hells in the Buddhist Inferno. - -[124] There is a legend that the fish who succeed in leaping a certain -waterfall turn into dragons. So the Gardener's attempt to raise himself -to the level of the Princess has changed him into an evil demon. - - - - -NOTE ON AOI NO UYE. - - -At the age of twelve Prince Genji went through the ceremony of marriage -with Aoi no Uye (Princess Hollyhock), the Prime Minister's daughter. -She continued to live at her father's house and Genji at his palace. -When he was about sixteen he fell in love with Princess Rokujo, the -widow of the Emperor's brother; she was about eight years older than -himself. He was not long faithful to her. The lady Yugao next engaged -his affections. He carried her one night to a deserted mansion on the -outskirts of the City. "The night was far advanced and they had both -fallen asleep. Suddenly the figure of a woman appeared at the bedside. -"I have found you!" it cried. "What stranger is this that lies beside -you? What treachery is this that you flaunt before my eyes?" And with -these words the apparition stooped over the bed, and made as though to -drag away the sleeping girl from Genji's side."[125] - -Before dawn Yugao was dead, stricken by the "living phantom" of Rokujo, -embodiment of her baleful jealousy. - -Soon after this, Genji became reconciled with his wife Aoi, but -continued to visit Rokujo. One day, at the Kamo Festival, Aoi's way -was blocked by another carriage. She ordered her attendants to drag -it aside. A scuffle ensued between her servants and those of Rokujo -(for she was the occupant of the second carriage) in which Aoi's side -prevailed. Rokujo's carriage was broken and Aoi's pushed into the front -place. After the festival was over Aoi returned to the Prime Minister's -house in high spirits. - -Soon afterwards she fell ill, and it is at this point that the play -begins. - -There is nothing obscure or ambiguous in the situation. Fenollosa -seems to have misunderstood the play and read into it complications -and confusions which do not exist. He also changes the sex of the -Witch, though the Japanese word, _miko_, always has a feminine meaning. -The "Romance of Genji" (_Genji Monogatari_) was written by Lady -Murasaki Shikibu and was finished in the year 1004 A. D. Of -its fifty-four chapters only seventeen have been translated.[126] It -furnished the plots of many No plays, of which _Suma Genji_ (Genji's -exile at Suma), _No no Miya_ (his visit to Rokujo after she became a -nun), _Tamakatsura_ (the story of Yugao's daughter), and _Hajitomi_ (in -which Yugao's ghost appears) are the best known. - -There is some doubt about the authorship of the play. Seami saw it -acted as a Dengaku by his father's contemporary Inuo. He describes -Inuo's entry on to the stage in the rle of Rokujo and quotes the -first six lines of her opening speech. These lines correspond exactly -with the modern text, and it is probable that the play existed in -something like its present form in the middle of the fourteenth -century. Kwanze Nagatoshi, the great-grandson of Seami, includes it in -a list of Seami's works; while popular tradition ascribes it to Seami's -son-in-law Zenchiku. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[125] _Genji Monogatari_ (Romance of Genji), chap, iii., Hakubunkwan -Edition, p. 87. - -[126] By Baron Suyematsu in 1881. - - - - -AOI NO UYE - -(PRINCESS HOLLYHOCK) - -REVISED BY ZENCHIKU UJINOBU (1414-1499?) - - -PERSONS - - _COURTIER._ - _WITCH._ - _PRINCESS ROKUJO._ - _THE SAINT OF YOKAWA._ - _MESSENGER._ - _CHORUS._ - - (_A folded cloak laid in front of the stage symbolizes the sick-bed - of Aoi._) - - -COURTIER. - -I am a courtier in the service of the Emperor Shujaku. You must know -that the Prime Minister's daughter, Princess Aoi, has fallen sick. We -have sent for abbots and high-priests of the Greater School and of the -Secret School, but they could not cure her. - -And now, here at my side, stands the witch of Teruhi,[127] a famous -diviner with the bow-string. My lord has been told that by twanging her -bow-string she can make visible an evil spirit and tell if it be the -spirit of a living man or a dead. So he bade me send for her and let -her pluck her string. (_Turning to the_ WITCH, _who has been waiting -motionless_.) Come, sorceress, we are ready! - - -WITCH (_comes forward beating a little drum and reciting a mystic -formula_). - - _Ten shojo; chi shojo. - Naige shojo; rokon shojo._ - Pure above; pure below. - Pure without; pure within. - Pure in eyes, ears, heart and tongue. - - (_She plucks her bow-string, reciting the spell._) - - You whom I call - Hold loose the reins - On your grey colt's neck - As you gallop to me - Over the long sands! - - (_The living phantasm of_ ROKUJO _appears at the back of the - stage_.) - - -ROKUJO. - - In the Three Coaches - That travel on the Road of Law - I drove out of the Burning House ...[128] - Is there no way to banish the broken coach - That stands at Yugao's door?[129] - - This world - Is like the wheels of the little ox-cart; - Round and round they go ... till vengeance comes. - The Wheel of Life turns like the wheel of a coach; - There is no escape from the Six Paths and Four Births. - We are brittle as the leaves of the _basho_; - As fleeting as foam upon the sea. - Yesterday's flower, to-day's dream. - From such a dream were it not wiser to wake? - And when to this is added another's scorn - How can the heart have rest? - So when I heard the twanging of your bow - For a little while, I thought, I will take my pleasure; - And as an angry ghost appeared. - Oh! I am ashamed! - - (_She veils her face._) - - This time too I have come secretly[130] - In a closed coach. - Though I sat till dawn and watched the moon, - Till dawn and watched, - How could I show myself, - That am no more than the mists that tremble over the fields? - I am come, I am come to the notch of your bow - To tell my sorrow. - Whence came the noise of the bow-string? - - -WITCH. - -Though she should stand at the wife-door of the mother-house of the -square court ...[131] - - -ROKUJO. - -Yet would none come to me, that am not in the flesh.[132] - - -WITCH. - -How strange! I see a fine lady whom I do not know riding in a broken -coach. She clutches at the shafts of another coach from which the oxen -have been unyoked. And in the second coach sits one who seems a new -wife.[133] The lady of the broken coach is weeping, weeping. It is a -piteous sight. - -Can this be she? - - -COURTIER. - -It would not be hard to guess who such a one might be. Come, spirit, -tell us your name! - - -ROKUJO. - - In this Saha World[134] where days fly like the lightning's flash - None is worth hating and none worth pitying. - This I knew. Oh when did folly master me? - -You would know who I am that have come drawn by the twanging of your -bow? I am the angry ghost of Rokujo, Lady of the Chamber. - - Long ago I lived in the world. - I sat at flower-feasts among the clouds.[135] - On spring mornings I rode out - In royal retinue and on autumn nights - Among the red leaves of the Rishis' Cave - I sported with moonbeams, - With colours and perfumes - My senses sated. - I had splendour then; - But now I wither like the Morning Glory - Whose span endures not from dawn to midday. - I have come to clear my hate. - - (_She then quotes the Buddhist saying, "Our sorrows in this - world are not caused by others; for even when others wrong us - we are suffering the retribution of our own deeds in a previous - existence."_ - - _But while singing these words she turns towards_ AOI'S _bed; - passion again seizes her and she cries_:) - - I am full of hatred. - I must strike; I must strike. - - (_She creeps towards the bed._) - - -WITCH. - -You, Lady Rokujo, you a Lady of the Chamber! Would you lay wait and -strike as peasant women do?[136] How can this be? Think and forbear! - - -ROKUJO. - -Say what you will, I must strike. I must strike now. (_Describing her -own action._) "And as she said this, she went over to the pillow and -struck at it." (_She strikes at the head of the bed with her fan._) - - -WITCH. - -She is going to strike again. (_To_ ROKUJO.) You shall pay for this! - - -ROKUJO. - -And this hate too is payment for past hate. - - -WITCH. - -"The flame of anger - - -ROKUJO. - -Consumes itself only."[137] - - -WITCH. - -Did you not know? - - -ROKUJO. - -Know it then now. - - -CHORUS. - - O Hate, Hate! - Her[138] hate so deep that on her bed - Our lady[139] moans. - Yet, should she live in the world again,[140] - He would call her to him, her Lord - The Shining One, whose light - Is brighter than fire-fly hovering - Over the slime of an inky pool. - - -ROKUJO. - - But for me - There is no way back to what I was, - No more than to the heart of a bramble-thicket. - The dew that dries on the bramble-leaf - Comes back again; - But love (and this is worst) - That not even in dream returns,-- - That is grown to be an old tale,-- - Now, even now waxes, - So that standing at the bright mirror - I tremble and am ashamed. - -I am come to my broken coach. (_She throws down her fan and begins to -slip off her embroidered robe._) I will hide you in it and carry you -away! - - (_She stands right over the bed, then turns away and at the back of - the stage throws off her robe, which is held by two attendants in - such a way that she cannot be seen. She changes her "deigan" mask - for a female demon's mask and now carries a mallet in her hand._) - - (_Meanwhile the_ COURTIER, _who has been standing near the bed_:) - - -COURTIER. - -Come quickly, some one! Princess Aoi is worse. Every minute she is -worse. Go and fetch the Little Saint of Yokawa.[141] - - -MESSENGER. - -I tremble and obey. - - (_He goes to the wing and speaks to some one off the stage._) - -May I come in? - - -SAINT (_speaking from the wing_). - -Who is it that seeks admittance to a room washed by the moonlight -of the Three Mysteries, sprinkled with the holy water of Yoga? Who -would draw near to a couch of the Ten Vehicles, a window of the Eight -Perceptions? - - -MESSENGER. - -I am come from the Court. Princess Aoi is ill. They would have you come -to her. - - -SAINT. - -It happens that at this time I am practising particular austerities and -go nowhere abroad. But if you are a messenger from the Court, I will -follow you. - - (_He comes on the stage._) - - -COURTIER. - -We thank you for coming. - - -SAINT. - -I wait upon you. Where is the sick person? - - -COURTIER. - -On the bed here. - - -SAINT. - -Then I will begin my incantations at once. - - -COURTIER. - -Pray do so. - - -SAINT. - - He said: "I will say my incantations." - Following in the steps of En no Gyoja,[142] - Clad in skirts that have trailed the Peak of the Two Spheres,[143] - That have brushed the dew of the Seven Precious Trees, - Clad in the cope of endurance - That shields from the world's defilement, - "Sarari, sarari," with such sound - I shake the red wooden beads of my rosary - And say the first spell: - _Namaku Samanda Basarada - Namaku Samanda Basarada_.[144] - - -ROKUJO (_during the incantation she has cowered at the back of the -stage wrapped in her Chinese robe, which she has picked up again._) - -Go back, Gyoja, go back to your home; do not stay and be vanquished! - - -SAINT. - -Be you what demon you will, do not hope to overcome the Gyoja's subtle -power. I will pray again. - -(_He shakes his rosary whilst the_ CHORUS, _speaking for him, invokes -the first of the Five Kings_.) - - -CHORUS. - -In the east Go Sanze, Subduer of the Three Worlds. - - -ROKUJO (_counter-invoking_). - -In the south Gundari Yasha. - - -CHORUS. - -In the west Dai-itoku. - - -ROKUJO. - -In the north Kongo - - -CHORUS. - -Yasha, the Diamond King. - - -ROKUJO. - -In the centre the Great Holy - - -CHORUS. - - Fudo Immutable. - _Namaku Samanda Basarada - Senda Makaroshana - Sohataya Untaratakarman._ - "They that hear my name shall get Great Enlightenment; - They that see my body shall attain to Buddhahood."[145] - - -ROKUJO (_suddenly dropping her mallet and pressing her hands to her -ears._) - -The voice of the Hannya Book! I am afraid. Never again will I come as -an angry ghost. - - -GHOST. - - When she heard the sound of Scripture - The demon's raging heart was stilled; - Shapes of Pity and Sufferance, - The Bodhisats descend. - Her soul casts off its bonds, - She walks in Buddha's Way. - - -[Illustration: DEMON MASK] - -FOOTNOTES: - -[127] A _miko_ or witch called Teruhi is the subject of the play _Sanja -Takusen_. - -[128] Rokujo has left the "Burning House," i. e. her material body. -The "Three Coaches" are those of the famous "Burning House" parable -in the _Hokkekyo_. Some children were in a burning house. Intent on -their play, they could not be induced to leave the building; till their -father lured them out by the promise that they would find those little -toy coaches awaiting them. So Buddha, by partial truth, lures men from -the "burning house" of their material lives. Owing to the episode at -the Kamo Festival, Rokujo is obsessed by the idea of "carriages," -"wheels" and the like. - -[129] One day Rokujo saw a coach from which all badges and distinctive -decorations had been purposely stripped (hence, in a sense, a "broken -coach") standing before Yugao's door. She found out that it was -Genji's. For Yugao, see p. 142. - -[130] Rokujo went secretly to the Kamo Festival in a closed carriage. - -[131] Words from an old dance-song or "_saibara_." - -[132] "That am a ghost," but also "that have lost my beauty." - -[133] Alluding to Aoi's pregnancy. - -[134] A Sanskrit name for the "world of appearances." - -[135] I. e. at the Palace. - -[136] It was the custom for wives who had been put away to ambush the -new wife and strike her "to clear their hate." - -[137] From the Sutralankra Shastra (Cat. No. 1182). - -[138] Rokujo's. - -[139] Aoi. - -[140] I. e. recover. - -[141] The hero of the "Finding of Ukifune," a later episode in the -_Genji Monogatari_. - -[142] Founder of the sect of the ascetics called Yamabushi Mountaineers. - -[143] Mount Omine, near Yoshino, ritual ascents of which were made by -Yamabushi. - -[144] Known as the Lesser Spell of Fudo. The longer one which follows -is the Middle Spell. They consist of corrupt Sanskrit mixed with -meaningless magic syllables. - -[145] From the Buddhist Sutra known in Japan as the Hannya Kyo. It was -supposed to have a particular influence over female demons, who are -also called "Hannyas." - - - - -CHAPTER V - -KANTAN - -THE HOKA PRIESTS - -HAGOROMO - - - - -NOTE ON KANTAN. - - -A young man, going into the world to make his fortune, stops at an inn -on the road and there meets with a sage, who lends him a pillow. While -the inn-servant is heating up the millet, the young man dozes on the -pillow and dreams that he enters public life, is promoted, degraded, -recalled to office, endures the hardship of distant campaigns, is -accused of treason, condemned to death, saved at the last moment and -finally dies at a great old age. Awaking from his dream, the young man -discovers that the millet is not yet cooked. In a moment's sleep he has -lived through the vicissitudes of a long public career. Convinced that -in the great world "honour is soon followed by disgrace, and promotion -by calumny," he turns back again towards the village from which he came. - -Such, in outline, is the most usual version of the story of Rosei's -dream at Kantan. The earliest form in which we know it is the "Pillow -Tale" of the Chinese writer Li Pi, who lived from 722 to 789 A. -D. - -It is interesting to see how Seami deals with a subject which seems -at first sight so impossible to shape into a No play. The "sage" is -eliminated, and in the dream Rosei immediately becomes Emperor of -Central China. This affords an excuse for the Court dances which form -the central "ballet" of the piece. In the second half, as in _Hagoromo_ -and other plays, the words are merely an accompaniment to the dancing. - -Chamberlain's version loses by the fact that it is made from the -ordinary printed text which omits the prologue and all the speeches of -the hostess. - -The play is usually attributed to Seami, but it is not mentioned in his -_Works_, nor in the list of plays by him drawn up by his great-grandson -in 1524. - -It is discussed at considerable length in the _Later Kwadensho_, -which was printed _c._ 1600. The writer of that book must therefore -have regarded the play as a work of Seami's period. It should be -mentioned that the geography of the play is absurd. Though both his -starting-point and goal lie in the south-western province of Ssechuan, -he passes through Hantan,[146] which lay in the northern province of -Chih-li. - -FOOTNOTE: - -[146] In Japanese, Kantan. - - - - -KANTAN - - -PERSONS - - _HOSTESS._ - _ROSEI._ - _ENVOY._ - _TWO LITTER BEARERS._ - _BOY DANCER._ - _TWO COURTIERS._ - _CHORUS._ - - -HOSTESS - -I who now stand before you am a woman of the village of Kantan in -China. A long while ago I gave lodging to one who practised the arts -of wizardry; and as payment he left here a famous pillow, called the -Pillow of Kantan. He who sleeps on this pillow sees in a moment's dream -the past or future spread out before him, and so awakes illumined. If -it should chance that any worshipful travellers arrive to-day, pray -send for me. - - (_She takes the pillow and lays it on the covered "das" which - represents at first the bed and afterwards the palace._) - - -ROSEI (_enters_). - - Lost on the journey of life, shall I learn at last - That I trod but a path of dreams? - -My name is Rosei, and I have come from the land of Shoku. Though born -to man's estate, I have not sought Buddha's way, but have drifted from -dusk to dawn and dawn to dusk. - -They tell me that on the Hill of the Flying Sheep in the land of -So[147] there lives a mighty sage; and now I am hastening to visit him -that he may tell by what rule I should conduct my life. - - (_Song of Travel._) - - Deep hid behind the alleys of the sky - Lie the far lands where I was wont to dwell. - Over the hills I trail - A tattered cloak; over the hills again: - Fen-dusk and mountain-dusk and village-dusk - Closed many times about me, till to-day - At the village of Kantan, - Strange to me save in name, my journey ends. - -I have travelled so fast that I am already come to the village of -Kantan. Though the sun is still high, I will lodge here to-night. -(_Knocking._) May I come in? - - -HOSTESS. - -Who is it? - - -ROSEI. - -I am a traveller; pray give me lodging for the night. - - -HOSTESS. - -Yes, I can give you lodging; pray come this way.... You seem to be -travelling all alone. Tell me where you have come from and where you -are going. - - -ROSEI. - -I come from the land of Shoku. They tell me that on the Hill of the -Flying Sheep there lives a sage; and I am visiting him that he may tell -me by what rule I should conduct my life. - - -HOSTESS. - -It is a long way to the Hill of the Flying Sheep. Listen! A wizard -once lodged here and gave us a marvellous pillow called the Pillow of -Kantan: he who sleeps on it sees all his future in a moment's dream. - - -ROSEI. - -Where is this pillow? - - -HOSTESS. - -It is on the bed. - - -ROSEI. - -I will go and sleep upon it. - - -HOSTESS. - -And I meanwhile will heat you some millet at the fire. - - -ROSEI (_going to the bed_). - -So this is the pillow, the Pillow of Kantan that I have heard such -strange tales of? Heaven has guided me to it, that I who came out to -learn the secret of life may taste the world in a dream. - - As one whose course swift summer-rain has stayed, - Unthrifty of the noon he turned aside - To seek a wayside dream; - Upon the borrowed Pillow of Kantan - He laid his head and slept. - -(_While_ ROSEI _is still chanting these words, the_ ENVOY _enters, -followed by two_ ATTENDANTS _who carry a litter. The_ ENVOY _raps on -the post of the bed_.) - - -ENVOY. - -Rosei, Rosei! I must speak with you. - - (ROSEI, _who has been lying with his fan over his face, rises when - the_ ENVOY _begins to speak_.) - - -ROSEI. - -But who are you? - - -ENVOY. - -I am come as a messenger to tell you that the Emperor of the Land of -So[148] resigns his throne and commands that Rosei shall reign in his -stead. - - -ROSEI. - -Unthinkable! I a king? But for what reason am I assigned this task? - - -ENVOY. - -I cannot venture to determine. Doubtless there were found in your -Majesty's countenance auspicious tokens, signs that you must rule the -land. Let us lose no time; pray deign to enter this palanquin. - - -ROSEI (_looking at the palanquin in astonishment_). - - What thing is this? - A litter spangled with a dew of shining stones? - I am not wont to ride. Such splendour! Oh, little thought I - When first my weary feet trod unfamiliar roads - In kingly state to be borne to my journey's end. - Is it to Heaven I ride? - - -CHORUS. - - In jewelled palanquin - On the Way of Wisdom you are borne; here shall you learn - That the flower of glory fades like a moment's dream. - See, you are become a cloud-man of the sky.[149] - The palaces of ancient kings - Rise up before you, Abo's Hall, the Dragon's Tower;[150] - High over the tall clouds their moonlit gables gleam. - The light wells and wells like a rising tide.[151] - Oh splendid vision! A courtyard strewn - With golden and silver sand; - And they that at the four sides - Pass through the jewelled door are canopied - With a crown of woven light. - In the Cities of Heaven, in the home of Gods, I had thought, - Shine such still beams on walls of stone; - Never on palace reared by hands of men. - Treasures, a thousand kinds, ten thousand kinds, - Tribute to tribute joined, a myriad vassal-kings - Cast down before the Throne. - Flags of a thousand lords, ten thousand lords - Shine many-coloured in the sky, - And the noise of their wind-flapping - Rolls round the echoing earth. - - -ROSEI. - -And in the east - - -CHORUS. - - Over a silver hill of thirty cubits height - A golden sun-wheel rose. - - -ROSEI. - - And in the west - Over a golden hill of thirty cubits height - A silver moon-wheel rose, - To prove his words who sang - "In the Palace of Long Life[152] - The Springs and Autumns cease. - Before the Gate of Endless Youth[153] - The days and months pass slow."[154] - - -COURTIER. - -I would address your Majesty. Your Majesty has reigned for fifty years. -Deign but to drink this drink and you shall live a thousand years. See! -I bring you the nectar and the grail. - - -ROSEI. - -The nectar? - - -COURTIER. - -It is the wine that Immortals drink. - - -ROSEI. - -The grail? - - -COURTIER. - -It is the cup from which they drink. - - -ROSEI. - -The magic wine! A thousand generations shall pass - - -COURTIER. - -Or ever the springtime of your glory fade. - - -ROSEI. - -I bountiful ... - - -COURTIER. - -Your people prosperous. - - -CHORUS. - - For ever and ever - The land secure; - The flower of glory waxing; - The "herb of increase," joy-increasing - Into the cup we pour. - See! from hand to hand it goes. - "I will drink," he cries. - - -ROSEI. - -Go circling, magic cup, - - -CHORUS. - - Circling from hand to hand;[155] - As at the Feast of Floating Cups[156] - Hands thrust from damask sleeves detain - The goblet whirling in the eager stream; - Now launched, now landed![157] - Oh merry flashing light, that shall endure - Long as the Silver Chalice[158] circles space. - - -BOY DANCER. - -The white chrysanthem-dew, - - -CHORUS. - - "The dew of the flowers dripping day by day - In how many thousand years - Will it have grown into a pool?"[159] - It shall not fail, it shall not fail, - The fountain of our Immortality; - He draws, and yet it wells; - He drinks, and to his taste it is as sweet - As the Gods' deathless food. - His heart grows airy; day and night - In unimagined revel, incomparable pride and glory - Eternally shall pass. - - (_End of the_ BOY DANCER'S _dance_. ROSEI, _who has been - watching this dance, now springs up in ecstasy to dance the Gaku or - Court Dance_.) - - -ROSEI. - -The spring-time of my glory fades not ... - - -CHORUS. - - Many times shall you behold - The pale moon of dawn ... - - -ROSEI. - - This is the moon-men's dance; - Cloud-like the feathery sleeves pile up; the song of joy - From dusk to dawn I sing. - - -CHORUS. - - All night we sing. - The sun shines forth again, - Sinks down, and it is night ... - - -ROSEI. - -Nay, dawn has come! - - -CHORUS. - -We thought the morning young, and lo! the moon - - -ROSEI. - -Again is bright. - - -CHORUS. - -Spring scarce has opened her fresh flowers, - - -ROSEI. - -When leaves are crimson-dyed. - - -CHORUS. - -Summer is with us yet; - - -ROSEI. - -Nay, the snow falls. - - -CHORUS (_speaking for_ ROSEI). - - "I watched the seasons pass: - Spring, summer, autumn, winter; a thousand trees, - A thousand flowers were strange and lovely in their pride. - So the time sped, and now - Fifty years of glory have passed by me, - And because they were a dream, - - (_At this point an_ ATTENDANT _brings back the pillow, and places - it in the "palace" which becomes a bed again_.) - - All, all has vanished and I wake - On the pillow where I laid my head, - The Pillow of Kantan." - - (_The_ BOY DANCER _and the two_ COURTIERS _slip out by the - side-door "kirido"_; ROSEI _has mounted the bed and is asleep_.) - - -HOSTESS (_tapping twice with her fan_). - -Listen, traveller! Your millet is ready. Come quickly and eat your -dinner. - - -ROSEI (_rising slowly from the bed_). - -Rosei has woken from his dream ... - - -CHORUS. - - Woken from his dream! The springs and autumns of fifty years - Vanished with all their glory; dazed he rises from the bed. - - -ROSEI. - -Whither are they gone that were so many ... - - -CHORUS. - -"The queens and waiting-ladies? What I thought their voices" - - -ROSEI. - -Were but the whisperings of wind in the trees. - - -CHORUS. - -The palaces and towers - - -ROSEI. - -Were but the baiting-house of Kantan. - - -CHORUS. - -The time of my glory, - - -ROSEI. - -Those fifty years, - - -CHORUS. - -Were but the space of a dream, - - -ROSEI. - -Dreamed while a bowl of millet cooked! - - -CHORUS. - -It is the Inscrutable, the Mystery. - - -ROSEI. - - Yet when I well consider - Man's life in the world of men ... - - -CHORUS. - - Then shall you find that a hundred years of gladness - Fade as a dream when Death their sequence closes. - Thus too has ended - This monarch's fifty years of state. - Ambition, length of days, - Revels and kingly rule, - All, all has ended thus, all was a dream - Dreamed while the millet cooked. - - -ROSEI. - - Glory be to the Trinity,[160] - Glory to the Trinity! - - -CHORUS. - - Seek you a sage to loose - The bonds that bound you to life's woes? - This pillow is the oracle you sought. - Now shall the wayfarer, content to learn - What here he learnt, that Life is but a dream, - Turn homeward from the village of Kantan. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[147] Corresponds to the modern province Hupeh. - -[148] So, Chinese "Ch'u," was formerly an independent feudal State. The -name means "thorn," as does the Japanese "ibara." Chamberlain calls it -"The Country of Ibara," but in this case the reading "So" is indicated -by both Owada and Haga. - -[149] Kings and princes are often called "thou above the clouds." - -[150] Palaces of the First Emperor. An attendant has removed the pillow -from the "bed." From this moment the bed becomes a magnificent palace, -as described in the verses which follow. - -[151] At this point the Boy Dancer enters. - -[152] Name of a famous Chinese palace. - -[153] Famous Gate in the palace of the T'ang Emperors. - -[154] These lines are from a poem by Yasutane, d. 997 A. D. -(Chamberlain attributes them to Po Ch-i.) - -[155] Here the Boy Dancer begins to dance the Dream-dance. - -[156] On the third day of the third month people floated cups in the -stream. Each person as the cup passed in front of him, had to compose a -poem and drink the contents of the cup. - -[157] These words also describe the dancer's movements. - -[158] The Moon. - -[159] See Waley, _Japanese Poetry_, p. 77. - -[160] I. e. Buddha, the Law and the Priesthood. A pious exclamation of -astonishment like the Spanish "Jes, Maria Jos!" - - - - -THE HOKA PRIESTS - -(HOKAZO) - -By ZENCHIKU UJINOBU (1414-1499) - - -PERSONS - - _MAKINO._ - _HIS BROTHER._ - _NOBUTOSHI (their father's murderer)._ - _NOBUTOSHI'S SERVANT._ - - -MAKINO. - -My name is Kojiro; I am the son of one Makino no Sayemon who lived in -the land of Shimotsuke. You must know that my father had a quarrel with -Nobutoshi, a man of Sagami, and was done to death by him. So this man -was my father's murderer and I ought to kill him. But he has many bold -fellows to stand by him, while I am all alone. So the days and months -slip by with nothing done. - -A brother indeed I have, but he left home when he was a child, made -himself into a priest, and lives at the seminary near by. - -I am much puzzled how to act. I think I will go across and speak to -my brother of this matter. (_He goes to the curtain at the end of the -hashigakari._) May I come in? - - (_The curtain is raised and the_ BROTHER _appears_.) - - -BROTHER. - -Who is it? - - -MAKINO. - -It is I. - - -BROTHER. - -Come in, brother. What has brought you hither? - - -MAKINO. - -I will tell you. It is this matter of our father's murder that has -brought me. I have been thinking that I ought to kill his enemy, and -would have done so but he has many bold fellows to stand by him and I -am all alone. So the days and months slip by and nothing is done. - -For pity's sake, decide with me what course we must pursue. - - -BROTHER. - -Brother, what you have said is true enough. But have you forgotten that -I left my home when I was but a child and made myself a priest? Since -that is so, I cannot help you. - - -MAKINO. - -So you are pleased to think; but men say he is a bad son who does not -kill his father's foe. - - -BROTHER. - -Can you tell me of any that have ministered to piety by slaying a -parent's foe? - - -MAKINO. - -Why, yes. It was in China, I think. There was one whose mother had been -taken by a savage tiger. "I will take vengeance," he cried, and for a -hundred days he lay ambushed in the fields waiting for the tiger to -come. And once when he was walking on the hillside at dusk, he thought -he saw his enemy, and having an arrow already on his bow-string, he -shot with all his might. It was nothing but a great rock that he had -seen, shaped like a tiger. But his arrow stuck so deep in the stone -that blood gushed out from it. If then the strength of piety is such -that it can drive an arrow deep into the heart of a stone, take -thought, I beseech you, whether you will not resolve to come with me. - - -BROTHER. - -You have cited me a notable instance. I am persuaded to resolve with -you how this thing may be effected. - -Come now, by what strategy may we get access to our foe? - - -MAKINO. - -A plan has suddenly come into my head. You know that these _hoka_ -plays are become the fashion of the day. Why should not I dress up as -a _hoka_ and you as a _hoka_ priest? They say that our man is a great -lover of the Zen doctrine; so you may talk to him of Zen. - - -BROTHER. - - That is indeed a pretty notion; let me lose no time in effecting it. - I am resolved; in a pilgrim guise - I mask my limbs. - - -MAKINO. - - And I, glad-thoughted, - In a minstrel's garb go forth. - - -BROTHER. - -Secretly - - -MAKINO. - -We steal from a home - - -CHORUS. - - "Where fain we would stay, but now - Long as life lasts, - Life fickle as the moon of dawn, - No refuge know we - But the haven of our intent." - - (_The_ BROTHERS _leave the stage. Enter their enemy_ NOBUTOSHI, - _followed by his Servant_.) - - -NOBUTOSHI. - - To the home of gods my footsteps turn - To the Sacred Fence that bars - No suppliant's desire. - -I am called Tone no Nobutoshi. My home is in the land of Sagami. -Because for much time past I have been troubled with evil dreams, I -have resolved to visit the Three Isles of Seto. - - (_Re-enter the Brothers_: MAKINO _with bow and arrow in his hand - and bamboo sprigs stuck in his belt behind; the_ BROTHER _carrying - a long staff to which a round fan is attached_.) - - -BROTHER. - - A fine sight are we now! - From priest and laic way alike removed, - Scarce men in speech or form! - - -MAKINO. - - This antic garb shall hide us from the World - More safe than hermit cell; - All earthly thoughts shut out here might we bide - Cloistered in ease. Oh why, - Why back to the bitter World - Are we borne by our intent? - - -MAKINO and BROTHER. - - The flower that has fallen dreams that Spring is done, - There are white clouds to cover - The green hillside ... - - -MAKINO. - - To match the scarlet - Of the autumn leaves - Red sunlight glitters - On the flowing stream. - - -CHORUS. - - Wind at morning, rain at night; - To-day and to-morrow - Shall be part of long ago. - We who pass through a world - Changeful as the dews of evening, - Uncertain as the skies of Spring, - We that are as foam upon the stream,-- - Can _any_ be our foe? - - -SERVANT (_seeing them and going towards the hashigakari_). - -You're a merry pair of guys! What may your names be? - - -BROTHER. - -Floating Cloud; Running Water. - - -SERVANT. - -And what is your friend's name? - - -MAKINO. - -Floating Cloud; Running Water. - - -SERVANT. - -Have you then but one name between you? - - -BROTHER. - -I am Floating Cloud and he is Running Water. And now, pray, tell us -your master's name. - - -SERVANT. - -Why, he comes from the land of Sagami, and Nobutoshi ... (_here the_ -SERVANT _suddenly remembers that he is being indiscreet and stuffs his -hand into his mouth_) ... is not his name. - - -BROTHER. - -That's no matter. Whoever he is, tell him that we are only two _hoka_ -come to speak with him. - - -SERVANT. - -I will tell him. Do you wait here. - - (_He goes over to_ NOBUTOSHI _and whispers with him, then comes - back to the_ BROTHERS.) - -Come this way. - - (NOBUTOSHI _comes to meet them, covering his face with a fan_.) - - -NOBUTOSHI. - -Listen, gentlemen, I desire an explanation from you. - - -BROTHER. - -What would you know? - - -NOBUTOSHI. - -It is this. They alone can be called priests round whose fingers -is twisted the rosary of Tenfold Power, who are clad in cloak of -Forbearance, round whose shoulders hangs the stole of Penitence. Such -is everywhere the garb of Buddha's priests. I know no other habit. But -you, I see, carry a round fan tied to your pillar-staff. By what verse -do you justify the wearing of a fan? - - -BROTHER. - - "In motion, a wind; - In stillness, a bright moon." - And even as in this one substance - Both wind and moon inhere, - So Thought alone is Truth, and from the mind - Spring all component things. - Such is the sermon of the fan, as a sign we bear it - Of the heart's omnipotence. It is an emblem - Fools only would decry! - - -NOBUTOSHI. - -The fan indeed teaches an agreeable lesson; but one of you carries a -bow and arrow at his side. Are these too reckoned fit gear for men of -your profession? - - -MAKINO. - - The bow? Why, surely! - Are not its two horns fashioned - In likeness of the Hare and Crow, - Symbols of the Moon and Sun, of Night and Day? - Here is the primal mystery displayed - Of fair and foul conjoined.[161] - Bears not the God of Love, unsullied king, - A magical bow? Does he not stretch upon its string - Arrows of grace whereby - The armies of the Four Fiends[162] know no rest - - -CHORUS. - - And thus we two are armed, - For though the bow be not bent nor the arrow loosed, - Yet falls the prey unmasked. - - (MAKINO _draws his bow as though about to shoot; his_ BROTHER - _checks him with his staff_.) - - So says the song. Now speak no more - Of things you know not of. - - -NOBUTOSHI. - -Tell me, pray, from which patriarch do the _hoka_ priests derive their -doctrine? To what sect do you adhere? - - -BROTHER. - -We are of no sect; our doctrine stands apart. It cannot be spoken nor -expounded. To frame it in sentences is to degrade our faith; to set it -down in writing is to be untrue to our Order; but by the bending of a -leaf is the wind's journey known. - - -NOBUTOSHI. - -I thank you; your exposition delights me. Pray tell me now, what is the -meaning of this word "Zen"? - - -MAKINO. - - Within, to sound to their depths the waters of Mystery; - Without, to wander at will through the portals of Concentration. - - -NOBUTOSHI. - -And of the doctrine that Buddha is in the bones of each one of us ...? - - -BROTHER. - -He lurks unseen; like the golden dragon[163] when he leaps behind the -clouds. - - -NOBUTOSHI. - -If we believe that life and death are real ... - - -BROTHER. - -Then are we caught in the wheel of sorrow. - - -NOBUTOSHI. - -But if we deny them ... - - -BROTHER. - -We are listed to a heresy.[164] - - -NOBUTOSHI. - -And the straight path to knowledge ... - - -MAKINO (_rushing forward sword in hand_). - -"With the triple stroke is carved."[165] - -Hold! (_turning to_ NOBUTOSHI _who has recoiled and drawn his sword_.) - - "To carve a way to knowledge by the triple stroke" ... - These are Zen words; he was but quoting a text. - This perturbation does little honour to your wits. - - -CHORUS. - - Thus do men ever - Blurt out or blazen on the cheek - Red as rock-rose[166] the thing they would not speak. - Now by the Trinity, how foolish are men's hearts! - - -SERVANT (_aside_). - -While my masters are fooling, I'll to my folly too. - - (_He slips out by the side door._) - - -BROTHER (_embarking upon a religious discourse in order to allay_ -NOBUTOSHI'S _suspicions_). - - It matters not whether faith and words be great or small, - Whether the law be kept or broken. - - -CHORUS. - - Neither in the "Yea" nor "Nay" is the Truth found; - There is none but may be saved at last. - - -BROTHER. - - Not man alone; the woods and fields - Show happy striving. - - -CHORUS. - - The willow in his green, the peony - In crimson dressed. - - (_The_ BROTHER _here begins his first dance; like that which - follows, it is a "shimai" or dance without instrumental music_.) - - On mornings of green spring - When at the valley's shining gate - First melt the hawthorn-warbler's frozen tears, - Or when by singing foam - Of snow-fed waters echoes the discourse - Of neighbourly frogs;--then speaks - The voice of Buddha's heart. - Autumn, by eyes unseen, - Is heard in the wind's anger; - And the clash of river-reeds, the clamorous descent - Of wild-geese searching - The home-field's face, - Clouds shaped like leaves of rice,--all these - To watchful eyes foretell the evening storm. - He who has seen upon a mountain-side - Stock-still beneath the moon - The young deer stand in longing for his mate, - That man may read the writing, and forget - The finger on the page. - - -BROTHER. - - Even so the fisher's boats that ride - The harbour of the creek, - - -CHORUS. - - Bring back the fish, but leave the net behind. - These things you have heard and seen; - In the wind of the hill-top, in the valley's song, - In the film of night, in the mist of morning - Is it proclaimed that Thought alone - Was, Is and Shall be. - - -BROTHER. - - Conceive this truth and wake! - As a cloud that hides the moon, so Matter veils - - -CHORUS. - -The face of Thought. - - -BROTHER (_begins his second dance, while the_ CHORUS _sings the ballad -used by the "hoka" players_). - -Oh, a pleasant place is the City of Flowers; - - -CHORUS. - - No pen could write its wonders.[167] - In the east, Gion and the Temple of Clear Waters - Where torrents tumble with a noise of many wings; - In the storm-wind flutter, flutter - The blossoms of the Earth-lord's tree.[168] - In the west, the Temple of the Wheel of Law, - The Shrine of Saga (Turn, if thou wilt, - Wheel of the Water Mill!), - Where river-waves dance on the weir - And river-willows by the waves are chafed; - Oxen of the City by the wheels are chafed; - And the tea-mortar by the pestle is chafed. - Why, and I'd forgot! In the _hoka's_ hands - The _kokiriko_[169] is chafed. - Now long may our Lord rule - Age notched on age, like the notches - Of these gnarled sticks! - - -MAKINO and BROTHER. - -Enough! Why longer hide our plot? - - (_They draw their swords and rush upon_ NOBUTOSHI, _who places - his hat upon the ground and slips out at the side-door. The hat - henceforward symbolically represents_ NOBUTOSHI, _an actual - representation of slaughter being thus avoided_.) - - -CHORUS. - - Then the brothers drew their swords and rushed upon him, - The foe of their desire. - - (MAKINO _gets behind the hat, to signify that_ NOBUTOSHI _is - surrounded_.) - - They have scaled the summit of their hate, - The rancour of many months and years. - The way is open to the bourne of their intent. - - (_They strike._) - - They have laid their enemy low. - So when the hour was come - Did these two brothers - By sudden resolution - Destroy their father's foe. - For valour and piety are their names remembered - Even in this aftertime. - -[Illustration: THE ANGEL IN _HAGOROMO_] - -FOOTNOTES: - -[161] The Sun is male, i. e. fair. The Moon female, i. e. foul. - -[162] The demons of Delusion, of the Senses, of the Air and of Death. - -[163] The Sun. - -[164] The heresy of Nihilism. To say that phenomena do not exist is as -untrue as to say that they exist. - -[165] He quotes a Zen text. - -[166] _Iwa_, "rock," also means "not speak." - -[167] Some actors, says Owada, here write in the air with their fan; -but such detailed miming is vulgar. - -[168] An allusion to the cherry-trees at the Kiyomizu-dera. - -[169] Bamboo-strips rubbed together to produce a squeaking sound. - - - - -NOTE ON HAGOROMO. - - -The story of the mortal who stole an angel's cloak and so prevented her -return to heaven is very widely spread. It exists, with variations and -complications, in India, China, Japan, the Liu Chiu Islands and Sweden. -The story of Hasan in the _Arabian Nights_ is an elaboration of the -same theme. - -The No play is said to have been written by Seami, but a version of -it existed long before. The last half consists merely of chants sung -to the dancing. Some of these (e.g. the words to the Suruga Dance) -have no relevance to the play, which is chiefly a framework or excuse -for the dances. It is thus a No of the primitive type, and perhaps -belongs, at any rate in its conception, to an earlier period than such -unified dramas as _Atsumori_ or _Kagekiyo_. The words of the dances in -_Maiguruma_ are just as irrelevant to the play as those of the Suruga -Dance in _Hagoromo_, but there the plot explains and even demands their -intrusion. - -The libretto of the second part lends itself very ill to translation, -but I have thought it best to give the play in full. - - - - -HAGOROMO - -By SEAMI - - -PERSONS - - _HAKURYO (a Fisherman)._ - _ANGEL._ - _ANOTHER FISHERMAN._ - _CHORUS._ - - -FISHERMAN. - - Loud the rowers' cry - Who through the storm-swept paths of Mio Bay - Ride to the rising sea. - - -HAKURYO. - -I am Hakuryo, a fisherman whose home is by the pine-woods of Mio. - - -BOTH. - - "On a thousand leagues of lovely hill clouds suddenly close; - But by one tower the bright moon shines in a clear sky."[170] - A pleasant season, truly: on the pine-wood shore - The countenance of Spring; - Early mist close-clasped to the swell of the sea; - In the plains of the sky a dim, loitering moon. - Sweet sight, to gaze enticing - Eyes even of us earth-cumbered - Low souls, least for attaining - Of high beauty nurtured. - Oh unforgettable! By mountain paths - Down to the sea of Kiyomi I come - And on far woodlands look, - Pine-woods of Mio, thither - Come, thither guide we our course. - Fishers, why put you back your boats to shore, - No fishing done? - - Thought you them rising waves, those billowy clouds - Wind-blown across sea? - Wait, for the time is Spring and in the trees - The early wind his everlasting song - Sings low; and in the bay - Silent in morning calm the little ships, - Ships of a thousand fishers, ride the sea. - - (_The second_ FISHERMAN _retires to a position near the leader of - the_ CHORUS, _and takes no further part in the action_.) - - -HAKURYO. - -Now I have landed at the pine-wood of Mio and am viewing the beauty -of the shore. Suddenly there is music in the sky, a rain of flowers, -unearthly fragrance wafted on all sides. These are no common things; -nor is this beautiful cloak that hangs upon the pine-tree. I come near -to it. It is marvellous in form and fragrance. This surely is no common -dress. I will take it back with me and show it to the people of my -home. It shall be a treasure in my house. - - (_He walks four steps towards the Waki's pillar carrying the - feather robe._) - - -ANGEL (_entering through the curtain at the end of the gallery_). - -Stop! That cloak is mine. Where are you going with it? - - -HAKURYO. - -This is a cloak I found here. I am taking it home. - - -ANGEL. - -It is an angel's robe of feathers, a cloak no mortal man may wear. Put -it back where you found it. - - -HAKURYO. - -How? Is the owner of this cloak an angel of the sky? Why, then, I will -put it in safe keeping. It shall be a treasure in the land, a marvel to -men unborn.[171] I will not give back your cloak. - - -ANGEL. - - Oh pitiful! How shall I cloakless tread - The wing-ways of the air, how climb - The sky, my home? - Oh, give it back, in charity give it back. - - -HAKURYO. - - No charity is in me, and your moan - Makes my heart resolute. - Look, I take your robe, hide it, and will not give it back. - - (_Describing his own actions. Then he walks away._) - - -ANGEL. - - Like a bird without wings, - I would rise, but robeless - - -HAKURYO. - - To the low earth you sink, an angel dwelling - In the dingy world. - - -ANGEL. - - This way, that way. - Despair only. - - -HAKURYO. - -But when she saw he was resolved to keep it ... - - -ANGEL. - -Strength failing. - - -HAKURYO. - -Help none ... - - -CHORUS. - - Then on her coronet, - Jewelled as with the dew of tears, - The bright flowers drooped and faded.[172] - O piteous to see before the eyes, - Fivefold the signs of sickness - Corrupt an angel's form. - - -ANGEL. - - I look into the plains of heaven, - The cloud-ways are hid in mist, - The path is lost. - - -CHORUS. - - Oh, enviable clouds, - At your will wandering - For ever idle in the empty sky - That was my home! - Now fades and fades upon my ear - The voice of Kalavink,[173] - Daily accustomed song. - And you, oh you I envy, - Wild-geese clamorous - Down the sky-paths returning; - And you, O seaward circling, shoreward sweeping - Swift seagulls of the bay: - Even the wind, because in heaven it blows, - The wind of Spring I envy. - - -HAKURYO. - -Listen. Now that I have seen you in your sorrow, I yield and would give -you back your mantle. - - -ANGEL. - -Oh, I am happy! Give it me then! - - -HAKURYO. - -Wait. I have heard tell of the dances that are danced in heaven. Dance -for me now, and I will give back your robe. - - -ANGEL. - - I am happy, happy. Now I shall have wings and mount the sky again. - And for thanksgiving I bequeath - A dance of remembrance to the world, - Fit for the princes of men: - The dance-tune that makes to turn - The towers of the moon, - I will dance it here and as an heirloom leave it - To the sorrowful men of the world. - Give back my mantle, I cannot dance without it. - Say what you will, I must first have back the robe. - - -HAKURYO. - -Not yet, for if I give back your robe, not a step would you dance, but -fly with it straight to the sky. - - -ANGEL. - - No, no. Doubt is for mortals; - In heaven is no deceit. - - -HAKURYO. - -I am ashamed. Look, I give back the robe. - - (_He gives it to her and she takes it in both hands._) - - -ANGEL. - - The heavenly lady puts on her garment, - She dances the dance of the Rainbow Skirt, of the Robe of Feathers. - - -HAKURYO. - -The sky-robe flutters; it yields to the wind. - - -ANGEL. - -Sleeve like a flower wet with rain ... - - -HAKURYO. - -The first dance is over. - - -ANGEL. - -Shall I dance? - - -CHORUS. - - The dance of Suruga, with music of the East? - Thus was it first danced. - - (_The_ ANGEL _dances, while the_ CHORUS _sings the words of the - dance, an ancient Shinto chant_.) - - "Why name we - Wide-stretched and everlasting. - The sky of heaven? - Two gods[174] there came of old - And built, upon ten sides shut in, - A measured world for men; - But without limit arched they - The sky above, and named it - Wide-stretched and everlasting." - - -ANGEL. - - Thus is the Moon-God's palace: - Its walls are fashioned - With an axe of jade. - - -CHORUS. - - In white dress, black dress, - Thrice ten angels - In two ranks divided, - Thrice five for the waning, - Thrice five for nights of the waxing moon, - One heavenly lady on each night of the moon - Does service and fulfils - Her ritual task assigned. - - -ANGEL. - - I too am of their number, - A moon-lady of heaven. - - -CHORUS. - - "Mine is the fruit of the moon-tree,[175] yet came I to the East - incarnate,[176] - Dwelt with the people of Earth, and gave them - A gift of music, song-dance of Suruga. - - Now upon earth trail the long mists of Spring; - Who knows but in the valleys of the moon - The heavenly moon-tree puts her blossom on? - The blossoms of her crown win back their glory: - It is the sign of Spring. - Not heaven is here, but beauty of the wind and sky. - Blow, blow, you wind, and build - Cloud-walls across the sky, lest the vision leave us - Of a maid divine! - This tint of springtime in the woods, - This colour on the headland, - Snow on the mountain,[177] - Moonlight on the clear shore,-- - Which fairest? Nay, each peerless - At the dawn of a Spring day. - Waves lapping, wind in the pine-trees whispering - Along the quiet shore. Say you, what cause - Has Heaven to be estranged - From us Earth-men; are we not children of the Gods, - Within, without the jewelled temple wall,[178] - Born where no cloud dares dim the waiting moon, - Land of Sunrise?" - - -ANGEL. - - May our Lord's life, - Last long as a great rock rubbed - Only by the rare trailing - Of an angel's feather-skirt.[179] - Oh, marvellous music! - The Eastern song joined - To many instruments; - Harp, zither, pan-pipes, flute, - Belly their notes beyond the lonely clouds. - The sunset stained with crimson light - From Mount Sumeru's side;[180] - For green, the islands floating on the sea; - For whiteness whirled - A snow of blossom blasted - By the wild winds, a white cloud - Of sleeves waving. - - (_Concluding the dance, she folds her hands and prays._) - - -NAMU KIMYO GWATTEN-SHI. - - To thee, Monarch of the Moon, - Be glory and praise, - Thou son of Seishi Omnipotent![181] - - -CHORUS. - -This is a dance of the East. - - (_She dances three of the five parts of the dance called "Yo no - Mai," the Prelude Dance._) - - -ANGEL. - -I am robed in sky, in the empty blue of heaven. - - -CHORUS. - -Now she is robed in a garment of mist, of Spring mist. - - -ANGEL. - - Wonderful in perfume and colour, an angel's skirt,--left, right, - left, left, right. - - (_Springing from side to side._) - - The skirt swishes, the flowers nod, the feathery sleeves trail out - and return, the dancing-sleeves. - - (_She dances "Ha no Mai" the Broken Dance._) - - -CHORUS. - - She has danced many dances, - But not yet are they numbered, - The dances of the East. - And now she, whose beauty is as the young moon, - Shines on us in the sky of midnight, - The fifteenth night, - With the beam of perfect fulfilment, - The splendor of Truth. - The vows[182] are fulfilled, and the land we live in - Rich with the Seven Treasures - By this dance rained down on us, - The gift of Heaven. - But, as the hours pass by, - Sky-cloak of feathers fluttering, fluttering, - Over the pine-woods of Mio, - Past the Floating Islands, through the feet of the clouds she flies - Over the mountain of Ashitaka, the high peak of Fuji, - Very faint her form, - Mingled with the mists of heaven; - Now lost to sight. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[170] A Chinese couplet quoted from the _Shih Jen Y Hsieh_ ("Jade-dust -of the Poets"), a Sung Dynasty work on poetry which was popular in -Japan. - -[171] _Masse_ here means, I think, "future generations," not "this -degraded age." - -[172] When an angel is about to die, the flowers of his crown wither, -his feather robe is stained with dust, sweat pours from under the -arm-pits, the eyelids tremble, he is tired of his place in heaven. - -[173] The sacred bird of heaven. - -[174] Izanagi and Izanami. - -[175] The "Katsura" tree, a kind of laurel supposed to grow in the moon. - -[176] Lit. "dividing my body," an expression used of Buddhist -divinities that detach a portion of their godhead and incarnate it in -some visible form. - -[177] Fuji. - -[178] The inner and outer temples at Ise. - -[179] Quoting an ancient prayer for the Mikado. - -[180] Sumeru is the great mountain at the centre of the universe. Its -west side is of rubies, its south side of green stones, its east side -of white stones, etc. - -[181] Called in Sanskrit Mahasthama-prapta, third person of the Trinity -sitting on Amida's right hand. The Moon-God is an emanation of this -deity. - -[182] Of Buddha. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -TANIKO - -IKENIYE - -HATSUYUKI - -HAKU RAKUTEN - - - - -NOTE ON TANIKO AND IKENIYE. - - -Both of these plays deal with the ruthless exactions of religion; in -each the first part lends itself better to translation than the second. -_Taniko_ is still played; but _Ikeniye_, though printed by both Owada -and Haga, has probably not been staged for many centuries. - -The pilgrims of _Taniko_ are _Yamabushi_, "mountaineers," to whom -reference has been made on page 33. They called themselves _Shu-genja_, -"portent-workers," and claimed to be the knight-errants of Buddhism. -But their conduct seems to have differed little from that of the -_Sohei_ (armed monks) who poured down in hordes from Mount Hiyei to -terrorize the inhabitants of the surrounding country. Some one in the -_Genji Monogatari_ is said to have "collected a crowd of evil-looking -Yamabushi, desperate, stick-at-nothing fellows." - -_Ikeniye_, the title of the second play, means "Pool Sacrifice," but -also "Living Sacrifice," i. e. human sacrifice. - - - - -TANIKO - -(THE VALLEY-HURLING) - -PART I - -By ZENCHIKU - - -PERSONS - - _A TEACHER._ - _THE BOY'S MOTHER._ - _PILGRIMS._ - _A YOUNG BOY._ - _LEADER OF THE PILGRIMS._ - _CHORUS._ - - -TEACHER. - -I am a teacher. I keep a school at one of the temples in the City. I -have a pupil whose father is dead; he has only his mother to look after -him. Now I will go and say good-bye to them, for I am soon starting on -a journey to the mountains. (_He knocks at the door of the house._) May -I come in? - - -BOY. - -Who is it? Why, it is the Master who has come out to see us! - - -TEACHER. - -Why is it so long since you came to my classes at the temple? - - -BOY. - -I have not been able to come because my mother has been ill. - - -TEACHER. - -I had no idea of that. Please tell her at once that I am here. - - -BOY (_calling into the house_). - -Mother, the Master is here. - - -MOTHER. - -Ask him to come in. - - -BOY. - -Please come in here. - - -TEACHER. - -It is a long time since I was here. Your son says you have been ill. -Are you better now? - - -MOTHER. - -Do not worry about my illness. It is of no consequence. - - -TEACHER. - -I am glad to hear it. I have come to say good-bye, for I am soon -starting on a ritual mountain-climbing. - - -MOTHER. - -A mountain-climbing? Yes, indeed; I have heard that it is a dangerous -ritual. Shall you take my child with you? - - -TEACHER. - -It is not a journey that a young child could make. - - -MOTHER. - -Well,--I hope you will come back safely. - - -TEACHER. - -I must go now. - - -BOY. - -I have something to say. - - -TEACHER. - -What is it? - - -BOY. - -I will go with you to the mountains. - - -TEACHER. - -No, no. As I said to your mother, we are going on a difficult and -dangerous excursion. You could not possibly come with us. Besides, how -could you leave your mother when she is not well? Stay here. It is in -every way impossible that you should go with us. - - -BOY. - -Because my mother is ill I will go with you to pray for her. - - -TEACHER. - -I must speak to your mother again. (_He goes back into the inner -room._) I have come back,--your son says he is going to come with us. I -told him he could not leave you when you were ill and that it would be -a difficult and dangerous road. I said it was quite impossible for him -to come. But he says he must come to pray for your health. What is to -be done? - - -MOTHER. - -I have listened to your words. I do not doubt what the boy says,--that -he would gladly go with you to the mountains: (_to the_ BOY) but since -the day your father left us I have had none but you at my side. I have -not had you out of mind or sight for as long a time as it takes a -dewdrop to dry! Give back the measure of my love. Let your love keep -you with me. - - -BOY. - -This is all as you say.... Yet nothing shall move me from my purpose. I -must climb this difficult path and pray for your health in this life. - - -CHORUS. - - They saw no plea could move him. - Then master and mother with one voice: - "Alas for such deep piety, - Deep as our heavy sighs." - The mother said, - "I have no strength left; - If indeed it must be, - Go with the Master. - But swiftly, swiftly - Return from danger." - - -BOY. - - Checking his heart which longed for swift return - At dawn towards the hills he dragged his feet.[183] - - * * * * * - - -TEACHER. - -We have climbed so fast that we have already reached the first hut. We -will stay here a little while. - - -LEADER. - -We obey. - - -BOY. - -I have something to say. - - -TEACHER. - -What is it? - - -BOY. - -I do not feel well. - - -TEACHER. - -Stay! Such things may not be said by those who travel on errands like -ours. Perhaps you are tired because you are not used to climbing. Lie -there and rest. - - -LEADER. - -They are saying that the young boy is ill with climbing. I must ask the -Master about it. - - -PILGRIMS. - -Do so. - - -LEADER. - -I hear that this young boy is ill with climbing. What is the matter -with him? Are you anxious about him? - - -TEACHER. - -He is not feeling well, but there is nothing wrong with him. He is only -tired with climbing. - - -LEADER. - -So you are not troubled about him? - - (_A pause._) - - -PILGRIM. - -Listen, you pilgrims. Just now the Master said this boy was only tired -with climbing. But now he is looking very strange. Ought we not to -follow our Great Custom and hurl him into the valley? - - -LEADER. - -We ought to indeed. I must tell the Master. Sir, when I enquired before -about the child you told me he was only tired with climbing; but now he -is looking very strange. - -Though I say it with dread, there has been from ancient times a Great -Custom that those who fail should be cast down. All the pilgrims are -asking that he should be thrown into the valley. - - -TEACHER. - -What, you would hurl this child into the valley? - - -LEADER. - -We would. - - -TEACHER. - -It is a Mighty Custom. I cannot gainsay it. But I have great pity in my -heart for that creature. I will tell him tenderly of this Great Custom. - - -LEADER. - -Pray do so. - - -TEACHER. - -Listen carefully to me. It has been the law from ancient times that if -any pilgrim falls sick on such journey as these he should be hurled -into the valley,--done suddenly to death. If I could take your place, -how gladly I would die. But now I cannot help you. - - -BOY. - -I understand. I knew well that if I came on this journey I might lose -my life. - - Only at the thought - Of my dear mother, - How her tree of sorrow - For me must blossom - With flower of weeping,-- - I am heavy-hearted. - - -CHORUS. - - Then the pilgrims sighing - For the sad ways of the world - And the bitter ordinances of it, - Make ready for the hurling. - Foot to foot - They stood together - Heaving blindly, - None guiltier than his neighbour. - And clods of earth after - And flat stones they flung.[184] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[183] Here follows a long lyric passage describing their journey and -ascent. The frequent occurrence of place-names and plays of word on -such names makes it impossible to translate. - -[184] I have only summarized the last chorus. When the pilgrims reach -the summit, they pray to their founder, En no Gyoja, and to the God -Fudo that the boy may be restored to life. In answer to their prayers -a Spirit appears carrying the boy in her arms. She lays him at the -Priest's feet and vanishes again, treading the Invisible Pathway that -En no Gyoja trod when he crossed from Mount Katsuragi to the Great Peak -without descending into the valley. - - - - -IKENIYE - -(THE POOL-SACRIFICE) - -PART I - -By SEAMI[185] - - -PERSONS - - _THE TRAVELLER._ - _HIS WIFE._ - _HIS DAUGHTER._ - _THE INNKEEPER._ - _THE PRIEST._ - _THE ACOLYTE._ - _CHORUS._ - - -TRAVELLER. - -I am a man who lives in the Capital. Maybe because of some great wrong -I did in a former life ... I have fallen into trouble and cannot go on -living here. - -I have a friend in the East country. Perhaps he would help me. I will -take my wife and child and go at once to the ends of the East. - - (_He travels to the East, singing as he goes a song about the - places through which he passes._) - -We are come to the Inn. (_Knocks at the door._) We are travellers. Pray -give us shelter. - - -INNKEEPER. - -Lodging, do you say? Come in with me. This way. Tell me, where have you -come from? - - -TRAVELLER. - -I come from the Capital, and I am going down to the East to visit my -friend. - - -INNKEEPER. - -Listen. I am sorry. There is something I must tell you privately. -Whoever passes this night at the Inn must go to-morrow to the drawing -of lots at the sacrifice. I am sorry for it, but you would do best to -leave the Inn before dawn. Tell no one what I have said, and mind you -start early. - - -TRAVELLER. - -If we may sleep here now we will gladly start at dawn. - - (_They lie down and sleep in the open courtyard. After a while they - rise and start on their journey._) - - _Enter the_ PRIEST. - - -PRIEST. - -Hey! where are you? - - _Enter the_ ACOLYTE. - - -ACOLYTE. - -Here I am. - - -PRIEST. - -I hear that three travellers stayed at the Inn last night and have left -before dawn. Go after them and stop them. - - -ACOLYTE. - -I listen and obey. Hey, you travellers, go no further! - - -TRAVELLER. - -Is it at us you are shouting? - - -ACOLYTE. - -Yes, indeed it is at you. - - -TRAVELLER. - -And why should we stop? Tell me the reason. - - -ACOLYTE. - -He is right. It is not to be wondered at that he should ask the reason. -(_To the_ TRAVELLER.) Listen. Each year at this place there is a -sacrifice at the Pool. To-day is the festival of this holy rite, and we -ask you to join in it. - - -TRAVELLER. - -I understand you. But it is for those that live here, those that were -born children of this Deity, to attend his worship. Must a wanderer go -with you because he chances to lodge here for a night? - - (_He turns to go._) - - -ACOLYTE. - -No, No! For all you say, this will not do. - - -PRIEST. - -Stay! Sir, we do not wonder that you should think this strange. But -listen to me. From ancient times till now no traveller has ever lodged -this night of the year at the Inn of Yoshiwara without attending the -sacrifice at the Pool. If you are in a hurry, come quickly to the -sacrifice, and then with a blessing set out again on your journey. - - -TRAVELLER. - -I understand you. But, as I have said, for such rites as these you -should take men born in the place.... No, I still do not understand. -Why should a fleeting traveller be summoned to this Pool-Sacrifice? - - -PRIEST. - -It is a Great Custom. - - -TRAVELLER. - -That may be. I do not question that that is your rule. But I beg you, -consider my case and excuse me. - - -PRIEST. - -Would you be the first to break a Great Custom that has been observed -since ancient times? - - -TRAVELLER. - -No, that is not what I meant. But if we are to discuss this matter, I -must be plain with you.... I am a man of the Capital. Perhaps because -of some ill deed done in a former life I have suffered many troubles. -At last I could no longer build the pathway of my life, so I took my -wife and child and set out to seek my friend who lives in the East. -Pray let me go on my way. - - -PRIEST. - -Indeed, indeed you have cause for distress. But from ancient times till -now - - Parents have been taken - And countless beyond all knowing - Wives and husbands parted. - -Call this, if you will, the retribution of a former life. But now come -with us quickly to the shores of the Holy Pool. - - (_Describing his own actions._) - -So saying, the Priest and acolytes went forward. - - -WIFE and DAUGHTER. - -And the wife and child, crying "Oh what shall we do?" clutched at the -father's sleeve. - - -TRAVELLER. - -But the father could find no words to speak. He stood baffled, -helpless.... - - -PRIEST. - -They must not loiter. Divide them and drive them on! - - -ACOLYTE. - -So he drove them before him and they walked like ... - - -TRAVELLER. - -If true comparison were made ... - - -CHORUS. - - Like guilty souls of the Dead - Driven to Judgment - By fiends reproachful; - Whose hearts unknowing - Like dew in day-time - To nothing dwindle. - Like sheep to shambles - They walk weeping, - No step without a tear - Till to the Pool they come. - - -PRIEST. - -Now we are come to the Pool, and by its edge are ranged the Priest, the -acolytes, the virgins and dancing-boys. - - -CHORUS. - - There is one doom-lot; - Yet those that are thinking - "Will it be mine?" - They are a hundred, - And many times a hundred. - - -PRIEST. - -Embracing, clasping hands ... - - -CHORUS. - -Pale-faced - - -PRIEST. - -Sinking at heart - - -CHORUS. - - "On whom will it fall?" - Not knowing, thick as snow, - White snow of winter fall their prayers - To their clan-gods, "Protect us" ... - Palm pressed to palm. - - -PRIEST. - -At last the Priest mounted the das, raised the lid of the box and -counted the lots to see that there was one for each to take. - - -CHORUS. - - Then all the people came forward - To draw their lots. - And each when he unfolded his lot - And found it was not the First, - How glad he was! - But the traveller's daughter, - Knowing her fate, - Fell weeping to the earth. - - -PRIEST. - -Are there not three travellers? They have only drawn two lots. The -First Lot is still undrawn. Tell them that one of them must draw it. - - -ACOLYTE. - -I listen and obey. Ho, you travellers, it is to you I am speaking. -There are three of you, and you have only drawn two lots. The Priest -says one of you must draw the First Lot. - - -TRAVELLER. - -We have all drawn. - - -ACOLYTE. - -No, I am sure the young girl has not drawn her lot. Look, here it is. -Yes, and it is the Doom-lot! - - -WIFE. - -The First Lot! How terrible! - -Hoping to rear you to womanhood, we wandered blindly from the City and -came down to the unknown country of the East. For your sake we set our -hearts on this sad journey. If you are taken, what will become of us? -How hideous! - - -DAUGHTER. - -Do not sob so! If you or my father had drawn this lot, what should I -have done? But now it has fallen to me, and it is hard for you to let -me go. - - -TRAVELLER. - -What brave words! "If you or my father had drawn this lot...." There is -great piety in that saying. (_To his_ WIFE.) Come, do not sob so before -all these people. We are both parents and must have like feelings. But -from the time I set out to this holy lottery something told me that of -the three of us one would be taken. Look! I am not crying. - - -WIFE. - - I thought as you did, yet ... - It is too much! Can it all be real? - - -TRAVELLER. - - The father said "I will not show weakness," yet while he was speaking - bravely - Because she was his dear daughter - His secret tears - Could not be checked. - - -WIFE. - -Is this a dream or is it real? - - (_She clings to the daughter, wailing._) - - -PRIEST. - - Because the time had come - The Priest and his men - Stood waiting on the shore - - -CHORUS. - - They decked the boat with ribands - And upon a bed of water-herbs - They laid the maiden of the Pool. - - -PRIEST. - - The priest pulled the ribands - And spoke the words of prayer. - - [In the second part of the play the dragon of the Pool is appeased - and the girl restored to life.] - -FOOTNOTE: - -[185] The play is given in a list of Seami's works composed on the -authority of his great-grandson, Kwanze Nagatoshi, in 1524. Owada gives -it as anonymous. - - - - -HATSUYUKI - -(EARLY SNOW) - -By KOPARU ZEMBO MOTOYASU (1453-1532). - - -PERSONS - - _EVENING MIST, a servant girl._ - _A LADY, the Abbot's daughter._ - _TWO NOBLE LADIES._ - _THE SOUL OF THE BIRD HATSUYUKI ("Early Snow")._ - _CHORUS._ - - -SCENE: _The Great Temple at Izumo_. - - -SERVANT. - -I am a servant at the Nyoroku Shrine in the Great Temple of Izumo. My -name is Evening Mist. You must know that the Lord Abbot has a daughter, -a beautiful lady and gentle as can be. And she keeps a tame bird that -was given her a year ago, and because it was a lovely white bird she -called it Hatsuyuki, Early Snow; and she loves it dearly. - -I have not seen the bird to-day. I think I will go to the bird-cage and -have a look at it. - - (_She goes to the cage._) - -Mercy on us, the bird is not there! Whatever shall I say to my lady? -But I shall have to tell her. I think I'll tell her now. Madam, madam, -your dear Snow-bird is not here! - - -LADY. - -What is that you say? Early Snow is not there? It cannot be true. - - (_She goes to the cage._) - -It is true. Early Snow has gone! How can that be? How can it be that my -pretty one that was so tame should vanish and leave no trace? - - Oh bitterness of snows - That melt and disappear! - Now do I understand - The meaning of a midnight dream - That lately broke my rest. - A harbinger it was - Of Hatsuyuki's fate. - - (_She bursts into tears._) - - -CHORUS. - - Though for such tears and sighs - There be no cause, - Yet came her grief so suddenly, - Her heart's fire is ablaze; - And all the while - Never a moment are her long sleeves dry. - They say that written letters first were traced - By feet of birds in sand - Yet Hatsuyuki leaves no testament. - - (_They mourn._) - - -CHORUS (_"kuse" chant, irregular verse accompanied by dancing_). - - How sad to call to mind - When first it left the breeding-cage - So fair of form - And coloured white as snow. - We called it Hatsuyuki, "Year's First Snow." - And where our mistress walked - It followed like a shadow at her side. - But now alas! it is a bird of parting[186] - Though not in Love's dark lane. - - -LADY. - -There's no help now. (_She weeps bitterly._) - - -CHORUS. - - Still there is one way left. Stop weeping, Lady, - And turn your heart to him who vowed to hear. - The Lord Amida, if a prayer be said-- - Who knows but he can bring - Even a bird's soul into Paradise - And set it on the Lotus Pedestal?[187] - - -LADY. - -Evening Mist, are you not sad that Hatsuyuki has gone? ... But we must -not cry any more. Let us call together the noble ladies of this place -and for seven days sit with them praying behind barred doors. Go now -and do my bidding. - - (EVENING MIST _fetches the_ NOBLE LADIES _of the place_). - - -TWO NOBLE LADIES (_together_). - - A solemn Mass we sing - A dirge for the Dead; - At this hour of heart-cleansing - We beat on Buddha's gong. - - (_They pray._) - -NAMU AMIDA BUTSU NAMU NYORAI - - Praise to Amida Buddha, - Praise to Mida our Saviour! - - (_The prayers and gong-beating last for some time and form the - central ballet of the play._) - - -CHORUS (_the bird's soul appears as a white speck in the sky_). - - Look! Look! A cloud in the clear mid-sky! - But it is not a cloud. - With pure white wings beating the air - The Snow-bird comes! - Flying towards our lady - Lovingly he hovers, - Dances before her. - - -THE BIRD'S SOUL. - -Drawn by the merit of your prayers and songs - - -CHORUS. - - Straightway he was reborn in Paradise. - By the pond of Eight Virtues he walks abroad: - With the Phoenix and Fugan his playtime passing. - He lodges in the sevenfold summit of the trees of Heaven. - No hurt shall harm him - For ever and ever. - - Now like the tasselled doves we loose - From battlements on holy days - A little while he flutters; - Flutters a little while and then is gone - We know not where. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[186] "Wakare no tori," the bird which warns lovers of the approach of -day. - -[187] Turn it into a Buddha. - - - - -HAKU RAKUTEN - -By SEAMI - - -INTRODUCTION - -The Chinese poet Po Ch-i, whom the Japanese call Haku Rakuten, was -born in 772 A. D. and died in 847. His works enjoyed immense -contemporary popularity in China, Korea and Japan. In the second -half of the ninth century the composition of Chinese verse became -fashionable at the Japanese Court, and native forms of poetry were for -a time threatened with extinction. - -The No play _Haku Rakuten_ deals with this literary peril. It was -written at the end of the fourteenth century, a time when Japanese -art and literature were again becoming subject to Chinese influence. -Painting and prose ultimately succumbed, but poetry was saved. - -Historically, Haku Rakuten never came to Japan. But the danger of his -influence was real and actual, as may be deduced from reading the -works of Sugawara no Michizane, the greatest Japanese poet of the -ninth century. Michizane's slavish imitations of Po Ch-i show an -unparalleled example of literary prostration. The plot of the play is -as follows: - -Rakuten is sent by the Emperor of China to "subdue" Japan with his -art. On arriving at the coast of Bizen, he meets with two Japanese -fishermen. One of them is in reality the god of Japanese poetry, -Sumiyoshi no Kami. In the second act his identity is revealed. He -summons other gods, and a great dancing-scene ensues. Finally the wind -from their dancing-sleeves blows the Chinese poet's ship back to his -own country. - -Seami, in his plays, frequently quotes Po Ch-i's poems; and in his -lament for the death of his son, Zemparu Motomasa, who died in 1432, he -refers to the death of Po Ch-i's son, A-ts'ui. - - -PERSONS - - _RAKUTEN_ (_a Chinese poet_). - - _AN OLD FISHERMAN, SUMIYOSHI NO KAMI, who in Act II becomes the God - of Japanese Poetry._ - - _ANOTHER FISHERMAN._ - - _CHORUS OF FISHERMEN._ - - -SCENE: _The coast of Bizen in Japan_. - - -HAKU. - -I am Haku Rakuten, a courtier of the Prince of China. There is a land -in the East called Nippon.[188] Now, at my master's bidding, I am sent -to that land to make proof of the wisdom of its people. I must travel -over the paths of the sea. - - I will row my boat towards the rising sun, - The rising sun; - And seek the country that lies to the far side - Over the wave-paths of the Eastern Sea. - Far my boat shall go, - My boat shall go,-- - With the light of the setting sun in the waves of its wake - And a cloud like a banner shaking the void of the sky. - Now the moon rises, and on the margin of the sea - A mountain I discern. - I am come to the land of Nippon, - The land of Nippon. - -So swiftly have I passed over the ways of the ocean that I am come -already to the shores of Nippon. I will cast anchor here a little -while. I would know what manner of land this may be. - - -THE TWO FISHERMEN (_together_). - - Dawn over the Sea of Tsukushi, - Place of the Unknown Fire. - Only the moonlight--nothing else left! - - -THE OLD FISHERMAN. - - The great waters toss and toss; - The grey waves soak the sky. - - -THE TWO FISHERMEN. - - So was it when Han Rei[189] left the land of Etsu - And rowed in a little boat - Over the misty waves of the Five Lakes. - - How pleasant the sea looks! - From the beach of Matsura - Westward we watch the hill-less dawn. - A cloud, where the moon is setting, - Floats like a boat at sea, - A boat at sea - That would anchor near us in the dawn. - Over the sea from the far side, - From China the journey of a ship's travel - Is a single night's sailing, they say. - And lo! the moon has vanished! - - -HAKU. - -I have borne with the billows of a thousand miles of sea and come at -last to the land of Nippon. Here is a little ship anchored near me. An -old fisherman is in it. Can this be indeed an inhabitant of Nippon? - - -OLD FISHERMAN. - -Aye, so it is. I am an old fisher of Nihon. And your Honour, I think, -is Haku Rakuten, of China. - - -HAKU. - -How strange! No sooner am I come to this land than they call me by my -name! How can this be? - - -SECOND FISHERMAN. - -Although your Honour is a man of China, your name and fame have come -before you. - - -HAKU. - -Even though my name be known, yet that you should know my face is -strange surely! - - -THE TWO FISHERMEN. - -It was said everywhere in the Land of Sunrise that your Honour, -Rakuten, would come to make trial of the wisdom of Nihon. And when, -as we gazed westwards, we saw a boat coming in from the open sea, the -hearts of us all thought in a twinkling, "This is he." - - -CHORUS. - - "He has come, he has come." - So we cried when the boat came in - To the shore of Matsura, - The shore of Matsura. - Sailing in from the sea - Openly before us-- - A Chinese ship - And a man from China,-- - How could we fail to know you, - Haku Rakuten? - But your halting words tire us. - Listen as we will, we cannot understand - Your foreign talk. - Come, our fishing-time is precious. - Let us cast our hooks, - Let us cast our hooks! - - -HAKU. - -Stay! Answer me one question.[190] Bring your boat closer and tell me, -Fisherman, what is your pastime now in Nippon? - - -FISHERMAN. - -And in the land of China, pray how do your Honours disport yourselves? - - -HAKU. - -In China we play at making poetry. - - -FISHERMAN. - -And in Nihon, may it please you, we venture on the sport of making -"uta."[191] - - -HAKU. - -And what are "uta"? - - -FISHERMAN. - -You in China make your poems and odes out of the Scriptures of India; -and we have made our "uta" out of the poems and odes of China. Since -then our poetry is a blend of three lands, we have named it Yamato, the -great Blend, and all our songs "Yamato Uta." But I think you question -me only to mock an old man's simplicity. - - -HAKU. - -No, truly; that was not my purpose. But come, I will sing a Chinese -poem about the scene before us. - - "Green moss donned like a cloak - Lies on the shoulders of the rocks; - White clouds drawn like a belt - Surround the flanks of the mountains." - -How does that song please you? - - -FISHERMAN. - -It is indeed a pleasant verse. In our tongue we should say the poem -thus: - - _Koke-goromo - Kitaru iwao wa - Samonakute, - Kinu kinu yama no - Obi wo suru kana!_ - - -HAKU. - -How strange that a poor fisherman should put my verse into a sweet -native measure! Who can he be? - - -FISHERMAN. - -A poor man and unknown. But as for the making of "uta," it is not only -men that make them. "For among things that live there is none that has -not the gift of song."[192] - - -HAKU (_taking up the other's words as if hypnotized_). - -"Among things that have life,--yes, and birds and insects--" - - -FISHERMAN. - -They have sung Yamato songs. - - -HAKU. - -In the land of Yamato ... - - -FISHERMAN. - -... many such have been sung. - - -CHORUS. - - "The nightingale singing on the bush, - Even the frog that dwells in the pond----" - I know not if it be in your Honour's land, - But in Nihon they sing the stanzas of the "uta." - And so it comes that an old man - Can sing the song you have heard, - A song of great Yamato. - - -CHORUS (_changing the chant_). - - And as for the nightingale and the poem it made,-- - They say that in the royal reign - Of the Emperor Koren - In the land of Yamato, in the temple of High Heaven - A priest was dwelling.[193] - Each year at the season of Spring - There came a nightingale - To the plum-tree at his window. - And when he listened to its song - He heard it singing a verse: - - "_Sho-yo mei-cho rai - Fu-so gem-bon sei._" - - And when he wrote down the characters, - Behold, it was an "uta"-song - Of thirty letters and one. - And the words of the song-- - - -FISHERMAN. - - _Hatsu-haru no_ Of Spring's beginning - _Ashita goto ni wa_ At each dawn - _Kitaredomo_ Though I come, - - -CHORUS. - - _Awade zo kaeru_ Unmet I return - _Moto no sumika ni._ To my old nest. - - - Thus first the nightingale, - And many birds and beasts thereto, - Sing "uta," like the songs of men. - And instances are many; - Many as the myriad pebbles that lie - On the shore of the sea of Ariso. - "For among things that live - There is none that has not the gift of song." - -Truly the fisherman has the ways of Yamato in his heart. Truly, this -custom is excellent. - - -FISHERMAN. - -If we speak of the sports of Yamato and sing its songs, we should show -too what dances we use; for there are many kinds. - - -CHORUS. - -Yes, there are the dances; but there is no one to dance. - - -FISHERMAN. - -Though there be no dancer, yet even I-- - - -CHORUS. - - For drums--the beating of the waves. - For flutes--the song of the sea-dragon. - For dancer--this ancient man - Despite his furrowed brow - Standing on the furrowed sea - Floating on the green waves - Shall dance the Sea Green Dance. - - -FISHERMAN. - -And the land of Reeds and Rushes.... - - -CHORUS. - -Ten thousand years our land inviolate! - - [_The rest of the play is a kind of "ballet"_; the words are merely - a commentary on the dances.] - -FOOTNOTES: - -[188] The fact that Haku is a foreigner is conventionally emphasized by -his pronunciation of this word. The fishermen, when using the same word -later on, called it "Nihon." - -[189] The Chinese call him Fan Li. He lived in China in the fifth -century B.C. Having rendered important services to the country -of Yeh (Etsu), he went off with his mistress in a skiff, knowing that -if he remained in public life his popularity was bound to decline. The -Fishermen are vaguely groping towards the idea of "a Chinaman" and a -"boat." They are not yet consciously aware of the arrival of Rakuten. - -[190] Haku throughout omits the honorific turns of speech which -civility demands. The Fishermen speak in elaborately deferential and -honorific language. The writer wishes to portray Haku as an ill-bred -foreigner. - -[191] "Uta," i. e. the thirty-one syllable Japanese stanza. - -[192] Quotation from the Preface to the _Kokinshu_ ("Collection of -Songs Ancient and Modern"). The fact that Haku continues the quotation -shows that he is under a sort of spell and makes it clear for the first -time that his interlocutor is not an ordinary mortal. From this point -onwards, in fact, the Fisherman gradually becomes a God. - -[193] The priest's acolyte had died. The nightingale was the boy's soul. - - - - -ACT II. - - -FISHERMAN (_transformed into_ SUMIYOSHI NO KAMI, _the God of Poetry_). - - Sea that is green with the shadow of the hills in the water! - Sea Green Dance, danced to the beating of the waves. - - (_He dances the Sea Green Dance._) - - Out of the wave-lands, - Out of the fields of the Western Sea - - -CHORUS. - - He rises before us, - The God of Sumiyoshi, - The God of Sumiyoshi! - - -THE GOD. - - I rise before you - The god-- - - -CHORUS. - - The God of Sumiyoshi whose strength is such - That he will not let you subdue us, O Rakuten! - So we bid you return to your home, - Swiftly over the waves of the shore! - First the God of Sumiyoshi came. - Now other gods[194] have come-- - Of Is and Iwa-shimizu, - Of Kamo and Kasuga, - Of Ka-shima and Mi-shima, - Of Suwa and Atsuta. - And the goddess of the Beautiful Island, - The daughter of Shakara - King of the Dragons of the Sea-- - Skimming the face of the waves - They have danced the Sea Green Dance. - And the King of the Eight Dragons-- - With his Symphony of Eight Musics. - As they hovered over the void of the sea, - Moved in the dance, the sleeves of their dancing-dress - Stirred up a wind, a magic wind - That blew on the Chinese boat - And filled its sails - And sent it back again to the land of Han. - Truly, the God is wondrous; - The God is wondrous, and thou, our Prince, - Mayest thou rule for many, many years - Our Land Inviolate! - -FOOTNOTE: - -[194] They do not appear on the stage. - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -SUMMARIES - - - IZUTSU - KAKITSUBATA - HANAKATAMI - OMINAMESHI - MATSUKAZE - SHUNKWAN - AMA - TAKE NO YUKI - TORI-OI - YUYA - TANGO-MONOGURUI - IKKAKU SENNIN - YAMAUBA - HOTOKE NO HARA - MARI - TORU - MAI-GURUMA - - - - -Of the plays which are founded on the _Ise Monogatari_[195] the best -known are _Izutsu_ and _Kakitsubata_, both by Seami. _Izutsu_ is -founded on the episode which runs as follows: - -Once upon a time a boy and a girl, children of country people, used to -meet at a well and play there together. When they grew up they became a -little shame-faced towards one another, but he could think of no other -woman, nor she of any other man. He would not take the wife his parents -had found for him, nor she the husband that her parents had found for -her. - -Then he sent her a poem which said: - - "Oh, the well, the well! - I who scarce topped the well-frame - Am grown to manhood since we met." - -And she to him: - - "The two strands of my hair - That once with yours I measured, - Have passed my shoulder; - Who but you should put them up?"[196] - -So they wrote, and at last their desire was fulfilled. Now after a year -or more had passed the girl's parents died, and they were left without -sustenance. They could not go on living together; the man went to and -fro between her house and the town of Takayasu in Kawachi, while she -stayed at home. - -Now when he saw that she let him go gladly and showed no grief in her -face, he thought it was because her heart had changed. And one day, -instead of going to Kawachi, he hid behind the hedge and watched. Then -he heard the girl singing: - - "The mountain of Tatsuta that rises - Steep as a wave of the sea when the wind blows - To-night my lord will be crossing all alone!" - -And he was moved by her song, and went no more to Takayasu in Kawachi. - -In the play a wandering priest meets with a village girl, who turns -out to be the ghost of the girl in this story. The text is woven out of -the words of the _Ise Monogatari_. - -[Illustration: IZUTSU] - -_Kakitsubata_ is based on the eighth episode. Narihira and his -companions come to a place called Yatsuhashi, where, across an -iris-covered swamp, zigzags a low footpath of planks. - -Narihira bids them compose an anagram on the word _Kakitsubata_, -"iris," and some one sings: - - "_Ka_ra-goromo - _Ki_-tsutsu nare-ni-shi - _Tsu_ma shi areba - _Ba_ru-baru ki-nuru - _Ta_bi wo shi zo omou." - -The first syllables of each line make, when read consecutively, the -word _Kakitsubata_, and the poem, which is a riddle with many meanings, -may be translated: - - "My lady's love - Sat close upon me like a coat well worn; - And surely now - Her thoughts go after me down this long road!" - -"When he had done singing, they all wept over their dried-rice till it -grew soppy." - -In the play, a priest comes to this place and learns its story from a -village-girl, who turns out to be the "soul of the iris-flower." At -the end she disappears into the Western Paradise. "Even the souls of -flowers can attain to Buddhahood." - -FOOTNOTES: - -[195] The love-adventures of Narihira (825-880 A.D.) in 125 -episodes, supposed to have been written by Narihira himself. - -[196] The husband puts up the bride's hair. - - - - -HANAKATAMI - -(THE FLOWER BASKET) - -By KWANAMI; REVISED BY SEAMI - - -Before he came to the throne, the Emperor Keitai[197] loved the Lady -Teruhi. On his accession he sent her a letter of farewell and a basket -of flowers. In the play the messenger meets her on the road to her -home; she reads the letter, which in elaborately ceremonial language -announces the Emperor's accession and departure to the Capital. - - -TERUHI. - - The Spring of our love is passed! Like a moon left lonely - In the sky of dawn, back to the hills I go, - To the home where once we dwelt. - - (_She slips quietly from the stage, carrying the basket and letter. - In the next scene the_ EMPEROR[198] _is carried on to the stage in - a litter borne by two attendants. It is the coronation procession. - Suddenly_ TERUHI, _who has left her home distraught, wanders on to - the stage followed by her maid, who carries the flower-basket and - letter_.) - - -TERUHI (_speaking wildly_). - - Ho, you travellers! Show me the road to the Capital! I am mad, - you say? - Mad I may be; but love bids me ask. O heartless ones! why will they - not answer me? - - -MAID. - -Madam, from these creatures we shall get no answer. Yet there is a sign -that will guide our steps to the City. Look, yonder the wild-geese are -passing! - - -TERUHI. - - Oh well-remembered! For southward ever - The wild-geese pass - Through the empty autumn sky; and southward lies - The city of my lord. - -Then follows the "song of travel," during which Teruhi and her -companion are supposed to be journeying from their home in Echizen -to the Capital in Yamato. They halt at last on the _hashigakari_, -announcing that they have "arrived at the City." Just as a courtier -(who together with the boy-Emperor and the two litter-bearers -represents the whole coronation procession) is calling: "Clear the -way, clear the way! The Imperial procession is approaching," Teruhi's -maid advances on to the stage and crosses the path of the procession. -The courtier pushes her roughly back, and in doing so knocks the -flower-basket to the ground. - - -MAID. - -Oh, look what he has done! O madam, he has dashed your basket to the -ground, the Prince's flower-basket! - - -TERUHI. - -What! My lord's basket? He has dashed it to the ground? Oh hateful deed! - - -COURTIER. - -Come, mad-woman! Why all this fuss about a basket? You call it your -lord's basket; what lord can you mean? - - -TERUHI. - -What lord should I mean but the lord of this land of Sunrise? Is there -another? - -Then follow a "mad dance" and song. The courtier orders her to come -nearer the Imperial litter and dance again, that her follies may divert -the Emperor. - -She comes forward and dances the story of Wu Ti and Li Fu-jen.[199] -Nothing could console him for her death. He ordered her portrait to -be painted on the walls of his palace. But, because the face neither -laughed nor grieved, the sight of it increased his sorrow. Many -wizards laboured at his command to summon her soul before him. At last -one of them projected upon a screen some dim semblance of her face and -form. But when the Emperor would have touched it, it vanished, and he -stood in the palace alone. - - -COURTIER. - -His Majesty commands you to show him your flower-basket. - - (_She holds the basket before the_ EMPEROR.) - - -COURTIER. - -His Majesty has deigned to look at this basket. He says that without -doubt it was a possession of his rural days.[200] He bids you forget -the hateful letter that is with it and be mad no more. He will take you -back with him to the palace. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[197] Reigned 507-531. - -[198] In this play as in all the part of Emperor is played by a young -boy or "child-actor." - -[199] A Chinese Emperor of the Han dynasty and his concubine. - -[200] The time before his accession. - - - - -OMINAMESHI - -By SEAMI - - -The play is written round a story and a poem. A man came to the capital -and was the lover of a woman there. Suddenly he vanished, and she, in -great distress, set out to look for him in the country he came from. -She found his house, and asked his servants where he was. They told her -he had just married and was with his wife. When she heard this she ran -out of the house and leapt into the Hojo River. - - -GHOST OF THE LOVER. - - When this was told him, - Startled, perturbed, he went to the place; - But when he looked, - Pitiful she lay, - Limp-limbed on the ground. - Then weeping, weeping-- - - -GHOST OF GIRL. - - He took up the body in his arms, - And at the foot of this mountain - Laid it to rest in earth. - - -GHOST OF LOVER. - - And from that earth sprang up - A lady-flower[201] and blossomed - Alone upon her grave. - Then he: - "This flower is her soul." - And still he lingered, tenderly - Touched with his hand the petals' hem, - Till in the flower's dress and on his own - The same dew fell. - But the flower, he thought, - Was angry with him, for often when he touched it - It drooped and turned aside. - -Such is the story upon which the play is founded. The poem is one by -Bishop Henjo (816-890): - - O lady-flowers - That preen yourselves upon the autumn hill, - Even you that make so brave a show, - Last but "one while." - -_Hito toki_, "one while," is the refrain of the play. It was for "one -while" that they lived together in the Capital; it is for "one while" -that men are young, that flowers blossom, that love lasts. In the first -part of the play an aged man hovering round a clump of lady-flowers -begs the priest not to pluck them. In the second part this aged man -turns into the soul of the lover. The soul of the girl also appears, -and both are saved by the priest's prayers from that limbo (half death, -half life) where all must linger who die in the coils of _shushin_, -"heart-attachment." - -FOOTNOTE: - -[201] _Ominabeshi_ (or _ominameshi_, _ominayeshi_), "Ladies' Meal," but -written with Chinese characters meaning "ladies' flower," a kind of -patrinia. - - - - -MATSUKAZE - -By KWANAMI; REVISED BY SEAMI - - -Lord Yukihira, brother of Narihira, was banished to the lonely shore -of Suma. While he lived there he amused himself by helping two -fisher-girls to carry salt water from the sea to the salt-kilns on the -shore. Their names were Matsukaze and Murasame. - -At this time he wrote two famous poems; the first, while he was -crossing the mountains on his way to Suma: - - "Through the traveller's dress - The autumn wind blows with sudden chill. - It is the shore-wind of Suma - Blowing through the pass." - -When he had lived a little while at Suma, he sent to the Capital a poem -which said: - - "If any should ask news, - Tell him that upon the shore of Suma - I drag the water-pails." - -Long afterwards Prince Genji was banished to the same place. The -chapter of the _Genji Monogatari_ called "Suma" says: - - Although the sea was some way off, yet when the melancholy autumn - wind came "blowing through the pass" (the very wind of Yukihira's - poem), the beating of the waves on the shore seemed near indeed. - -It is round these two poems and the prose passage quoted above that the -play is written. - -A wandering priest comes to the shore of Suma and sees a strange -pine-tree standing alone. A "person of the place" (in an interlude not -printed in the usual texts) tells him that the tree was planted in -memory of two fisher-girls, Matsukaze, and Murasame, and asks him to -pray for them. While the priest prays it grows late and he announces -that he intends to ask for shelter "in that salt-kiln." He goes to the -"waki's pillar" and waits there as if waiting for the master of the -kiln to return. - -Meanwhile Matsukaze and Murasame come on to the stage and perform the -"water-carrying" dance which culminates in the famous passage known as -"The moon in the water-pails." - - -CHORUS (_speaking for_ MURASAME). - -There is a moon in my pail! - - -MATSUKAZE. - -Why, into my pail too a moon has crept! - - (_Looking up at the sky._) - -One moon above ... - - -CHORUS. - - Two imaged moons below, - So through the night each carries - A moon on her water-truck, - Drowned at the bucket's brim. - Forgotten, in toil on this salt sea-road, - The sadness of this world where souls cling! - -Their work is over and they approach their huts, i. e., the "_waki's_ -pillar," where the priest is sitting waiting. After refusing for a long -while to admit him "because their hovel is too mean to receive him," -they give him shelter, and after the usual questioning, reveal their -identities. - -In the final ballet Matsukaze dresses in the "court-hat and hunting -cloak given her by Lord Yukihira" and dances, among other dances, the -"Broken Dance," which also figures in Hagoromo. - -The "motif" of this part of the play is another famous poem by -Yukihira, that by which he is represented in the _Hyakuninisshu_ or -"Hundred Poems by a Hundred Poets": - - "When I am gone away, - If I hear that like the pine-tree on Mount Inaba - You are waiting for me, - Even then I will come back to you." - -There is a play of words between _matsu_, "wait," and _matsu_, -"pine-tree"; Inaba, the name of a mountain, and _inaba_, "if I go away." - -The play ends with the release of the girls' souls from the _shushin_, -"heart-attachment," which holds them to the earth. - - - - -SHUNKWAN - -By SEAMI - - -The priest Shunkwan, together with Naritsune and Yasuyori, had plotted -the overthrow of the Tairas. They were arrested and banished to Devil's -Island on the shore of Satsuma. - -Naritsune and Yasuyori were worshippers of the Gods of Kumano. -They brought this worship with them to the place of their exile, -constructing on the island an imitation of the road from Kyoto to -Kumano with its ninety-nine roadside shrines. This "holy way" they -decked with _nusa_, "paper-festoons," and carried out, as best they -might, the Shinto ceremonies of the three shrines of Kumano. - -When the play begins the two exiles are carrying out these rites. -Having no albs[202] to wear, they put on the tattered hemp-smocks which -they wore on their journey; having no rice to offer, they pour out a -libation of sand. - -Shunkwan, who had been abbot of the Zen[203] temple Hosshoji, holds -aloof from these ceremonies. But when the worshippers return he comes -to meet them carrying a bucket of water, which he tells them is the -wine for their final libation. They look into the bucket and cry in -disgust: _Ya! Kore wa mizu nari!_ "Why, it is water!" - -In a long lyrical dialogue which follows, Shunkwan, with the aid -of many classical allusions, justifies the identification of -chrysanthemum-water and wine. - - -CHORUS (_speaking for_ SHUNKWAN.) - - Oh, endless days of banishment! - How long shall I languish in this place, - Where the time while a mountain dewdrop dries - Seems longer than a thousand years? - A spring has gone; summer grown to age; - An autumn closed; a winter come again, - Marked only by the changing forms - Of flowers and trees. - Oh, longed-for time of old! - Oh, recollection sweet whithersoever - The mind travels; City streets and cloisters now - Seem Edens[204] garlanded - With every flower of Spring. - -Suddenly a boat appears carrying a stranger to the shore. This is -represented on the stage by an attendant carrying the conventionalized -No play "boat" on to the _hashi gakari_. The envoy, whose departure -from the Capital forms the opening scene of the play--I have omitted -it in my summary--has been standing by the "Waki's pillar." He now -steps into the boat and announces that a following wind is carrying him -swiftly over the sea. He leaves the boat, carrying a Proclamation in -his hand. - - -ENVOY. - - I bring an Act of Amnesty from the City. - Here, read it for yourselves. - - -SHUNKWAN (_snatching the scroll_). - -Look, Yasuyori! Look! At last! - - -YASUYORI (_reading the scroll_). - -What is this? What is this? - - "Because of the pregnancy of Her Majesty the Empress, an amnesty - is proclaimed throughout the land. All exiles are recalled from - banishment, and, of those exiled on Devil's Island, to these two - Naritsune, Lieutenant of Tamba and Yasuyori of the Taira clan, free - pardon is granted." - - -SHUNKWAN. - -Why, you have forgotten to read Shunkwan's name! - - -YASUYORI. - -Your name, alas, is not there. Read the scroll. - - -SHUNKWAN (_scanning the scroll_). - -This must be some scribe's mistake. - - -ENVOY. - -No; they told me at the Capital to bring back Yasuyori and Naritsune, -but to leave Shunkwan upon the island. - - -SHUNKWAN. - - How can that be? - One crime, one banishment; - Yet I alone, when pardon - Like a mighty net is spread - To catch the drowning multitude, slip back - Into the vengeful deep! - When three dwelt here together, - How terrible the loneliness of these wild rocks! - Now one is left, to wither - Like a flower dropped on the shore. - Like a broken sea-weed branch - That no wave carries home. - - Is not this island named - The Realm of Fiends, where I, - Damned but not dead walk the Black Road of Death? - Yet shall the foulest fiend of Hell - Now weep for me whose wrong - Must needs move heaven and earth, - Wake angels' pity, rend - The hearts of men, turn even the hungry cries - Of the wild beasts and birds that haunt these rocks - To tender lamentation. - -(_He buries his face in his hands; then after a while begins reading -the scroll again._) - - -CHORUS. - - He took the scroll that he had read before. - He opened it and looked. - His eyes, like a shuttle, travelled - To and fro, to and fro. - Yet, though he looked and looked, - No other names he saw - But Yasuyori's name and Naritsune's name - Then thinking "There is a codicil, perhaps," - Again he opens the scroll and looks. - Nowhere is the word Sozu,[205] nowhere the word Shunkwan. - - (_The_ ENVOY _then calls upon_ NARITSUNE _and_ YASUYORI _to board - the boat_. SHUNKWAN _clutches at_ YASUYORI'S _sleeve and tries to - follow him on board. The_ ENVOY _pushes him back, calling to him to - keep clear of the boat_.) - - -SHUNKWAN. - - Wretch, have you not heard the saying: - "Be law, but not her servants, pitiless." - Bring me at least to the mainland. Have so much charity! - - -ENVOY. - - But the sailor[206] knew no pity; - He took his oar and struck ... - - -SHUNKWAN (_retreating a step_). - - Nevertheless, leave me my life.... - Then he stood back and caught in both his hands - The anchor-rope and dragged ... - - -ENVOY. - -But the sailor cut the rope and pushed the boat to sea. - - -SHUNKWAN. - -He clasped his hands. He called, besought them-- - - -ENVOY. - -But though they heard him calling, they would not carry him. - - -SHUNKWAN. - -It was over; he struggled no more. - - -CHORUS. - - But left upon the beach, wildly he waved his sleeves, - Stricken as she[207] who on the shore - Of Matsura waved till she froze to stone. - - -ENVOYS, NANITSUNE and YASUYORI (_together_). - -Unhappy man, our hearts are not cold. When we reach the City, we will -plead unceasingly for your recall. In a little while you shall return. -Wait with a good heart. - - (_Their voices grow fainter and fainter, as though the ship were - moving away from the shore._) - - -SHUNKWAN. - - "Wait, wait," they cried, "Hope, wait!" - But distance dimmed their cry, - And hope with their faint voices faded. - He checked his sobs, stood still and listened, listened-- - - (SHUNKWAN _puts his hand to his ear and bends forward in the - attitude of one straining to catch a distant sound_.) - - -THE THREE. - -Shunkwan, Shunkwan, do you hear us? - - -SHUNKWAN. - -You will plead for me? - - -THE THREE. - -Yes, yes. And then surely you will be summoned.... - - -SHUNKWAN. - -Back to the City? Can you mean it? - - -THE THREE. - -Why, surely! - - -SHUNKWAN. - -I hope; yet while I hope ... - - -CHORUS. - - "Wait, wait, wait!" - Dimmer grow the voices; dimmer the ship, the wide waves - Pile up behind it. - The voices stop. The ship, the men - Have vanished. All is gone - - _There is an ancient Kowaka dance called Io go Shima, "Sulphur - Island," another name for Devil's Island. It represents the piety - of Naritsune and Yasuyori, and the amoral mysticism of the Zen - abbot Shunkwan. Part of the text is as follows_: - - -NARITSUNE. - - This is the vow of the Holy One, - The God of Kumano: - "Whosoever of all mortal men - Shall turn his heart to me, - Though he be come to the utmost end of the desert, - To the furthest fold of the hills, - I will send a light to lead him; - I will guide him on his way." - And we exiled on this far rock, - By daily honour to the Triple Shrine, - By supplication to Kumano's God, - Shall compass our return. - Shunkwan, how think you? - - -SHUNKWAN. - -Were it the Hill King of Hiyei,[208] I would not say no. But as for -this God of Kumano, I have no faith in him. (_Describing the actions -of_ NARITSUNE _and_ YASUYORI.) - - Then lonely, lonely these two to worship went; - On the wide sea they gazed, - Roamed on the rugged shore; - Searching ever for a semblance - Of the Three Holy Hills. - Now, where between high rocks - A long, clear river flowed; - Now where tree-tops soar - Summit on summit upward to the sky. - And there they planned to set - The Mother-Temple, Hall of Proven Truth; - And here the Daughter-Shrine, - The Treasury of Kan. - Then far to northward aiming - To a white cliff they came, where from the clouds - Swift waters tumbled down. - Then straightway they remembered - The Hill of Nachi, where the Dragon God, - Winged water-spirit, pants with stormy breath - And fills the woods with awe. - Here reverently they their Nachi set. - - The Bonze Shunkwan mounted to a high place; - His eye wandered north, south, east and west. - A thousand, thousand concepts filled his heart. - Suddenly a black cloud rose before him, - A heavy cloak of cloud; - And a great rock crashed and fell into the sea. - Then the great Bonze in his meditation remembered - An ancient song: - "The wind scattered a flower at Buddha's feet; - A boulder fell and crushed the fish of the pool. - Neither has the wind merit, nor the boulder blame; - They know not what they do." - "The Five Limbs are a loan," he cried, "that must be repaid; - A mess of earth, water, air, fire. - And the heart--void, as the sky; shapeless, substanceless! - Being and non-being - Are but twin aspects of all component things. - And that which seems to be, soon is not. - But only contemplation is eternal." - So the priest: proudly pillowed - On unrepentance and commandments broke. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[202] Ceremonial white vestments, _hakuye_. - -[203] For "Zen" see Introduction, p. 32. - -[204] Lit, Kikenjo, one of the Buddhist paradises. - -[205] Priest. - -[206] Acted by a _kyogen_ or farce-character. - -[207] Sayohime who, when her husband sailed to Korea, stood waving on -the cliff till she turned into stone. - -[208] The headquarters of the Tendai sect of Buddhism. - - - - -AMA - -(THE FISHER-GIRL) - -By SEAMI - - -Fujiwara no Fusazaki was the child of a fisher-girl. He was taken from -her in infancy and reared at the Capital. When he grew to be a man he -went to Shido to look for her. On the shore he met with a fisher-girl -who, after speaking for some while with him, gave him a letter, and at -once vanished with the words: "I am the ghost of the fisher-girl that -was your mother." The letter said: - - Ten years and three have passed since my soul fled to the Yellow - Clod. Many days and months has the abacus told since the white sand - covered my bones. The Road of Death is dark, dark; and none has - prayed for me. - - I am your mother. Lighten, oh lighten, dear son, the great darkness - that has lain round me for thirteen years! - -Then Fusazaki prayed for his mother's soul and she appeared before him -born again as a Blessed Dragon Lady of Paradise, carrying in her hand -the scroll of the _Hokkekyo_ (see Plate II), and danced the _Hayamai_, -the "swift dance," of thirteen movements. On the Kongo stage the Dragon -Lady is dressed as a man; for women have no place in Paradise. - -[Illustration: THE DRAGON LADY IN _AMA_ HOLDING ALOFT THE SCROLL OF THE -_HOKKEKYO_ - -(BEHIND HER IS SEEN THE _HASHIGAKARI_)] - - - - -TAKE NO YUKI - -(SNOW ON THE BAMBOOS) - -By SEAMI - - -PERSONS - - - _TONO-I._ - _HIS FIRST WIFE._ - _HIS SECOND WIFE._ - _TSUKIWAKA (his son by the first wife)._ - _TSUKIWAKA'S SISTER._ - _A SERVANT._ - _CHORUS._ - - -TONO-I. - -My name is Tono-i. I live in the land of Echigo. I had a wife; but for -a trifling reason I parted from her and put her to live in the House -of the Tall Pines, which is not far distant from here. We had two -children; and the girl I sent to live with her mother at the House of -the Tall Pines, but the boy, Tsukiwaka, I have here with me, to be the -heir of all my fortune. - -And this being done, I brought a new wife to my home. Now it happens -that in pursuance of a binding vow I must be absent for a while on -pilgrimage to a place not far away. I will now give orders for the care -of Tsukiwaka, my son. Is my wife there? - - -SECOND WIFE. - -What is it? - - -TONO-I. - -I called you to tell you this: in pursuance of a vow I must be absent -on pilgrimage for two or three days. While I am away, I beg you to tend -my child Tsukiwaka with loving care. Moreover I must tell you that the -snow falls very thick in these parts, and when it piles up upon the -bamboos that grow along the four walls of the yard, it weighs them down -and breaks them to bits. - -I don't know how it will be, but I fancy there is snow in the air now. -If it should chance to fall, pray order my servants to brush it from -the leaves of the bamboos. - - -SECOND WIFE. - -What? A pilgrimage, is it? Why then go in peace, and a blessing on your -journey. I will not forget about the snow on the bamboos. But as for -Tsukiwaka, there was no need for you to speak. Do you suppose I would -neglect him, however far away you went? - - -TONO-I. - -No, indeed. I spoke of it, because he is so very young.... - -But now I must be starting on my journey. (_He goes._) - - -SECOND WIFE. - -Listen, Tsukiwaka! Your father has gone off on a pilgrimage. Before he -went, he said something to me about you. "Tend Tsukiwaka with care," he -said. There was no need for him to speak. You must have been telling -him tales about me, saying I was not kind to you or the like of that. -You are a bad boy. I am angry with you, very angry! (_She turns away._) - - TSUKIWAKA _then runs to his mother at the House of the Tall Pines. - A lyric scene follows in which_ TSUKIWAKA _and his mother_ (_the_ - CHORUS _aiding_) _bewail their lot_. - - _Meanwhile the_ SECOND WIFE _misses_ TSUKIWAKA. - - -SECOND WIFE. - -Where is Tsukiwaka? What can have become of him? (_She calls for a -servant._) Where has Tsukiwaka gone off to? - - -SERVANT. - -I have not the least idea. - - -SECOND WIFE. - -Why, of course! I have guessed. He took offence at what I said to him -just now and has gone off as usual to the Tall Pines to blab to his -mother. How tiresome! Go and tell him that his father has come home and -has sent for him; bring him back with you. - - -SERVANT. - -I tremble and obey. (_He goes to the "hashigakari" and speaks to_ -TSUKIWAKA _and the_ FIRST WIFE.) The master has come back and sent for -you, Master Tsukiwaka! Come back quickly! - - -FIRST WIFE. - -What? His father has sent for him? What a pity; he comes here so -seldom. But if your father has sent for you, you must go to him. Come -soon again to give your mother comfort! - - (_The_ SERVANT _takes_ TSUKIWAKA _back to the_ SECOND WIFE.) - - -SERVANT. - -Madam, I have brought back Master Tsukiwaka. - - -SECOND WIFE. - -What does this mean, Tsukiwaka? Have you been blabbing again at the -House of the Tall Pines? Listen! Your father told me before he went -away that if it came on to snow, I was to tell some one to brush the -snow off the bamboos round the four walls of the yard. - -It is snowing very heavily now. So be quick and brush the snow off the -bamboos. Come now, take off your coat and do it in your shirt-sleeves. - - (_The boy obeys. The_ CHORUS _describes the "sweeping of the - bamboos." It grows colder and colder._) - - -CHORUS. - - The wind stabbed him, and as the night wore on, - The snow grew hard with frost; he could not brush it away. - "I will go back," he thought, and pushed at the barred gate. - "Open!" he cried, and hammered with his frozen hands. - None heard him; his blows made no sound. - "Oh the cold, the cold! I cannot bear it. - Help, help for Tsukiwaka!" - Never blew wind more wildly! - - (TSUKIWAKA _falls dead upon the snow_.) - - _The servant finds him there and goes to the House of the Tall - Pines to inform the mother. A scene of lament follows in which - mother, sister and chorus join. The father comes home and hears the - sound of weeping. When he discovers the cause, he is reconciled - with the first wife (the second wife is not mentioned again), and - owing to their pious attitude, the child returns to life._ - - - - -TORI-OI - -BY KONGO YAGORO - -Bears a strong resemblance to _Take no Yuki_. - -The date of the author is unknown. - - -A certain lord goes up to the city to settle a lawsuit, leaving his -steward in charge of his estate. In his absence the steward grows -overbearing in his manner towards his mistress and her little son, -Hanawaka, finally compelling them to take part in the arduous labour -of "bird-scaring," rowing up and down the river among the rice-fields, -driving away the birds that attack the crop. - - - - -YUYA - - -Taira no Munemori had long detained at the Capital his mistress Yuya, -whose aged mother continually besought him to send back her daughter to -her for a little while, that she might see her before she died. In the -illustration she is shown reading a letter in which her mother begs her -to return. - -Munemori insisted that Yuya should stay with him till the Spring -pageants were over; but all their feasting and flower-viewing turned to -sadness, and in the end he let Yuya go home. - -[Illustration: YUYA READING THE LETTER] - - - - -TANGO-MONOGURUI - -By I-AMI - - -There are several plays which describe the fatal anger of a father -on discovering that his child has no aptitude for learning. One of -these, _Nakamitsu or Manju_, has been translated by Chamberlain. The -_Tango-Monogurui_, a similar play, has usually been ascribed to Seami, -but Seami in his _Works_ says that it is by a certain I-ami. The father -comes on to the stage and, after the usual opening, announces that he -has sent a messenger to fetch his son, whom he has put to school at a -neighbouring temple. He wishes to see what progress the boy is making. - - -FATHER (_to his_ SERVANT). - -I sent some one to bring Master Hanamatsu back from the temple. Has he -come yet? - - -SERVANT. - -Yes, sir. He was here last night. - - -FATHER. - -What? He came home last night, and I heard nothing about it? - - -SERVANT. - -Last night he had drunk a little too much, so we thought it better not -to say that he was here. - - -FATHER. - -Oho! Last night he was tipsy, was he? Send him to me. - - (_The_ SERVANT _brings_ HANAMATSU.) - -Well, you have grown up mightily since I saw you last. - -I sent for you to find out how your studies are progressing. How far -have you got? - - -HANAMATSU. - -I have not learnt much of the difficult subjects. Nothing worth -mentioning of the Sutras or Shastras or moral books. I know a little -of the graduses and Eight Collections of Poetry; but in the Hokke -Scripture I have not got to the Law-Master Chapter, and in the -Gusha-shastra I have not got as far as the Seventh Book. - - -FATHER. - -This is unthinkable! He says he has not learnt anything worth -mentioning. Pray, have you talents in any direction? - - -SERVANT (_wishing to put in a good word for the boy_). - -He's reckoned a wonderful hand at the chop-sticks and drum.[209] - - -FATHER (_angrily_). - -Be quiet! Is it your child I was talking of? - - -SERVANT. - -No, sir, you were speaking of Master Hanamatsu. - - -FATHER. - -Now then, Hanamatsu. Is this true? Very well then; just listen quietly -to me. These childish tricks--writing odes, capping verses and the like -are not worth anything. They're no more important than playing ball -or shooting toy darts. And as for the chop-sticks and drum--they are -the sort of instruments street urchins play on under the Spear[210] -at festival-time. But when I ask about your studies, you tell me that -in the Hokke you have not got to the Law-Master Chapter, and in the -Gusha-shastra you have not reached the Seventh Book. Might not the time -you spent on the chop-sticks have been better employed in studying the -Seventh Book? Now then, don't excuse yourself! Those who talk most do -least. But henceforth you are no son of mine. Be off with you now! - - (_The boy hesitates, bewildered._) - -Well, if you can't get started by yourself I must help you. - - (_Seizes him by the arm and thrusts him off the stage._) - -In the next scene Hanamatsu enters accompanied by a pious ship's -captain, who relates that he found the lad on the point of drowning -himself, but rescued him, and, taking him home, instructed him in the -most recondite branches of knowledge, for which he showed uncommon -aptitude; now he is taking him back to Tango to reconcile him with his -father. - -At Tango they learn that the father, stricken with remorse, has become -demented and is wandering over the country in search of his son. - -Coming to a chapel of Manjushri, the captain persuades the lad to -read a service there, and announces to the people that an eminent -and learned divine is about to expound the scriptures. Among the -worshippers comes an eccentric character whom the captain is at first -unwilling to admit. - - -MADMAN. - -Even madmen can school themselves for a while. I will not rave while -the service is being read. - - -CAPTAIN. - -So be it. Then sit down here and listen quietly. (_To_ HANAMATSU.) All -the worshippers have come. You had better begin the service at once. - - -HANAMATSU (_describing his own actions_). - - Then because the hour of worship had come - The Doctor mounted the pulpit and struck the silence-bell; - Then reverently prayed: - Let us call on the Sacred Name of Shakyamuni, once incarnate; - On the Buddhas of the Past, the Present and the Time to Come. - To thee we pray, Avalokita, Lord of the Ten Worlds; - And all Spirits of Heaven and Earth we invoke. - Praised be the name of Amida Buddha! - - -MADMAN (_shouting excitedly_). - -Amida! Praise to Amida! - - -CAPTAIN. - -There you go! You promised to behave properly, but now are -disturbing[211] the whole congregation by your ravings. I never heard -such senseless shouting. - - (_A lyrical dialogue follows full of poetical allusions, from which - it is apparent that the_ MADMAN _is crying to Amida to save a - child's soul_.) - - -CAPTAIN. - -Listen, Madman! The Doctor heard you praying for a child's soul. He -wishes you to tell him your story. - - _The father and son recognize one another. The son flings - himself down from the pulpit and embraces his father. They go - home together, attributing their reunion to the intervention of - Manjushri, the God of Wisdom._ - -FOOTNOTES: - -[209] The _sasara_ (split bamboos rubbed together) and _yatsubachi_, -"eight-sticks," a kind of vulgar drum. - -[210] A sort of maypole set up at the Gion Festival. - -[211] Literally "waking." - - - - -IKKAKU SENNIN - -(THE ONE-HORNED RISHI) - - -A Rishi lived in the hills near Benares. Under strange -circumstances[212] a roe bore him a son whose form was human, save -that a single horn grew on his forehead, and that he had stag's hoofs -instead of feet. He was given the name _Ekashringa_, "One-horn." - -One day it was raining in the hills. Ekashringa slipped and hurt -himself, for his hoofs were ill-suited to his human frame. He cursed -the rain, and owing to his great merit and piety his prayer was -answered. No rain fell for many months. - -The King of Benares saw that the drought would soon bring famine. He -called together his counsellors, and one of them told him the cause -of the disaster. The King published a proclamation promising half of -his kingdom to any who could break the Rishi's spell. Then the harlot -Shanta came to the King and said, "I will bring you this Rishi riding -him pickaback!" - -She set out for the mountains, carrying fruit and wine. Having seduced -the Rishi, she persuaded him to follow her to Benares. Just outside the -town she lay down, saying that she was too tired to go a step further. -"Then I will carry you pickaback," said the Rishi. - -And so Shanta fulfilled her promise. - - * * * * * - -In the No play (which is by Komparu Zembo Motoyasu 1453-1532) the Rishi -has overpowered the Rain-dragons, and shut them up in a cave. Shanta, -a noble lady of Benares, is sent to tempt him. The Rishi yields to her -and loses his magic power. There comes a mighty rumbling from the cave. - - -CHORUS. - - Down blows the mountain wind with a wild gust, - The sky grows dark, - The rock-cave quakes, - Huge boulders crash on every side; - The dragons' forms appear. - - -IKKAKU. - -Then the Rishi in great alarm-- - - -CHORUS. - - Then the Rishi in great alarm - Pursued them with a sharp sword. - And the Dragon King - Girt with the armour of wrath, - Waving a demon blade, - Fought with him for a little while. - But the Rishi had lost his magic. - Weaker and weaker he grew, till at last he lay upon the ground. - Then the Dragon King joyfully - Pierced the dark clouds. - Thunder and lightning filled - The pools of Heaven, and fast - The great rain fell; the wide floods were loosed. - Over the white waves flying, - The white waves that rise, - Homeward he hastens - To the Dragon City of the sea. - -FOOTNOTE: - -[212] "Il aperut un cerf et une biche qui s'accouplaient. La passion -impure s'excita en lui.... La biche ... se trouva grosse." Pri, _Les -Femmes de akyamouni_, p. 24. - - - - -YAMAUBA - -(THE DAME OF THE MOUNTAINS) - -REVISED BY KOMPARU ZENCHIKU UJINOBU FROM AN ORIGINAL BY SEAMI - - -Yamauba is the fairy of the mountains, which have been under her -care since the world began. She decks them with snow in winter, with -blossoms in spring; her task carrying her eternally from hill to valley -and valley to hill. She has grown very old. Wild white hair hangs down -her shoulders; her face is very thin. - -There was a courtesan of the Capital who made a dance representing the -wanderings of Yamauba. It had such success that people called this -courtesan "Yamauba" though her real name was Hyakuma. - -Once when Hyakuma was travelling across the hills to Shinano to visit -the Zenko Temple, she lost her way, and took refuge in the hut of a -"mountain-girl," who was none other than the real Yamauba. - -In the second part of the play the aged fairy appears in her true form -and tells the story of her eternal wanderings--"round and round, on and -on, from hill to hill, from valley to valley." In spring decking the -twigs with blossom, in autumn clothing the hills with moonlight, in -winter shaking snow from the heavy clouds. "On and on, round and round, -caught in the Wheel of Fate.... Striding to the hill-tops, sweeping -through the valleys...." - - -CHORUS. - - On and on, from hill to hill. - Awhile our eyes behold her, but now - She is vanished over the hills, - Vanished we know not where. - -The hill, says a commentator, is the Hill of Life, where men wander -from incarnation to incarnation, never escaping from the Wheel of Life -and Death. - -[Illustration: YAMAUBA - -(THE LADY OF THE MOUNTAINS)] - - - - -HOTOKE NO HARA - -By SEAMI - - -Gio was the mistress of Kiyomori (1118-1181), the greatest of the -Tairas. One day there arrived at his camp a famous dancing-girl called -Hotoke. Kiyomori was for sending her away; but Gio, who had heard -wonderful stories of Hotoke's beauty, was anxious to see her, and -persuaded Kiyomori to let Hotoke dance before him. - -Kiyomori fell in love with the dancer, and after a while Gio was -dismissed. She became a nun, and with her mother and sister lived in a -hut in the wilds of Sagano. - -Hotoke, full of remorse at her rival's dismissal, found no pleasure -in her new honours, and saying "It was I who brought her to this," -fled in nun's clothing to the hut at Sagano. Here the four women lived -together, singing ceaseless prayers to Buddha. - -In the play the ghost of Hotoke appears to a "travelling priest" and -tells the story, which is indeed a curious and arresting one. - - - - -MARI - -(THE FOOTBALL) - - -A footballer died at the Capital. When the news was brought to his -wife, she became demented and performed a sort of football-mass for -his soul. "The eight players in a game of football," she declared, -"represent the eight chapters in the Hokke Scripture. If the four -goal-posts are added the number obtained is twelve, which is the number -of the Causes and Effects which govern life. Do not think of football -as a secular game." - -The play ends with a "football ballet." - -The _Journal_ of the great twelfth century footballer, Fujiwara no -Narimichi, contains the following story: "I had brought together the -best players of the time to assist me in celebrating the completion of -my thousandth game. We set up two altars, and upon the one we placed -our footballs, while on the other we arranged all kinds of offerings. -Then, holding on to prayer-ribbons which we had tied to them, we -worshipped the footballs. - -That night I was sitting at home near the lamp, grinding my ink with -the intention of recording the day's proceedings in my journal, when -suddenly the football which I had dedicated came bouncing into the room -followed by three children of about four years old. Their faces were -human, but otherwise they looked like monkeys. "What horrid creatures," -I thought, and asked them roughly who they were. - -"We are the Football Sprites," they said. "And if you want to know our -names--" So saying they lifted their hanging locks, and I saw that -each of them had his name written on his forehead, as follows: Spring -Willow Flower, Quiet Summer Wood, and Autumn Garden. Then they said, -"Pray remember our names and deign to become our _Mi-mori_, 'Honourable -Guardian.' Your success at _Mi-mari_, 'Honourable Football,' will then -continually increase." - -And so saying they disappeared." - - - - -TORU - -By KWANAMI OR SEAMI - - -Toru was a prince who built a great palace at Rokujo-kawara, near -Kyoto. In its grounds was a counterfeit of the bay of Naniwa, which was -filled and emptied twice a day in imitation of the tides. Labourers -toiled up from the sea-shore, which was many miles distant, carrying -pails of salt water. - -In the play a priest passing through Rokujo-kawara meets an old man -carrying salt-water pails. It is the ghost of Toru. In the second part -he rehearses the luxury and splendour of his life at the great palace -Rokujo-kawara no In. - - - - -MAI-GURUMA[213] - -(THE DANCE WAGGONS) - -By MIYAMASU (DATE UNKNOWN) - - -A man of Kamakura went for a year to the Capital and fell in love with -a girl there. When it was time for him to return to Kamakura he took -her with him. But his parents did not like her, and one day when he was -not at home, they turned her out of the house. - -Thinking that she would have gone towards the Capital, the man set out -in pursuit of her. At dusk he came to a village. He was told that if he -lodged there he must take part next day in the waggon-dancing, which -was held in the sixth month of each year in honour of the god Gion. He -told them that he was heart-sore and foot-sore, and could not dance. - -Next day the villagers formed into two parties. The first party mounted -the waggon and danced the _Bijinzoroye_, a ballad about the twelve -ladies whom Narihira loved. The second party danced the ballad called -_Tsumado_, the story of which is: - -Hossho, Abbot of the Hiyeizan, was sitting late one summer night by the -Window of the Nine Perceptions, near the Couch of the Ten Vehicles, in -a room sprinkled with the holy water of Yoga, washed by the moonlight -of the Three Mysteries. Suddenly there was a sound of hammering on the -double-doors. And when he opened the doors and looked--why, there stood -the Chancellor Kwan, who had died on the twenty-fifth day of the second -month. - -"Why have you come so late in the night, Chancellor Kwan?" - -"When I lived in the world foul tongues slandered me. I am come to -destroy my enemies with thunder. Only the Home of Meditation[214] shall -be spared. But if you will make me one promise, I will not harm you. -Swear that you will go no more to Court!" - -"I would not go, though they sent twice to fetch me. But if they sent a -third time ..." - -Then Chancellor Kwan, with a strange look on his face, drew a -pomegranate from his sleeve, put it between his lips, crunched it with -his teeth, and spat it at the double-doors. - -Suddenly the red pomegranate turned into fire; a great flame flickered -over the double-doors. - -When the Abbot saw it, he twisted his fingers into the Gesture of -Libation; he recited the Water-Spell of the Letter Vam, and the flames -died down. - -And the double-doors still stand before the Abbot's cell, on the Hill -of Hiyei. - -When the two dances were over, the master of ceremonies called for a -dance from one of those who had been watching. A girl stepped forward -and said she would dance the "Dance of Tora Parting from Sukenari." -Then they called across to the man who had lost his wife (he was over -by the other waggon). "Come, you must dance now." "Forgive me, I cannot -dance." "Indeed you must dance." "Then I will dance the 'Dance of Tora -Parting from Sukenari.'" - -"But this dance," said the master of ceremonies, "is to be danced by a -girl on the other side. You must think of another dance." - - -MAN. - -I know no other dance. - - -MASTER OF CEREMONIES. - -Here's a pretty fix! Ha, I have it! Let's set the waggons side by side, -and the two of them shall dance their dance together. - -When they step up on to the waggons, the man finds that his partner is -the wife he was seeking for. They begin to dance the "Dance of Tora," -but soon break off to exchange happy greetings. The plays ends with a -great ballet of rejoicing. - - * * * * * - -There is one whole group of plays to which I have hitherto made no -reference: those in which a mother seeks for her lost child. Mrs. -Stopes has translated _Sumidagawa_, and Mr. Sansom, _Sakuragawa_. -Another well-known play of this kind is _Miidera_, a description of -which will be found in an appendix at the end of this book (p. 267). - - * * * * * - -A few other plays, such as _Nishikigi_, _Motomezuka_, and _Kinuta_, I -have omitted for lack of space and because it did not seem to me that I -could in any important way improve on existing versions of them. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[213] Sometimes called _Bijin-zoroye_ or _Bijin-zoroi_. - -[214] The cell of the Zen priest. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -KYOGEN - - - - -KYOGEN - -(FARCICAL INTERLUDE) - -THE BIRD-CATCHER IN HELL[215] - -(ESASHI JUO) - - -PERSONS - - _YAMA, KING OF HELL._ - _KIYOYORI, THE BIRD-CATCHER._ - _DEMONS._ - _CHORUS._ - - -YAMA. - - Yama the King of Hell comes forth to stand - At the Meeting of the Ways.[216] - - (_Shouting._) - -Yai, yai. Where are my minions? - - -DEMONS. - -Haa! Here we are. - - -YAMA. - -If any sinners come along, set upon them and drive them off to Hell. - - -DEMONS. - -We tremble and obey. - - (_Enter the bird-catcher_, KIYOYORI). - - -KIYOYORI. - - "All men are sinners." What have I to fear - More than the rest? - -My name is Kiyoyori the Bird-Catcher. I was very well known on the -Terrestrial Plane. But the span of my years came to its appointed -close; I was caught in the Wind of Impermanence; and here I am, -marching to the Sunless Land. - - Without a pang - I leave the world where I was wont to dwell, - The Temporal World. - Whither, oh whither have my feet carried me? - To the Six Ways already I have come. - -Why, here I am already at the meeting of the Six Ways of Existence. I -think on the whole I'll go to Heaven. - - -DEMON. - -Haha! That smells like a man. Why, sure enough here's a sinner coming. -We must report him. (_To_ YAMA.) Please, sir, here's the first sinner -arrived already! - - -YAMA. - -Then bustle him to Hell at once. - - -DEMON. - - "Hell is ever at hand,"[217] which is more than - Can be said of Heaven. (_Seizing_ KIYOYORI.) - Come on, now, come on! (KIYOYORI _resists_.) - Yai, yai! - Let me tell you, you're showing a great - Deal more spirit than most sinners do. - What was your job when you were on the - Terrestrial Plane? - - -KIYOYORI. - -I was Kiyoyori, the famous bird-catcher. - - -DEMON. - -Bird-catcher? That's bad. Taking life from morning to night. That's -very serious, you know. I am afraid you will have to go to Hell. - - -KIYOYORI. - -Really, I don't consider I'm as bad as all that. I should be very much -obliged if you would let me go to Heaven. - - -DEMON. - -We must ask King Yama about this. (_To_ YAMA.) Please sir--! - - -YAMA. - -Well, what is it? - - -DEMON. - -It's like this. The sinner says that on the Terrestrial Plane he was a -well-known bird-catcher. Now that means taking life all the time; it's -a serious matter, and he certainly ought to go to Hell. But when we -told him so, he said we'd entirely misjudged him. - -What had we better do about it? - - -YAMA. - -You'd better send him to me. - - -DEMON. - -Very well. (_To_ KIYOYORI.) Come along, King Yama says he'll see you -himself. - - -KIYOYORI. - -I'm coming. - - -DEMON. - -Here's that sinner you sent for. - - -YAMA. - -Listen to me, you sinner. I understand that when you were in the world -you spent your whole time snaring birds. You are a very bad man and -must go to Hell at once. - - -KIYOYORI. - -That's all very well. But the birds I caught were sold to gentlemen to -feed their falcons on; so there was really no harm in it. - - -YAMA. - -"Falcon" is another kind of bird, isn't it? - - -KIYOYORI. - -Yes, that's right. - - -YAMA. - -Well then, I really don't see that there _was_ much harm in it. - - -KIYOYORI. - -I see you take my view. It was the falcons who were to blame, not I. -That being so, I should be very much obliged if you would allow me to -go straight to Heaven. - - -YAMA (_reciting in the No style._) - - Then the great King of Hell-- - Because, though on the Hill of Death - Many birds flew, he had not tasted one, - "Come, take your pole," he cried, and here and now - Give us a demonstration of your art. - Then go in peace. - - -KIYOYORI. - - Nothing could be simpler. - I will catch a few birds and present them to you. - Then he took his pole, and crying - "To the hunt, to the hunt! ..." - - -CHORUS. - - "To the bird-hunt," he cried, - And suddenly from the steep paths of the southern side of the - Hill of Death - Many birds came flying. - Then swifter than sight his pole - Darted among them. - "I will roast them," he cried. - And when they were cooked, - "Please try one," and he offered them to the King. - - -YAMA (_greedily_). - -Let me eat it, let me eat it. - - (_Eats, smacking his lips_.) - -Well! I must say they taste uncommonly good! - - -KIYOYORI (_to the_ DEMONS). - -Perhaps you would like to try some? - - -DEMONS. - -Oh, thank you! (_They eat greedily and snatch._) I want that bit! No, -it's mine! What a flavour! - - -YAMA. - -I never tasted anything so nice. You have given us such a treat that -I am going to send you back to the world to go on bird-catching for -another three years. - - -KIYOYORI. - -I am very much obliged to you, I'm sure. - - -CHORUS. - - You shall catch many birds, - Pheasant, pigeon, heron and stork. - They shall not elude you, but fall - Fast into the fatal snare. - So he, reprieved, turned back towards the World; - But Yama, loth to see him go, bestowed - A jewelled crown, which Kiyoyori bore - Respectfully to the Terrestrial Plane, - There to begin his second span of life. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[215] _Kyogen Zenshu_, p. 541. This farce is a parody of such No-plays -as _Ukai_. - -[216] The Buddhist "Six Ways," _Rokudo_. - -[217] See _Ukai_, p. 127. - - - - -SHORT BIBLIOGRAPHY - - -EUROPEAN - - B. H. Chamberlain: _The Classical Poetry of the Japanese_, 1880 - (Rhymed paraphrases of _Sesshoseki_, _Kantan_, _Nakamitsu_ and part - of _Hagoromo_; translations of the farces _Honekawa_ and _Zazen_). - - The _Chrysanthemum_, 1882, Translation of _Hachi no Ki_. - - F. W. K. Mller in _Festschrift f. Adolf Bastian_, pp. 513-537, - _Ikkaku Sennin, eine mittelalterliche--Oper_, 1896. - - Aston, _History of Japanese Literature_, 1899. Osman Edwards: - _Japanese Plays and Playfellows_, 1901. (Refers to performances of - _Shunkwan_, _Koi no Omoni_, _Aoi no Uye_, _Benkei in the Boat_ and - _Tsuchigumo_.) - - F. Brinkley, _Japan_, III. 21-60, 1901-2. (Translates _Ataka_ and - the farce _Sannin Katawa_.) - - F. Victor Dickins, _Japanese Texts_, 1906. (Text and Translation of - _Takasago_). - - K. Florenz, _Geschichte d. Japanischen Literatur_, 1906. - (Translations of _Takasago_ and _Benkei in the Boat_; summaries - of _Ataka_, _Mochizuki_ and _Hanjo_. Translation of the farce - _Hagi-Daimyo_.) - - N. Pri: _Etudes sur le drame lyrique japonais, in Bulletin de - l'Ecole d'Extrme-Orient_, 1909-1913. (Includes translations of - _Oimatsu_, _Atsumori_, _Ohara Goko_, _Sotoba Komachi_ and _The - Damask Drum_.) - - G. B. Sansom: Translations of _Ataka_, _Benkei in the Boat_ and - _Sakuragawa_. - - H. L. Joly: Notes on masks, dances, etc., in _Transactions of Japan - Society_, 1912. - - M. Stopes: _Plays of Old Japan_, 1913. (Translations of - _Motomezuka_, _Kagekiyo_ and _Sumidagawa_; summary of _Tamura_.) - - E. Fenollosa and Ezra Pound: _Noh or Accomplishment_, 1916. - (Translations by E. F., adapted by E. P. Gives some account of - about twenty plays. The versions of E. F. seem to have been - fragmentary and inaccurate; but wherever Mr. Pound had adequate - material to work upon he has used it admirably.) - - See also general articles on the Japanese drama, such as A. Lloyd's - in _Trans._ of _Asiatic Society of Japan_, 1908. - - Yone Noguchi: _Twelve Kyogen_ (text and translation), 1911. - - M. A. Hincks: _The Japanese Dance_, 32 pp., 1910. - - -JAPANESE - -(_Only a few important works are selected_) - - _Kwadensho_: the _Later Kwadensho_ in 8 vols., first published c. - 1600. (The British Museum possesses what is apparently an early - eighteenth century reprint.) - - _No no Shiori_: by Owada Tateki, 6 vols. (Description of the _modus - operandi_ of 91 plays), 1903. - - _Yokyoku Hyoshaku_: edited by Owada Tateki, 9 vols., 1907-8. Texts - of about 270 plays, with commentary. Referred to by me as "Owada." - - _Nogaku Daijiten_: by Masada and Amaya, 2 vols. (Dictionary of No.) - - _Seami Juroku-bu Shu_: _Works_ of Seami, 1909. - - _Yokyoku Sosho_: edited by Y. Haga and N. Sasaki, 3 vols. (Texts of - about 500 plays with short notes. Referred to by me as "Haga.") - - _Zenchiku Shu_: _Works_ of Seami's son-in-law, 1917. - - _Kyogen Zenshu_: Complete Collection of Farces, 1910. - - _Jibyoshi Seigi_: Yamazaki Gakudo, 1915. (A study of No-rhythm.) - - _Yokyoku Kaisetsu_: No-plays explained in colloquial, by K. - Kawashima, 1913. - - Magazines such as _Nogaku Gwaho_, _Yokyokukai_, etc.; picture - postcards and albums of photographs such as _Nogaku Mandai Kagami_, - 1916. - - _Ryojin Hissho_: Folk-songs collected in 12th century and - rediscovered in 1911. - - - - -APPENDIX I - -MODERN NO LETTERS FROM JAPAN - - -The fact that No did not disappear with the overthrow of the Shogun -in 1863 was almost solely due to the efforts of Umewaka Minoru -(1828-1909), whose ancestors had for generations played _tsure_ parts -in the Kwanze theatre. When the Mikado was restored in 1868 Kiyotaka, -head of the Kwanze line, was convinced that an art so intimately -connected with the Shogunate must perish with it, and fled to Shizuoka -where the fallen Shogun was living in retreat. - -Minoru alone remained behind, built himself a theatre[218] (1869-70) -and "manned his lonely rampart." When confidence was re-established -the other "troupes" soon returned, so that henceforward five theatres -existed, the four of earlier days and that of Umewaka as a fifth. -Minoru was succeeded by his brilliant sons, Mansaburo and Rokuro, who -in 1919 opened a new Umewaka theatre. As a compliment to the Umewaka -family and a tribute to its services, actors of the three other -"schools" took part in the opening ceremony, but the Kwanzes refused -to do so. The dispute turns on the right to grant certificates of -efficiency (_menjo_) which, according to the Kwanzes' claim, belongs -only to Motoshige, the head of their school. Such certificates have, in -fact, been issued successively by Minoru, his sons and the "renegade" -Kwanze Tetsunojo, who sides with the Umewaka. The validity of Minoru's -certificates was, I believe, never disputed during his lifetime. - -To complete this note on modern No I include the following extracts -from letters written in 1916 by Mr. Oswald Sickert to Mr. Charles -Ricketts. The sender and recipient of the letters both authorized me -to use them, and for this permission I am deeply grateful. But I wish -that Mr. Sickert, whose memories of No must already be a little dimmed, -had had the leisure to write a book of his own on the two dramatic arts -that so deeply interested him in Japan, the No and the Kabuki. - - "It's odd if people describe the No performance as a thing that - is simple or unsophisticated or unelaborated. The poem, to begin - with, is not simple, but it has a lyrical slenderness which - wouldn't one would say, lead anybody to think of going such lengths - as to distribute its recitation among a chorus and actors, thus - requiring perhaps eleven men to say the words, with two or three - drums and a flute added, and masks and costumes fit for a museum - and angelic properties, and special stages, and attendants to wipe, - in this hot weather, the sweat from immovable hands and from under - chins. The volume of what goes to a performance is large, but it's - all cut down outwardly and bent inwards. As for the recitation, the - first necessity is to eliminate direct expressiveness in the saying - of the words. This seems obvious in the saying of any good poetry. - The chorus chants (it's rather like a Gregorian chant), the actors - intone. Both may come to singing, only not with any tune that might - carry you off by itself. Yet, within the limitations of intoning, - with some turns, the actor taking the women's parts will achieve a - pitch of pathetic intensity beyond the reach of one who sings words - to an air that has an existence of its own, or who recites with - meaning. The No actor is not directly expressive, it's always the - poem he is doing and throwing you back on. - - "I suppose the mask may have originated in a priest's needing - to impersonate an angel or a beautiful girl, or an evil spirit; - but its justification, as against make-up, is absolute for the - No purpose. I saw in the same week _Funa Benkei_, adapted for - the theatre, at the Imperial and on a No stage. At the theatre, - the part of Shizuka, the mistress whom Yoshitsune the pursued - young lord is persuaded to send away, was taken by Baiko. It was - one of his nights, and all the evening, as three different women - and a ghost, he was so that I shall not again ever so much care - about a beautiful woman taken by a beautiful woman. But in the - theatre version of _Funa Benkei_, Shizuka wore no mask, and when - she pleaded, Baiko, of course, acted; it was charming; but Heaven - knows what _words_ he was saying--certainly he was not turning the - mind of his audience in upon any masterpiece of words, rhythm and - poetical fancy. He was acting the situation. The No performer, on - the other hand, is intensifying the poet's fancy. From sight of the - masks hung up alone, I had not imagined how well their mixture of - vacancy and realism would do the trick. The masks are not wayward, - not extravagant (even the devil's masks are realistic); but they - are undoubtedly masks tied on with a band, and they effect the - purpose of achieving an impassive countenance of a cast suited to - the character--impassive save that, with a good actor and a mask of - a beautiful woman that just hits off the balance between too much - and too little physiognomy, I'd swear that at the right moments - the mask is affected, its expression intensifies, it lives. - - "The costumes are tremendous, elaborate, often priceless heirlooms; - but again they are not extravagant, 'on their own,' being all - distinctly hieratic (as indeed is the whole performance, a feature - historically deriving, maybe, from its original source among - priests, but just what one would desiderate if one were creating - a No performance out of the blue), because the hieratic helps to - create and maintain a host of restrictions and conventions which - good taste alone, even in Japan, could scarcely have preserved - against the fatal erosion of reason. - - "The masked actors of beautiful women are stuffed out and by some - device increase the appearance of height, though all go in socks - and apparently with bent knees. The great masked figure, gliding - without lifting the heels, but with all the more appearance of - swiftness, to the front of the stage, is the most ecstatic thing - to sit under, and the most that a man can do to act what people - mean by 'poetical,' something removed from reality but not remote, - fascinating so that you fall in love with it, but more than you - would care to trifle with. This movement occurs in the dances - which come in some plays--I think always as dances by characters - invited to dance--and which are the best moments for the stranger, - since then alone does the rhythm of the drums become regular - enough for him to recognize it. For that is really, I am sure, - the bottom essential of the No representation--the rhythm marked - by two drums. For quite long intervals nothing else occurs. No - actor is on the stage, no word is uttered, but the sharp rap - sounds with the thimbled finger as on a box and the stumpy little - thud of the bare hands follows, or coincides, from the second - drum and both players give a crooning whoop. In some way, which - I can't catch, that rhythm surely plays into the measure of the - recitation when it comes and into the movements of the actors - when they come. You know how people everywhere will persist in - justifying the admirable in an art on the ground of the beautiful - ideas it presents. So my friends tell me the drum beats suggest - the travelling of the pilgrim who is often the hinge of the - episode. I feel like a Japanese who wants to know whether a sonnet - has any particular number of lines, and any order for its rhymes - and repeats, and gets disquisitions on Shakespeare's fancy which - might also apply to a speech in blank verse. Anyway, it is ever - so evident that the musicians do something extremely difficult - and tricky. The same musicians don't seem to play on through the - three pieces which make a programme. As they have no book (and - don't even look at each other), they must know the performance by - heart, and the stranger's attention is often called by a friend - to one or the other who is specially famous for his skill. Some - one tried to explain the relation between the musicians and the - actors by saying that a perpetual sort of contest went on between - them. Certainly there seems to be in a No performance some common - goal which has to be strained for every time, immensely practised - though the performers are. During the dance this drum rhythm speeds - up to a felt time, and at moments of great stress, as when an - avenging ghost swims on with a spear, a third drum, played with - sticks, comes in with rapid regular beats, louder and softer. - Sometimes when the beats are not so followable, but anyway quicker - in succession, I seem to make out that they must be involving - themselves in some business of syncopation, or the catching up and - outstripping of a slow beat by a quicker one. But the ordinary - beats are too far apart for me to feel any rhythm yet. - - "The best single moment I have seen was the dance of thanks to the - fisherman who returns to the divine lady the Hagoromo, the robe - without which even an angel cannot fly. It seemed to me an example - of the excellent rule in art that, if a right thing is perhaps - rather dull or monotonous lasting five minutes, you will not cure - the defect by cutting the performance to two and a half minutes; - rather give it ten minutes. If it's still perhaps rather dull, try - twenty minutes or an hour. This presupposes that your limitations - are right and that you _are_ exploiting them. The thing may seem - dull at first because at first it is the limitations the spectator - feels; but the more these are exploited the less they are felt to - be limitations, and the more they become a medium. The divine lady - returned on her steps at great length and fully six times after - I had thought I could not bear it another moment. She went on for - twenty minutes, perhaps, or an hour or a night; I lost count of - time; but I shall not recover from the longing she left when at - last she floated backwards and under the fatal uplifted curtain. - The movements, even in the dance, are very restricted if one tries - to describe or relate them, but it may be true, as they say, that - the No actor works at an intense and concentrated pitch of all his - thoughts and energies, and this tells through his impassive face - or mask and all his clothes and his slow movements. Certainly the - longer I looked at the divine lady, the more she seemed to me to - be in action, though sometimes the action, if indeed there, was - so slight that it could be that she had worked us up to the fine - edge of noticing her breathing. There was only one memorable quick - motion in the dance, the throwing of the stiff deep gauze sleeve - over the head, over the crown with its lotus and bell tassels. My - wife has no inclination to deceive herself with the fascination - of what she can't explain, and she agreed that this was the most - beautiful thing that had ever been seen. - - "You will see the two drum players in many of the cards. With them - sits the player on the fue, a transverse flute, who joins in at - moments with what often is, if you take it down, the same phrase, - though it sounds varied as the player is not often exactly on any - note that you _can_ take down. The dropping of the flute's note at - the end of the phrase, which before always went up, is the nearest - approach to the 'curtain' of the theatre. It is very touching. The - poem has come to an end. The figures turn and walk off.... - - "I have been to more No performances, always with increasing - recognition of the importance attaching to the beat, a subject on - which I have got some assurance from an expert kindly directed to - me by a friend. From beginning to end, all the words of every No - play fit into an 8-beat measure, and a performer who sat in the - dark, tapping the measure while skilfully weaving in the words, - would give a No audience the essential ground of its pleasure. If - they are not actually being followed on books, in which they are - printed as ticks alongside the text, the beats are going on inside - (often to the finger tips of) all the people whom I notice to be - regular attendants at No performances. I saw a play (not a good - one) at the Kabukiza in which a No master refuses a pupil a secret - in his art. For some reason the pupil attaches importance to being - shown the way in this difficult point. The master's daughter takes - poison and, in fulfilment of her dying request, the master consents - to show the pupil. It was no subtlety of gesture, no matter of - voice or mask, that brought things to such straits. The master - knelt at his desk, and, beating with his fan, began reciting a - passage, showing how the words were distributed in the beat. - - "It is very seldom that every beat in the eight is marked by a - drum. I don't think this happens save in those plays where the - taiko (the real drum played with sticks) takes part, generally - in an important or agitated dance. In the ordinary course, only - certain of the eight beats are marked by the two players on the - tsuzumi (one held on the knee, the other over the shoulder). The - Japanese get much more out of subtleties of rhythm (or, rather, out - of playing hide-and-seek with one simple rhythm) than we do and - are correspondingly lax about the interval between one note and - another. I don't believe a European would have thought of dividing - the drum beats between two instruments. It must be horribly tricky - to do. This division gives variety, for the big tsuzumi yields a - clack and the small yields something between a whop and a thud. - - "As for masks, one would have to see very many performances, I - fancy, and think a lot, before one got on to any philosophy of - their fascination and effectiveness. I am always impressed by the - realism, the naturalness of the No mask. It is not fanciful in - any obvious sense. After a few performances, I found I knew when - a mask was a particularly good one. My preferences turned out to - be precious heirlooms two hundred years old. In one instance when, - for a reason I don't yet understand, Rokuro changed his mask after - death for another of the same cast, I could not say why the first - was better than the second--certainly not for a pleasanter surface, - for it was shining like lacquer; I noticed the features were more - pronounced. We were allowed the thrill of being let into the room - of the mirror, immediately behind the curtain, and saw Rokuro - have his mask fitted and make his entry after a last touch by his - brother Mansaburo. These brothers are Umewaka, belong to the Kwanze - School, and have a stage of their own. I am told that my preference - for them is natural to a beginner and that later one likes as - much, or better, the more masculine style of the Hosho. At present - Nagashi (Matsumoto), the chief performer of this school (which has - a lovely stage and a very aristocratic clientle), seems to me - like an upright gentleman who has learned his lesson, while Rokuro - and Mansaburo are actors. Both brothers have beautiful voices. The - Hosho people speak with a thickness in the throat. But I know it is - absurd for me to feel critical about anything. Moreover, Rokuro and - Nagashi would not take the same parts. - - "MIIDERA. A mother, crazed by the straying away of her little boy, - is advised by a neighbour any way to go to Otsu, for there stands - the temple of Mii which she had seen in a dream. - - "The priests of Miidera, with the little boy among them, are out in - the temple yard viewing the full autumn moon. The attendant tolls - the great bell, whose lovely note wavers long over the lake below. - The mad mother appears on the scene, and, drawn to the bell, makes - to toll it. The head priest forbids her. There follows an argument - full of bell lore, and its effect on troubled hearts. She tolls the - bell, and mother and son recognize each other. - - "One of the cards I sent shows the mother tolling the bell. She - comes on first in a red flowered robe, is advised by the neighbour - and goes off. The priests come on. The sounding of the bell is - the hinge of everything, a thing of great sentiment. As it is, in - reality, one of the most touching things in the world, it seemed - to me clever that there was no attempt to represent it. On the - contrary, the action centred in the toller, a cheery old gossiper - used to the job, who more or less spat on his hands and said Heave - ho as he swung the imaginary horizontal beam. Only when he had - done so, he continued his Heave ho in a kind of long echoing hum. - Then he danced. The mad mother came on in another dress, very - strange, light mauve gauze over white, no pattern, and the bough - in her hand. Why, when the old man had already tolled, for one's - imagination, a non-existent bell in the real way with a heavy - beam, the mother should actually pull a coloured ribbon tied to an - elaborate toy, it is hard to say. But it is right. - - "I saw this taken by Mansaburo, who, like his brother Rokuro, has - a beautiful voice. The singing is so unlike ours, that at first - one feels nothing about it. But after three or four performances - one notices, and I recognized the beauty of both these brothers' - voices before I knew they were brothers, or, indeed, that they were - noted in any way. In fact I was still in the state when I had not - yet realized that one might come to discussing the merits of these - players hidden in robes and masks as hotly as one discusses the - qualities of the favourites on the ordinary theatre. - - "I don't know if you know about the curtain. Every subsidiary - detail of the performance possesses, I don't know how to say, but - a solidity. It's there. God knows how it came there; but there it - is, and it's not a contrivance, not an 'idea.' The entry to the - stage, as you know, is by a narrow gallery, beside which three - little pine-trees rise like mile-stones. This gallery ends with a - single heavy curtain, which does not rise as ours do, or draw aside - or fall as in the Japanese theatre. It sweeps back, only bellying a - little. It is, in fact, as I saw when I was allowed behind, lifted - by poles fixed to the bottom corners. - - "The poles are raised rapidly by two men kneeling a good way - behind. Suddenly the curtain blows back as by a wind, and the - expected figure, whom you know must be coming or something, i. e. - suspense is prepared by what has already happened, is framed in the - opening, and there pauses an instant. I am speaking, not of the - first entry, but of the second one, when the person who aroused the - pilgrim-visitor's curiosity as a temple-sweeper or a water-carrier, - and vanished, reappears as the great General or princely Prime - Minister he once was. The stage-wait necessitated by the change of - costume and mask is filled in by an interminable sayer of short - lines, with the same number of feet, each line detached from the - next as if the speaker were going from one afterthought to another. - He is a bystander--perhaps a shepherd in one play and a fisherman - in another--who knows something, and dilates on it to fill in time. - The musicians lay aside their drums. Everybody just waits. Up - sweeps the curtain, and with the re-entry of the revealed personage - comes the intenser and quicker second part for which the slow first - part was a preparation." - -FOOTNOTE: - -[218] Or, according to Fenollosa, bought a stage belonging to an -ex-daimyo. - - - - -APPENDIX II - - -Some of the facts brought to light by the discovery of Seami's -_Works_:-- - - (1) It had long been suspected that the current _Kwadensho_ was not - the work of Seami. The discovery of the real _Kwadensho_ has made - this certain. - - (2) Traditional dates of Kwanami and Seami corrected. - - (3) It was supposed that only the music of the plays was written by - their nominal authors. The words were vaguely attributed to "Zen - Priests." We now know that in most cases Kwanami and Seami played - the triple part of author,[219] musical composer and actor. - - (4) It was doubted whether in the fourteenth century Sarugaku had - already become a serious dramatic performance. We now know that it - then differed little (and in respect of seriousness not at all) - from No as it exists to-day. - - (5) It was supposed that the Chorus existed from the beginning. We - now learn from Seami that it was a novelty in 1430. Its absence - must have been the chief feature which distinguished the Sarugaku - of the fourteenth century from the No of to-day. - - (6) Numerous passages prove that No at its zenith was not an - exclusively aristocratic art. The audiences were very varied. - - (7) Seami gives details about the musical side of the plays - as performed in the fourteenth century. These passages, as is - confessed even by the great No-scholar, Suzuki Choko, could be - discussed only by one trained in No-music. - -FOOTNOTE: - -[219] Or rather "arranger," for in many instances he adapted already -existing Dengaku or Kowaka. - - - * * * * * - - -Transcriber's Note - - -The play "Haku Rakuten" has an Act II, but no Act I. - -Illustrations have been moved next to the text which they illustrate. -and may not match the locations in the List of Illustrations. - -All instances of "i.e." have been regularised to "i. e.". - - -p. 2 "_New York Herald_" changed to "_New York Herald_." - -p. 14 "_kyogen's seat_." changed to "_kyogen's_ seat." - -p. 19 "translated on p. 134" changed to "translated on p. 100" - -p. 22 (note) "p. 268" changed to "p. 32" - -p. 24 "may mimed" changed to "may be mimed" - -p. 32 "Myoho" changed to ""Myoho" - -p. 32 "p. 227" changed to "p. 229" - -p. 35 "p. 224" changed to "p. 226" - -p. 37 "p. 224" changed to "p. 226" - -p. 37 "p. 225" changed to "p. 227" - -p. 38 The lines "REAPER. / And music of many instruments ..." were -printed in reverse order. - -p. 74 The lines "from Heaven. And here you are shedding tears over it! -What is the / matter?" were printed in reverse order. - -p. 79 "assauit" changed to "assault" - -p. 79 The lines "Roll, The Blade Drop, The Gnashing Lion, The -Maple-Leaf Double, / The Flower Double." were printed in reverse order. - -p. 83 "p. 142" changed to "p. 142)" - -p. 91 "loking" changed to "looking" - -p. 97 "chiefly!" changed to "chiefly!"" - -p. 106 (note) "p. 246" changed to "p. 148)" - -p. 110 "warriers" changed to "warriors" - -p. 119 ""without" changed to ""without"" - -p. 127 "comorant-fisher" changed to "cormorant-fisher" - -p. 145 "Rukujo" changed to "Rokujo" - -p. 163 "Pillow of Kantan." changed to "Pillow of Kantan."" - -p. 167 "intent." changed to "intent."" - -p. 190 "City" changed to "City." - -p. 197 "_Enter the_ ACOLYTE" changed to "_Enter the_ ACOLYTE." - -p. 201 "speak-" changed to "speaking" - -p. 220 "work" changed to "word" - -p. 230 "it is my" changed to "it in my" - -p. 237 "HIS SECOND WIFE." changed to "_HIS SECOND WIFE._" - -p. 240 "litttle" changed to "little" - -p. 248 "footbball ballet" changed to "football ballet" - -p. 249 "disappeared." changed to "disappeared."" - -p. 251 "Mr Sansom" changed to "Mr. Sansom" - -p. 251 "(p. 265)" changed to "(p. 267)" - -p. 256 (note) "p. 169" changed to "p. 127" - -p. 260 "History of _Japanese Literature_" changed to "_History of -Japanese Literature_" - -p. 268 "The poles" changed to ""The poles" - - -The following possible errors have not been changed: - -p. 137 upon him - -p. 137 turned, - -p. 161 chrysanthem-dew - - -The following are used inconsistently in the text: - -Bijinzoroye and Bijin-zoroye - -bowstring and bow-string - -framework and frame-work - -Is and Ise - -Kntn and Kantan - -reborn and re-born - -seagulls and sea-gulls - -seaweed and sea-weed - -springtime and spring-time - -Yuya and Yuya - - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The No Plays of Japan, by -Arthur Waley and Motokiyo Seami - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NO PLAYS OF JAPAN *** - -***** This file should be named 43304-8.txt or 43304-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/3/3/0/43304/ - -Produced by Henry Flower and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries and HathiTrust) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: The Nō Plays of Japan - -Author: Arthur Waley - Motokiyo Seami - -Release Date: July 26, 2013 [EBook #43304] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NŌ PLAYS OF JAPAN *** - - - - -Produced by Henry Flower and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries and HathiTrust) - - - - - - -</pre> - +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43304 ***</div> <div class="center transnote"> The cover image was produced by the transcriber using an illustration from the book, and is placed in the public domain.</div> @@ -13970,387 +13930,6 @@ Dengaku or Kōwaka.</p></div></div> </div> - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Nō Plays Of Japan, by -Arthur Waley and Motokiyo Seami - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NŌ PLAYS OF JAPAN *** - -***** This file should be named 43304-h.htm or 43304-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/3/3/0/43304/ - -Produced by Henry Flower and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries and HathiTrust) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: The No Plays of Japan - -Author: Arthur Waley - Motokiyo Seami - -Release Date: July 26, 2013 [EBook #43304] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NO PLAYS OF JAPAN *** - - - - -Produced by Henry Flower and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries and HathiTrust) - - - - - - - - - - THE - NO PLAYS - OF JAPAN - - - - -_TRANSLATIONS BY ARTHUR WALEY_ - - -A HUNDRED AND SEVENTY CHINESE POEMS - - "No better translations have appeared of Chinese poetry. He - has given the real feeling of Chinese poetry, its clarity, its - suggestion, its perfect humanity." - - --AMY LOWELL. - - "A magnificent volume." - - --JAMES L. FORD, _New York Herald_. - - -MORE TRANSLATIONS FROM THE CHINESE - - "To those fortunate people who could and did enjoy _A Hundred and - Seventy Chinese Poems_ I would recommend _More Translations from - the Chinese_." - - --_Baltimore Evening Sun._ - - -_At all booksellers' or from the Publisher_ - -_ALFRED A. KNOPF, New York_ - -[Illustration: YOUNG WOMAN'S MASK] - - - - - THE NO PLAYS OF - JAPAN - - BY - ARTHUR WALEY - - NEW YORK - ALFRED . A . KNOPF - 1922 - - - - - COPYRIGHT, 1922 - BY ARTHUR WALEY - - _Published March, 1922_ - - - _Set up and printed by the Vail-Ballou Co., Binghamton, N. Y._ - _Paper furnished by W. F. Etherington & Co., New York, N. Y._ - _Bound by the Plimpton Press, Norwood, Mass._ - - - MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - - - - - TO - DOAMI - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PAGE - - KEY TO PLANS 12, 14 - PLANS 13, 15 - INTRODUCTION 17-29 - NOTE ON BUDDHISM 30-32 - - CHAPTER I - ATSUMORI 36-44 - IKUTA 45-50 - TSUNEMASA 51-56 - - CHAPTER II - KUMASAKA 60-68 - EBOSHI-ORI 69-80 - BENKEI ON THE BRIDGE 81-86 - - CHAPTER III - KAGEKIYO 89-99 - HACHI NO KI 100-112 - SOTOBA KOMACHI 113-124 - - CHAPTER IV - UKAI 127-133 - AYA NO TSUZUMI 134-141 - AOI NO UYE 142-151 - - CHAPTER V - KANTAN 155-164 - THE HOKA PRIESTS 165-175 - HAGOROMO 176-184 - - CHAPTER VI - TANIKO 185-193 - IKENIYE 194-200 - HATSUYUKI 201-204 - HAKU RAKUTEN 205-213 - - CHAPTER VII - SUMMARIES 217-249 - - CHAPTER VIII - FARCE (KYOGEN) 253-257 - - SHORT BIBLIOGRAPHY 258-259 - - APPENDICES 260-268 - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS - - - YOUNG WOMAN'S MASK _Frontispiece_ - FACING PAGE - YOUNG MAN'S MASK 70 - DEMON MASK 152 - THE ANGEL IN _HAGOROMO_ 176 - IZUTSU 216 - THE DRAGON LADY IN _AMA_ 234 - YUYA READING THE LETTER 238 - YAMAUBA (THE LADY OF THE MOUNTAINS) 244 - - -[Illustration: KEY TO PLAN I - -THEATRE SET UP IN THE RIVER-BED AT KYOTO IN 1464; ONAMI'S TROUPE -ACTED ON IT FOR THREE DAYS "WITH IMMENSE SUCCESS." - - A The Shogun. - B His attendants. - C His litter. - D His wife. - E Her ladies. - F Her litter. - G Auditorium. - H Stage. - I Musicians. - J _Hashigakari._ - K _Gakuya_, served as actors' dressing-room and musicians' room. -] - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration: KEY TO PLAN II - -MODERN STAGE - - A The Stage. - - B The _shite's_ Pillar. - - C _Shite's_ seat, also called "Name-saying seat." - - D _Metsuke-bashira_, Pillar on which the actor fixes his eye. - - E _Sumi_, the corner. - - F _Waki's_ Pillar, also called the Prime Minister's Pillar. - - G _Waki's_ seat. - - H _Waki's_ direction-point. (The point he faces when in his normal - position.) - - I Flute-player's Pillar. - - J _Atoza_, the Behind-space. - - K _Kagami-ita_, the back-wall with the pine-tree painted on it. - - L The musicians. (Represented by the four small circles.) - - M The stage-attendant's place. (A stage-hand in plain clothes who - fetches and carries.) - - N _Kirido_, "Hurry-door," also called "Forgetting-door" and - "Stomach-ache-door"; used by the chorus and occasionally by actors - making a hurried exit. _Vide_ _Hokazo_, p. 205. - - O Chorus, the leader sits near P. - - P The Nobles' door (now seldom used). - - Q The _Hashigakari_. - - R The _kyogen's seat_. - - S The three pine-branches. - - T _Shirasu_, a gravel-path. - - U _Kizahashi_, steps from stage to auditorium, formerly used by an - actor summoned to speak with the Shogun. - - V Actors' dressing-room. - - W Curtain between Q and V. - - X Dressing-room window. - - Y Musicians' room.] - -[Illustration] - - - - -INTRODUCTION - - -The theatre of the West is the last stronghold of realism. No one -treats painting or music as mere transcripts of life. But even pioneers -of stage-reform in France and Germany appear to regard the theatre as -belonging to life and not to art. The play is an organized piece of -human experience which the audience must as far as possible be allowed -to share with the actors. - -A few people in America and Europe want to go in the opposite -direction. They would like to see a theatre that aimed boldly at -stylization and simplification, discarding entirely the pretentious -lumber of 19th century stageland. That such a theatre exists and has -long existed in Japan has been well-known here for some time. But -hitherto very few plays have been translated in such a way as to give -the Western reader an idea of their literary value. It is only through -accurate scholarship that the "soul of No" can be known to the West. -Given a truthful rendering of the texts the American reader will supply -for himself their numerous connotations, a fact which Japanese writers -do not always sufficiently realize. The Japanese method of expanding a -five-line poem into a long treatise in order to make it intelligible to -us is one which obliterates the structure of the original design. Where -explanations are necessary they have been given in footnotes. I have -not thought it necessary to point out (as a Japanese critic suggested -that I ought to have done) that, for example, the "mood" of _Komachi_ -is different from the "mood" of _Kumasaka_. Such differences will be -fully apparent to the American reader, who would not be the better off -for knowing the technical name of each _kurai_ or class of No. Surely -the Japanese student of Shakespeare does not need to be told that the -_kurai_ of "Hamlet" is different from that of "Measure for Measure"? - -It would be possible to burden a book of this kind with as great a mass -of unnecessary technicality as irritates us in a smart sale-catalogue -of Japanese Prints. I have avoided such terms to a considerable extent, -treating the plays as literature, not as some kind of Delphic mystery. - -In this short introduction I shall not have space to give a complete -description of modern No, nor a full history of its origins. But the -reader of the translations will find that he needs some information -on these points. I have tried to supply it as concisely as possible, -sometimes in a schematic rather than a literary form. - -These are some of the points about which an American reader may wish to -know more: - - -(1) THE NO STAGE. - -Something of its modern form may be seen from Plate II and from the -plans on pp. 10-13. The actual stage (A) is about 18 feet square. On -the boards of the back wall is painted a pine-tree; the other sides -are open. A gallery (called _hashigakari_) leads to the green-room, -from which it is separated by a curtain which is raised to admit the -actor when he makes his entry. The audience sit either on two or three -sides of the stage. The chorus, generally in two rows, sit (or rather -squat) in the recess (O). The musicians sit in the recess (J) at the -back of the stage, the stick-drum nearest the "gallery," then the two -hand-drums and the flute. A railing runs round the musician's recess, -as also along the gallery. To the latter railing are attached three -real pine-branches, marked S in the plan. They will be seen in Plate -II. The stage is covered by a roof of its own, imitating in form the -roof of a Shinto temple. - - -(2) THE PERFORMERS. - -(_a_) _The Actors._ - -The first actor who comes on to the stage (approaching from the -gallery) is the _waki_ or assistant. His primary business is to explain -the circumstances under which the principal actor (called _shite_ or -"doer") came to dance the central dance of the play. Each of these main -actors (_waki_ and _shite_) has "adjuncts" or "companions." - -Some plays need only the two main actors. Others use as many as ten or -even twelve. The female roles are of course taken by men. The _waki_ is -always a male role. - -(_b_) _The Chorus._ - -This consists of from eight to twelve persons in ordinary native dress -seated in two rows at the side of the stage. Their sole function is to -sing an actor's words for him when his dance-movements prevent him -from singing comfortably. They enter by a side-door before the play -begins and remain seated till it is over. - -(_c_) _The Musicians._ - -Nearest to the gallery sits the "big-drum," whose instrument rests on -the ground and is played with a stick. This stick-drum is not used in -all plays. - -Next comes a hand-drummer who plays with thimbled finger; next a second -who plays with the bare hand. - -Finally, the flute. It intervenes only at stated intervals, -particularly at the beginning, climax and end of plays. - - -COSTUME. - -Though almost wholly banishing other extrinsic aids, the No relies -enormously for its effects on gorgeous and elaborate costume. Some -references to this will be found in Oswald Sickert's letters at the end -of my book. - -Masks are worn only by the _shite_ (principal actor) and his -subordinates. The _shite_ always wears a mask if playing the part of a -woman or very old man. Young men, particularly warriors, are usually -unmasked. In child-parts (played by boy-actors) masks are not worn. The -reproduction of a female mask will be found on Plate I. The masks are -of wood. Many of those still in use are of great antiquity and rank as -important specimens of Japanese sculpture. - - -PROPERTIES. - -The properties of the No stage are of a highly conventionalized kind. -An open frame-work represents a boat; another differing little from it -denotes a chariot. Palace, house, cottage, hovel are all represented -by four posts covered with a roof. The fan which the actor usually -carries often does duty as a knife, brush or the like. Weapons are more -realistically represented. The short-sword, belt-sword, pike, spear and -Chinese broad-sword are carried; also bows and arrows. - - -DANCING AND ACTING. - -Every No play (with, I think, the sole exception of _Hachi no Ki_, -translated on p. 100) includes a _mai_ or dance, consisting usually -of slow steps and solemn gestures, often bearing little resemblance -to what is in America associated with the word "dance." When the -_shite_ dances, his dance consists of five "movements" or parts; a -"subordinate's" dance consists of three. Both in the actors' miming and -in the dancing an important element is the stamping of beats with the -shoeless foot. - - -THE PLAYS. - -The plays are written partly in prose, partly in verse. The prose -portions serve much the same purpose as the iambics in a Greek play. -They are in the Court or upper-class colloquial of the 14th century, a -language not wholly dead to-day, as it is still the language in which -people write formal letters. - -The chanting of these portions is far removed from singing; yet they -are not "spoken." The voice falls at the end of each sentence in a -monotonous cadence. - -A prose passage often gradually heightens into verse. The chanting, -which has hitherto resembled the intoning of a Roman Catholic priest, -takes on more of the character of "recitativo" in opera, occasionally -attaining to actual song. The verse of these portions is sometimes -irregular, but on the whole tends to an alternation of lines of five -and seven syllables. - -The verse of the lyric portions is marked by frequent use of -pivot-words[1] and puns, particularly puns on place-names. The 14th -century No-writer, Seami, insists that pivot-words should be used -sparingly and with discretion. Many No-writers did not follow this -advice; but the use of pivot-words is not in itself a decoration more -artificial than rhyme, and I cannot agree with those European writers -to whom this device appears puerile and degraded. Each language must -use such embellishments as suit its genius. - -Another characteristic of the texts is the use of earlier literary -material. Many of the plays were adapted from dance-ballads already -existing and even new plays made use of such poems as were associated -in the minds of the audience with the places or persons named in the -play. Often a play is written round a poem or series of poems, as will -be seen in the course of this book. - -This use of existing material exceeds the practice of Western -dramatists; but it must be remembered that if we were to read Webster, -for example, in editions annotated as minutely as the No-plays, we -should discover that he was far more addicted to borrowing than we -had been aware. It seems to me that in the finest plays this use of -existing material is made with magnificent effect and fully justifies -itself. - -The reference which I have just made to dance-ballads brings us to -another question. What did the No-plays grow out of? - - -ORIGINS. - -No as we have it to-day dates from about the middle of the 14th -century. It was a combination of many elements. - -These were: - -(1) Sarugaku, a masquerade which relieved the solemnity of Shinto -ceremonies. What we call No was at first called Sarugaku no No. - -(2) Dengaku, at first a rustic exhibition of acrobatics and jugglery; -later, a kind of opera in which performers alternately danced and -recited. - -(3) Various sorts of recitation, ballad-singing, etc. - -(4) The Chinese dances practised at the Japanese Court. - -No owes its present form to the genius of two men. Kwanami Kiyotsugu -(1333-1384 A. D.) and his son Seami Motokiyo (1363-1444 A. -D.).[2] - -Kwanami was a priest of the Kasuga Temple near Nara. About 1375 the -Shogun Yoshimitsu saw him performing in a Sarugaku no No at the New -Temple (one of the three great temples of Kumano) and immediately took -him under his protection. - -This Yoshimitsu had become ruler of Japan in 1367 at the age of ten. -His family had seized the Shogunate in 1338 and wielded absolute power -at Kyoto, while two rival Mikados, one in the north and one in the -south, held impotent and dwindling courts. - -The young Shogun distinguished himself by patronage of art and letters; -and by his devotion to the religion of the Zen Sect.[3] It is probable -that when he first saw Kwanami he also became acquainted with the son -Seami, then a boy of twelve. - -A diary of the period has the following entry for the 7th day of the -6th month, 1368: - - For some while Yoshimitsu has been making a favourite of a - Sarugaku-boy from Yamato, sharing the same meat and eating from the - same vessels. These Sarugaku people are mere mendicants, but he - treats them as if they were Privy Counsellors. - -From this friendship sprang the art of No as it exists to-day. Of Seami -we know far more than of his father Kwanami. For Seami left behind him -a considerable number of treatises and autobiographical fragments.[4] -These were not published till 1908 and have not yet been properly -edited. They establish, among other things, the fact that Seami wrote -both words and music for most of the plays in which he performed. It -had before been supposed that the texts were supplied by the Zen[5] -priests. For other information brought to light by the discovery of -Seami's _Works_ see Appendix II. - - -YUGEN - -It is obvious that Seami was deeply imbued with the teachings of -Zen, in which cult his patron Yoshimitsu may have been his master. -The difficult term _yugen_ which occurs constantly in the _Works_ is -derived from Zen literature. It means "what lies beneath the surface"; -the subtle as opposed to the obvious; the hint, as opposed to the -statement. It is applied to the natural grace of a boy's movements, -to the restraint of a nobleman's speech and bearing. "When notes fall -sweetly and flutter delicately to the ear," that is the _yugen_ of -music. The symbol of _yugen_ is "a white bird with a flower in its -beak." "To watch the sun sink behind a flower-clad hill, to wander on -and on in a huge forest with no thought of return, to stand upon the -shore and gaze after a boat that goes hid by far-off islands, to ponder -on the journey of wild-geese seen and lost among the clouds"--such are -the gates to _yugen_. - -I will give a few specimens of Seami's advice to his pupils: - - -PATRONS - -The actor should not stare straight into the faces of the audience, but -look between them. When he looks in the direction of the Daimyos he -must not let his eyes meet theirs, but must slightly avert his gaze. - -At Palace-performances or when acting at a banquet, he must not let -his eyes meet those of the Shogun or stare straight into the Honourable -Face. When playing in a large enclosure he must take care to keep -as close as possible to the side where the Nobles are sitting; if -in a small enclosure, as far off as possible. But particularly in -Palace-performances and the like he must take the greatest pains to -keep as far away as he possibly can from the August Presence. - -Again, when the recitations are given at the Palace it is equally -essential to begin at the right moment. It is bad to begin too soon and -fatal to delay too long. - -It sometimes happens that the "noble gentlemen" do not arrive at the -theatre until the play has already reached its Development and Climax. -In such cases the play is at its climax, but the noble gentlemen's -hearts are ripe only for Introduction. If they, ready only for -Introduction, are forced to witness a Climax, they are not likely -to get pleasure from it. Finally even the spectators who were there -before, awed by the entry of the "exalted ones," become so quiet -that you would not know they were there, so that the whole audience -ends by returning to the Introductory mood. At such a moment the No -cannot possibly be a success. In such circumstances it is best to take -Development-No and give it a slightly "introductory" turn. Then, if it -is played gently, it may win the August Attention. - -It also happens that one is suddenly sent for to perform at a Shogunal -feast or the like. The audience is already in a "climax-mood"; but -"introductory" No must be played. This is a great difficulty. In -such circumstances the best plan is to tinge the introduction with a -_nuance_ of "development." But this must be done without "stickiness," -with the lightest possible touch, and the transition to the real -Development and Climax must be made as quickly as possible. - -In old times there were masters who perfected themselves in No without -study. But nowadays the nobles and gentlemen have become so critical -that they will only look with approbation on what is good and will not -give attention to anything bad. - -Their honourable eyes have become so keen that they notice the least -defect, so that even a masterpiece that is as pearls many times -polished or flowers choicely culled will not win the applause of our -gentlemen to-day. - -At the same time, good actors are becoming few and the Art is -gradually sinking towards its decline. For this reason, if very -strenuous study is not made, it is bound to disappear altogether. - -When summoned to play before the noble gentlemen, we are expected to -give the regular "words of good-wish" and to divide our performance -into the three parts, Introduction, Development and Climax, so that the -pre-arranged order cannot be varied.... But on less formal occasions, -when, for example, one is playing not at a Shogunal banquet but on a -common, everyday (_yo no tsune_) stage, it is obviously unnecessary to -limit oneself to the set forms of "happy wish." - -One's style should be easy and full of graceful _yugen_, and the -piece[6] selected should be suitable to the audience. A ballad -(_ko-utai_) or dance-song (_kuse-mai_) of the day will be best. One -should have in one's repertory a stock of such pieces and be ready to -vary them according to the character of one's audience. - -In the words and gestures (of a farce, kyogen) there should be nothing -low. The jokes and repartee should be such as suit the august ears of -the nobles and gentry. On no account must vulgar words or gestures be -introduced, however funny they may be. This advice must be carefully -observed. - -Introduction, Development and Climax must also be strictly adhered -to when _dancing_ at the Palace. If the chanting proceeds from an -"introductory-mood," the dancing must belong to the same mood.... When -one is suddenly summoned to perform at a riotous banquet, one must take -into consideration the state of the noble gentlemen's spirits. - - -IMITATION (Monomane). - -In imitation there should be a tinge of the "unlike." For if imitation -be pressed too far it impinges on reality and ceases to give an -impression of likeness. If one aims only at the beautiful, the "flower" -is sure to appear. For example, in acting the part of an old man, the -master actor tries to reproduce in his dance only the refinement and -venerability of an old gentleman.[7] If the actor is old himself, he -need not think about producing an impression of old age.... - -The appearance of old age will often be best given by making all -movements a little late, so that they come just after the musical beat. -If the actor bears this in mind, he may be as lively and energetic as -he pleases. For in old age the limbs are heavy and the ears slow; there -is the will to move but not the corresponding capacity. - -It is in such methods as this that true imitation lies.... Youthful -movements made by an old person are, indeed, delightful; they are like -flowers blossoming on an old tree. - -If, because the actor has noticed that old men walk with bent -knees and back and have shrunken frames, he simply imitates these -characteristics, he may achieve an appearance of decrepitude, but it -will be at the expense of the "flower." And if the "flower" be lacking -there will be no beauty in his impersonation. - -Women should be impersonated by a young actor.... It is very difficult -to play the part of a Princess or lady-in-waiting, for little -opportunity presents itself of studying their august behaviour and -appearance. Great pains must be taken to see that robes and cloaks are -worn in the correct way. These things do not depend on the actor's -fancy but must be carefully ascertained. - -The appearance of ordinary ladies such as one is used to see about one -is easy to imitate.... In acting the part of a dancing-girl, mad-woman -or the like, whether he carry the fan or some fancy thing (a flowering -branch, for instance) the actor must carry it loosely; his skirts -must trail low so as to hide his feet; his knees and back must not be -bent, his body must be poised gracefully. As regards the way he holds -himself--if he bends back, it looks bad when he faces the audience; if -he stoops, it looks bad from behind. But he will not look like a woman -if he holds his head too stiffly. His sleeves should be as long as -possible, so that he never shows his fingers. - - -APPARITIONS - -Here the outward form is that of a ghost; but within is the heart of a -man. - -Such plays are generally in two parts. The beginning, in two or three -sections, should be as short as possible. In the second half the -_shite_ (who has hitherto appeared to be a man) becomes definitely the -ghost of a dead person. - -Since no one has ever seen a real ghost[8] from the Nether Regions, the -actor may use his fancy, aiming only at the beautiful. To represent -real life is far more difficult. - -If ghosts are terrifying, they cease to be beautiful. For the -terrifying and the beautiful are as far apart as black and white. - - -CHILD PLAYS - -In plays where a lost child is found by its parents, the writer should -not introduce a scene where they clutch and cling to one another, -sobbing and weeping.... - -Plays in which child-characters occur, even if well done, are always -apt to make the audience exclaim in disgust, "Don't harrow our feelings -in this way!" - - -RESTRAINT - -In representing anger the actor should yet retain some gentleness in -his mood, else he will portray not anger but violence. - -In representing the mysterious (_yugen_) he must not forget the -principle of energy. - -When the body is in violent action, the hands and feet must move as -though by stealth. When the feet are in lively motion, the body must be -held in quietness. Such things cannot be explained in writing but must -be shown to the actor by actual demonstration. - - * * * * * - -It is above all in "architecture," in the relation of parts to the -whole, that these poems are supreme.[9] The early writers created a -"form" or general pattern which the weakest writing cannot wholly rob -of its beauty. The plays are like those carved lamp-bearing angels -in the churches at Seville; a type of such beauty was created by a -sculptor of the sixteenth century that even the most degraded modern -descendant of these masterpieces retains a certain distinction of form. - -First comes the _jidai_ or opening-couplet, enigmatic, abrupt. Then in -contrast to this vague shadow come the hard outlines of the _waki's_ -exposition, the formal naming of himself, his origin and destination. -Then, shadowy again, the "song of travel," in which picture after -picture dissolves almost before it is seen. - -But all this has been mere introduction--the imagination has been -quickened, the attention grasped in preparation for one thing only--the -hero's entry. In the "first chant," in the dialogue which follows, in -the successive dances and climax, this absolute mastery of construction -is what has most struck me in reading the plays. - -Again, No does not make a frontal attack on the emotions. It creeps at -the subject warily. For the action, in the commonest class of play, -does not take place before our eyes, but is lived through again in -mimic and recital by the ghost of one of the participants in it. Thus -we get no possibility of crude realities; a vision of life indeed, but -painted with the colours of memory, longing or regret. - -In a paper read before the Japan Society in 1919 I tried to illustrate -this point by showing, perhaps in too fragmentary and disjointed a -manner, how the theme of Webster's "Duchess of Malfi" would have been -treated by a No writer. I said then (and the Society kindly allows me -to repeat those remarks): - -The plot of the play is thus summarized by Rupert Brooke in his "John -Webster and the Elizabethan Drama": "The Duchess of Malfi is a young -widow forbidden by her brothers, Ferdinand and the Cardinal, to marry -again. They put a creature of theirs, Bosola, into her service as a -spy. The Duchess loves and marries Antonio, her steward, and has three -children. Bosola ultimately discovers and reports this. Antonio and the -Duchess have to fly. The Duchess is captured, imprisoned and mentally -tortured and put to death. Ferdinand goes mad. In the last Act he, the -Cardinal, Antonio and Bosola are all killed with various confusions and -in various horror." - -Just as Webster took his themes from previous works (in this case from -Painter's "Palace of Pleasure"), so the No plays took theirs from the -Romances or "Monogatari." Let us reconstruct the "Duchess" as a No -play, using Webster's text as our "Monogatari." - -Great simplification is necessary, for the No play corresponds -in length to one act of our five-act plays, and has no space for -divagations. The comic is altogether excluded, being reserved for the -_kyogen_ or farces which are played as interludes between the No. - -The persons need not be more than two--the Pilgrim, who will act the -part of _waki_, and the Duchess, who will be _shite_ or Protagonist. -The chorus takes no part in the action, but speaks for the _shite_ -while she is miming the more engrossing parts of her role. - -The Pilgrim comes on to the stage and first pronounces in his _Jidai_ -or preliminary couplet, some Buddhist aphorism appropriate to the -subject of the play. He then names himself to the audience thus (in -prose): - -"I am a pilgrim from Rome. I have visited all the other shrines of -Italy, but have never been to Loretto. I will journey once to the -shrine of Loretto." - -Then follows (in verse) the "Song of Travel" in which the Pilgrim -describes the scenes through which he passes on his way to the shrine. -While he is kneeling at the shrine, _Shite_ (the Protagonist) comes on -to the stage. She is a young woman dressed, "contrary to the Italian -fashion," in a loose-bodied gown. She carries in her hand an unripe -apricot. She calls to the Pilgrim and engages him in conversation. He -asks her if it were not at this shrine that the Duchess of Malfi took -refuge. The young woman answers with a kind of eager exaltation, her -words gradually rising from prose to poetry. She tells the story of -the Duchess's flight, adding certain intimate touches which force the -priest to ask abruptly, "Who is it that is speaking to me?" - -And the girl shuddering (for it is hateful to a ghost to name itself) -answers: "_Hazukashi ya!_ I am the soul of the Duke Ferdinand's sister, -she that was once called Duchess of Malfi. Love still ties my soul to -the earth. _Toburai tabi-tamaye!_ Pray for me, oh, pray for my release!" - -Here closes the first part of the play. In the second the young ghost, -her memory quickened by the Pilgrim's prayers (and this is part of the -medicine of salvation), endures again the memory of her final hours. -She mimes the action of kissing the hand (_vide_ Act IV, Scene 1), -finds it very cold: - - I fear you are not well after your travel. - Oh! horrible! - What witchcraft does he practise, that he hath left - A dead man's hand here? - -And each successive scene of the torture is so vividly mimed that -though it exists only in the Protagonist's brain, it is as real to the -audience as if the figure of dead Antonio lay propped upon the stage, -or as if the madmen were actually leaping and screaming before them. - -Finally she acts the scene of her own execution: - - Heaven-gates are not so highly arched - As princes' palaces; they that enter there - Must go upon their knees. (_She kneels._) - Come, violent death, - Serve for mandragora to make me sleep! - Go tell my brothers, when I am laid out, - They then may feed in quiet. - (_She sinks her head and folds her hands._) - -The chorus, taking up the word "quiet," chant a phrase from the -Hokkekyo: _Sangai Mu-an_, "In the Three Worlds there is no quietness or -rest." - -But the Pilgrim's prayers have been answered. Her soul has broken its -bonds: is free to depart. The ghost recedes, grows dimmer and dimmer, -till at last - - _use-ni-keri_ - _use-ni-keri_ - -it vanishes from sight. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[1] For example in _yuku kata shira-yuki ni_ ... _shira_ does -duty twice, meaning both "unknown" and "white." The meaning is -"whither-unknown amid the white snow." - -[2] These dates have only recently been established. - -[3] See p. 32. - -[4] Not to be confused with the forged book printed in 1600 and used by -Fenollosa. - -[5] See note on Buddhism, p. 32. - -[6] The piece to be used as an introduction. Modern performances are -not confined to full No. Sometimes actors in plain dress recite without -the aid of instrumental music, sitting in a row. Or one actor may -recite the piece, with music (this is called _Hayashi_); or the piece -may be mimed without music (this is called _Shimai_). - -[7] An old shiroto, i. e. person not engaged in trade. - -[8] This shows that, in Seami's hands, the device of making an -apparition the hero of the play was simply a dramatic convention. - -[9] This, too, is the only aspect of them that I can here discuss; no -other kind of criticism being possible without quotation of the actual -words used by the poet. - - - - -NOTE ON BUDDHISM - - -The Buddhism of the No plays is of the kind called the "Greater -Vehicle," which prevails in China, Japan and Tibet. Primitive Buddhism -(the "Lesser Vehicle"), which survives in Ceylon and Burma, centres -round the person of Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha, and uses Pali -as its sacred language. The "Greater Vehicle," which came into being -about the same time as Christianity and sprang from the same religious -impulses, to a large extent replaces Shakyamuni by a timeless, ideal -Buddha named Amida, "Lord of Boundless Light," perhaps originally a -sun-god, like Ormuzd of the Zoroastrians. Primitive Buddhism had taught -that the souls of the faithful are absorbed into Nirvana, in other -words into Buddha. The "Greater Vehicle" promised to its adherents an -after-life in Amida's Western Paradise. It produced scriptures in the -Sanskrit language, in which Shakyamuni himself describes this Western -Land and recommends the worship of Amida; it inculcated too the worship -of the Bodhisattvas, half-Buddhas, intermediaries between Buddha -and man. These Bodhisattvas are beings who, though fit to receive -Buddhahood, have of their own free will renounced it, that they may -better alleviate the miseries of mankind. - -Chief among them is Kwannon, called in India Avalokiteshvara, who -appears in the world both in male and female form, but it is chiefly -thought of as a woman in China and Japan; Goddess of Mercy, to whom men -pray in war, storm, sickness or travail. - -The doctrine of Karma and of the transmigration of souls was common -both to the earlier and later forms of Buddhism. Man is born to an -endless chain of re-incarnations, each one of which is, as it were, the -fruit of seed sown in that which precedes. - -The only escape from this "Wheel of Life and Death" lies in _satori_, -"Enlightenment," the realization that material phenomena are thoughts, -not facts. - -Each of the four chief sects which existed in medieval Japan had its -own method of achieving this Enlightenment. - -(1) The Amidists sought to gain _satori_ by the study of the _Hokke -Kyo_, called in Sanskrit _Saddharma Pundarika Sutra_ or "Scripture -of the Lotus of the True Law," or even by the mere repetition of its -complete title "Myoho Renge Hokke Kyo." Others of them maintained that -the repetition of the formula "Praise to Amida Buddha" (_Namu Amida -Butsu_) was in itself a sufficient means of salvation. - -(2) Once when Shakyamuni was preaching before a great multitude, he -picked up a flower and twisted it in his fingers. The rest of his -hearers saw no significance in the act and made no response; but the -disciple Kashyapa smiled. - -In this brief moment a perception of transcendental truth had flashed -from Buddha's mind to the mind of his disciple. Thus Kashyapa became -the patriarch of the Zen Buddhists, who believe that Truth cannot be -communicated by speech or writing, but that it lies hidden in the heart -of each one of us and can be discovered by "Zen" or contemplative -introspection. - -At first sight there would not appear to be any possibility of -reconciling the religion of the Zen Buddhists with that of the -Amidists. Yet many Zen masters strove to combine the two faiths, -teaching that Amida and his Western Paradise exist, not in time or -space, but mystically enshrined in men's hearts. - -Zen denied the existence of Good and Evil, and was sometimes regarded -as a dangerous sophistry by pious Buddhists of other sects, as, for -example, in the story of Shunkwan (see p. 229) and in _The Hoka -Priests_ (see p. 165), where the murderer's interest in Zen doctrines -is, I think, definitely regarded as a discreditable weakness and is -represented as the cause of his undoing. - -The only other play, among those I have here translated, which deals -much with Zen tenets, is _Sotoba Komachi_. Here the priests represent -the _Shingon Shu_ or Mystic Sect, while Komachi, as becomes a poetess, -defends the doctrines of Zen. For Zen was the religion of artists; -it had inspired the painters and poets of the Sung dynasty in China; -it was the religion of the great art-patrons who ruled Japan in the -fifteenth century.[10] - -It was in the language of Zen that poetry and painting were discussed; -and it was in a style tinged with Zen that Seami wrote of his own art. -But the religion of the No plays is predominantly Amidist; it is the -common, average Buddhism of medieval Japan. - -(3) I have said that the priests in _Sotoba Komachi_ represent the -Mystic Sect. The followers of this sect sought salvation by means of -charms and spells, corruptions of Sanskrit formulae. Their principal -Buddha was Dainichi, "The Great Sun." To this sect belonged the -Yamabushi, mountain ascetics referred to in _Taniko_ and other plays. - -(4) Mention must be made of the fusion between Buddhism and Shinto. -The Tendai Sect which had its headquarters on Mount Hiyei preached an -eclectic doctrine which aimed at becoming the universal religion of -Japan. It combined the cults of native gods with a Buddhism tolerant -in dogma, but magnificent in outward pomp, with a leaning towards the -magical practices of Shingon. - -The Little Saint of Yokawa in the play _Aoi no Uye_ is an example of -the Tendai ascetic, with his use of magical incantations. - -_Hatsuyuki_ appeared in "Poetry," Chicago, and is here reprinted with -the editor's kind permission. - -FOOTNOTE: - -[10] See further my _Zen Buddhism & its relation to Art_. Luzac, 1922. - - - - -ATSUMORI, IKUTA, AND TSUNEMASA. - - -In the eleventh century two powerful clans, the Taira and the Minamoto, -contended for mastery. In 1181 Kiyomori the chief of the Tairas died, -and from that time their fortunes declined. In 1183 they were forced -to flee from Kyoto, carrying with them the infant Emperor. After many -hardships and wanderings they camped on the shores of Suma, where they -were protected by their fleet. - -Early in 1184 the Minamotos attacked and utterly routed them at the -Battle of Ichi-no-Tani, near the woods of Ikuta. At this battle fell -Atsumori, the nephew of Kiyomori, and his brother Tsunemasa. - -When Kumagai, who had slain Atsumori, bent over him to examine the -body, he found lying beside him a bamboo-flute wrapped in brocade. He -took the flute and gave it to his son. - -The bay of Suma is associated in the mind of a Japanese reader not only -with this battle but also with the stories of Prince Genji and Prince -Yukihira. - -(See p. 226.) - - - - -ATSUMORI - -By SEAMI - - -PERSONS - - _THE PRIEST RENSEI (formerly the warrior Kumagai)._ - _A YOUNG REAPER, who turns out to be the ghost of Atsumori._ - _HIS COMPANION._ - _CHORUS._ - - -PRIEST. - - Life is a lying dream, he only wakes - Who casts the World aside. - -I am Kumagai no Naozane, a man of the country of Musashi. I have left -my home and call myself the priest Rensei; this I have done because of -my grief at the death of Atsumori, who fell in battle by my hand. Hence -it comes that I am dressed in priestly guise. - -And now I am going down to Ichi-no-Tani to pray for the salvation of -Atsumori's soul. - - (_He walks slowly across the stage, singing a song descriptive of - his journey._) - -I have come so fast that here I am already at Ichi-no-Tani, in the -country of Tsu. - -Truly the past returns to my mind as though it were a thing of to-day. - -But listen! I hear the sound of a flute coming from a knoll of rising -ground. I will wait here till the flute-player passes, and ask him to -tell me the story of this place. - - -REAPERS (_together_). - - To the music of the reaper's flute - No song is sung - But the sighing of wind in the fields. - - -YOUNG REAPER. - - They that were reaping, - Reaping on that hill, - Walk now through the fields - Homeward, for it is dusk. - - -REAPERS (_together_). - - Short is the way that leads[11] - From the sea of Suma back to my home. - This little journey, up to the hill - And down to the shore again, and up to the hill,-- - This is my life, and the sum of hateful tasks. - If one should ask me - I too[12] would answer - That on the shores of Suma - I live in sadness. - Yet if any guessed my name, - Then might I too have friends. - But now from my deep misery - Even those that were dearest - Are grown estranged. Here must I dwell abandoned - To one thought's anguish: - That I must dwell here. - - -PRIEST. - -Hey, you reapers! I have a question to ask you. - - -YOUNG REAPER. - -Is it to us you are speaking? What do you wish to know? - - -PRIEST. - -Was it one of you who was playing on the flute just now? - - -YOUNG REAPER. - -Yes, it was we who were playing. - - -PRIEST. - -It was a pleasant sound, and all the pleasanter because one does not -look for such music from men of your condition. - - -YOUNG REAPER. - - Unlooked for from men of our condition, you say! - Have you not read:-- - "Do not envy what is above you - Nor despise what is below you"? - Moreover the songs of woodmen and the flute-playing of herdsmen, - Flute-playing even of reapers and songs of wood-fellers - Through poets' verses are known to all the world. - Wonder not to hear among us - The sound of a bamboo-flute. - - -PRIEST. - - You are right. Indeed it is as you have told me. - Songs of woodmen and flute-playing of herdsmen ... - - -REAPER. - -Flute-playing of reapers ... - - -PRIEST. - -Songs of wood-fellers ... - - -REAPERS. - -Guide us on our passage through this sad world. - - -PRIEST. - -Song ... - - -REAPER. - -And dance ... - - -PRIEST. - -And the flute ... - - -REAPER. - -And music of many instruments ... - - -CHORUS. - - These are the pastimes that each chooses to his taste. - Of floating bamboo-wood - Many are the famous flutes that have been made; - Little-Branch and Cicada-Cage, - And as for the reaper's flute, - Its name is Green-leaf; - On the shore of Sumiyoshi - The Corean flute they play. - And here on the shore of Suma - On Stick of the Salt-kilns - The fishers blow their tune. - - -PRIEST. - -How strange it is! The other reapers have all gone home, but you alone -stay loitering here. How is that? - - -REAPER. - -How is it, you ask? I am seeking for a prayer in the voice of the -evening waves. Perhaps you will pray the Ten Prayers for me? - - -PRIEST. - -I can easily pray the Ten Prayers for you, if you will tell me who you -are. - - -REAPER. - -To tell you the truth--I am one of the family of Lord Atsumori. - - -PRIEST. - - One of Atsumori's family? How glad I am! - Then the priest joined his hands (_he kneels down_) and prayed:-- - - -NAMU AMIDABU. - -Praise to Amida Buddha! - - "If I attain to Buddhahood, - In the whole world and its ten spheres - Of all that dwell here none shall call on my name - And be rejected or cast aside." - - -CHORUS. - - "Oh, reject me not! - One cry suffices for salvation, - Yet day and night - Your prayers will rise for me. - Happy am I, for though you know not my name, - Yet for my soul's deliverance - At dawn and dusk henceforward I know that you will pray." - -So he spoke. Then vanished and was seen no more. - - (_Here follows the Interlude between the two Acts, in which - a recitation concerning Atsumori's death takes place. These - interludes are subject to variation and are not considered part of - the literary text of the play._) - - -PRIEST. - -Since this is so, I will perform all night the rites of prayer for the -dead, and calling upon Amida's name will pray again for the salvation -of Atsumori. - - (_The ghost of_ ATSUMORI _appears, dressed as a young warrior_.) - - -ATSUMORI. - - Would you know who I am - That like the watchmen at Suma Pass - Have wakened at the cry of sea-birds roaming - Upon Awaji shore? - Listen, Rensei. I am Atsumori. - - -PRIEST. - -How strange! All this while I have never stopped beating my gong and -performing the rites of the Law. I cannot for a moment have dozed, yet -I thought that Atsumori was standing before me. Surely it was a dream. - - -ATSUMORI. - -Why need it be a dream? It is to clear the karma of my waking life that -I am come here in visible form before you. - - -PRIEST. - -Is it not written that one prayer will wipe away ten thousand sins? -Ceaselessly I have performed the ritual of the Holy Name that clears -all sin away. After such prayers, what evil can be left? Though you -should be sunk in sin as deep ... - - -ATSUMORI. - - As the sea by a rocky shore, - Yet should I be salved by prayer. - - -PRIEST. - -And that my prayers should save you ... - -ATSUMORI. - - This too must spring - From kindness of a former life.[13] - - -PRIEST. - -Once enemies ... - - -ATSUMORI. - -But now ... - - -PRIEST. - -In truth may we be named ... - - -ATSUMORI. - -Friends in Buddha's Law. - - -CHORUS. - -There is a saying, "Put away from you a wicked friend; summon to your -side a virtuous enemy." For you it was said, and you have proven it -true. - -And now come tell with us the tale of your confession, while the night -is still dark. - - -CHORUS. - - He[14] bids the flowers of Spring - Mount the tree-top that men may raise their eyes - And walk on upward paths; - He bids the moon in autumn waves be drowned - In token that he visits laggard men - And leads them out from valleys of despair. - - -ATSUMORI. - - Now the clan of Taira, building wall to wall, - Spread over the earth like the leafy branches of a great tree: - - -CHORUS. - - Yet their prosperity lasted but for a day; - It was like the flower of the convolvulus. - There was none to tell them[15] - That glory flashes like sparks from flint-stone, - And after,--darkness. - Oh wretched, the life of men! - - -ATSUMORI. - - When they were on high they afflicted the humble; - When they were rich they were reckless in pride. - And so for twenty years and more - They ruled this land. - But truly a generation passes like the space of a dream. - The leaves of the autumn of Juyei[16] - Were tossed by the four winds; - Scattered, scattered (like leaves too) floated their ships. - And they, asleep on the heaving sea, not even in dreams - Went back to home. - Caged birds longing for the clouds,-- - Wild geese were they rather, whose ranks are broken - As they fly to southward on their doubtful journey. - So days and months went by; Spring came again - And for a little while - Here dwelt they on the shore of Suma - At the first valley.[17] - From the mountain behind us the winds blew down - Till the fields grew wintry again. - Our ships lay by the shore, where night and day - The sea-gulls cried and salt waves washed on our sleeves. - We slept with fishers in their huts - On pillows of sand. - We knew none but the people of Suma. - And when among the pine-trees - The evening smoke was rising, - Brushwood, as they call it,[18] - Brushwood we gathered - And spread for carpet. - Sorrowful we lived - On the wild shore of Suma, - Till the clan Taira and all its princes - Were but villagers of Suma. - - -ATSUMORI. - - But on the night of the sixth day of the second month - My father Tsunemori gathered us together. - "To-morrow," he said, "we shall fight our last fight. - To-night is all that is left us." - We sang songs together, and danced. - - -PRIEST. - - Yes, I remember; we in our siege-camp - Heard the sound of music - Echoing from your tents that night; - There was the music of a flute ... - - -ATSUMORI. - -The bamboo-flute! I wore it when I died. - - -PRIEST. - -We heard the singing ... - - -ATSUMORI. - -Songs and ballads ... - - -PRIEST. - -Many voices - - -ATSUMORI. - -Singing to one measure. - - (ATSUMORI _dances_.) - -First comes the Royal Boat. - - -CHORUS. - - The whole clan has put its boats to sea. - He[19] will not be left behind; - He runs to the shore. - But the Royal Boat and the soldiers' boats - Have sailed far away. - - -ATSUMORI. - - What can he do? - - He spurs his horse into the waves. - He is full of perplexity. - And then - - -CHORUS. - - He looks behind him and sees - That Kumagai pursues him; - He cannot escape. - Then Atsumori turns his horse - Knee-deep in the lashing waves, - And draws his sword. - Twice, three times he strikes; then, still saddled, - In close fight they twine; roll headlong together - Among the surf of the shore. - So Atsumori fell and was slain, but now the Wheel of Fate - Has turned and brought him back. - - (ATSUMORI _rises from the ground and advances toward the_ PRIEST - _with uplifted sword_.) - - "There is my enemy," he cries, and would strike, - But the other is grown gentle - And calling on Buddha's name - Has obtained salvation for his foe; - So that they shall be re-born together - On one lotus-seat. - "No, Rensei is not my enemy. - Pray for me again, oh pray for me again." - -FOOTNOTES: - -[11] See p. 226. - -[12] Like Yukihira; see p. 227. - -[13] Atsumori must have done Kumagai some kindness in a former -incarnation. This would account for Kumagai's remorse. - -[14] Buddha. - -[15] I have omitted a line the force of which depends upon a play on -words. - -[16] The Taira evacuated the Capital in the second year of Juyei, 1188. - -[17] Ichi-no-Tani means "First Valley." - -[18] The name of so humble a thing was unfamiliar to the Taira lords. - -[19] Atsumori. This passage is mimed throughout. - - - - -IKUTA - -By ZEMBO MOTOYASU (1453-1532) - - -PERSONS - - _PRIEST (a follower of Honen Shonin)._[20] - _ATSUMORI'S CHILD._ - _ATSUMORI._ - _CHORUS._ - - -PRIEST. - -I am one that serves Honen Shonin of Kurodani; and as for this child -here,--once when Honen was on a visit to the Temple of Kamo he saw -a box lying under a trailing fir-tree; and when he raised the lid, -what should he find inside but a lovely man-child one year old! It -did not seem to be more than a common foundling, but my master in his -compassion took the infant home with him. Ever since then he has had it -in his care, doing all that was needful for it; and now the boy is over -ten years old. - -But it is a hard thing to have no father or mother, so one day after -his preaching the Shonin told the child's story. And sure enough a -young woman stepped out from among the hearers and said it was her -child. And when he took her aside and questioned her, he found that -the child's father was Taira no Atsumori, who had fallen in battle -at Ichi-no-Tani years ago. When the boy was told of this, he longed -earnestly to see his father's face, were it but in a dream, and the -Shonin bade him go and pray at the shrine of Kamo. He was to go every -day for a week, and this is the last day. - - That is why I have brought him out with me. - But here we are at the Kamo shrine. - Pray well, boy, pray well! - - -BOY. - - How fills my heart with awe - When I behold the crimson palisade - Of this abode of gods! - Oh may my heart be clean - As the River of Ablution;[21] - And the God's kindness deep - As its unfathomed waters. Show to me, - Though it were but in dream, - My father's face and form. - Is not my heart so ground away with prayer, - So smooth that it will slip - Unfelt into the favour of the gods? - But thou too, Censor of our prayers, - God of Tadasu,[22] on the gods prevail - That what I crave may be! - -How strange! While I was praying I fell half-asleep and had a wonderful -dream. - - -PRIEST. - -Tell me your wonderful dream. - - -BOY. - -A strange voice spoke to me from within the Treasure Hall, saying, "If -you are wanting, though it were but in a dream, to see your father's -face, go down from here to the woods of Ikuta in the country of -Settsu." That is the marvellous dream I had. - - -PRIEST. - -It is indeed a wonderful message that the God has sent you. And why -should I go back at once to Kurodani? I had best take you straight to -the forest of Ikuta. Let us be going. - - -PRIEST (_describing the journey_). - - From the shrine of Kamo, - From under the shadow of the hills, - We set out swiftly; - Past Yamazaki to the fog-bound - Shores of Minase; - And onward where the gale - Tears travellers' coats and winds about their bones. - "Autumn has come to woods where yesterday - We might have plucked the green."[23] - To Settsu, to those woods of Ikuta - Lo! We are come. - -We have gone so fast that here we are already at the woods of Ikuta in -the country of Settsu. I have heard tell in the Capital of the beauty -of these woods and the river that runs through them. But what I see now -surpasses all that I have heard. - -Look! Those meadows must be the Downs of Ikuta. Let us go nearer and -admire them. - -But while we have been going about looking at one view and another, the -day has dusked. - -I think I see a light over there. There must be a house. Let us go to -it and ask for lodging. - - -ATSUMORI (_speaking from inside a hut_). - - Beauty, perception, knowledge, motion, consciousness,-- - The Five Attributes of Being,-- - All are vain mockery. - How comes it that men prize - So weak a thing as body? - For the soul that guards it from corruption - Suddenly to the night-moon flies, - And the poor naked ghost wails desolate - In the autumn wind. - -Oh! I am lonely. I am lonely! - - -PRIEST. - -How strange! Inside that grass-hut I see a young soldier dressed in -helmet and breastplate. What can he be doing there? - - -ATSUMORI. - -Oh foolish men, was it not to meet me that you came to this place? I -am--oh! I am ashamed to say it,--I am the ghost of what once was ... -Atsumori. - - -BOY. - -Atsumori? My father ... - - -CHORUS. - - And lightly he ran, - Plucked at the warrior's sleeve, - And though his tears might seem like the long woe - Of nightingales that weep, - Yet were they tears of meeting-joy, - Of happiness too great for human heart. - So think we, yet oh that we might change - This fragile dream of joy - Into the lasting love of waking life! - - -ATSUMORI. - - Oh pitiful! - To see this child, born after me, - Darling that should be gay as a flower, - Walking in tattered coat of old black cloth. - Alas! - Child, when your love of me - Led you to Kamo shrine, praying to the God - That, though but in a dream, - You might behold my face, - The God of Kamo, full of pity, came - To Yama, king of Hell. - King Yama listened and ordained for me - A moment's respite, but hereafter, never. - - -CHORUS. - - "The moon is sinking. - Come while the night is dark," he said, - "I will tell my tale." - - -ATSUMORI. - - When the house of Taira was in its pride, - When its glory was young, - Among the flowers we sported, - Among birds, wind and moonlight; - With pipes and strings, with song and verse - We welcomed Springs and Autumns. - Till at last, because our time was come, - Across the bridges of Kiso a host unseen - Swept and devoured us. - Then the whole clan - Our lord leading - Fled from the City of Flowers. - By paths untrodden - To the Western Sea our journey brought us. - Lakes and hills we crossed - Till we ourselves grew to be like wild men. - At last by mountain ways-- - We too tossed hither and thither like its waves-- - To Suma came we, - To the First Valley and the woods of Ikuta. - And now while all of us, - We children of Taira, were light of heart - Because our homes were near, - Suddenly our foes in great strength appeared. - - -CHORUS. - - Noriyori, Yoshitsune,--their hosts like clouds, - Like mists of spring. - For a little while we fought them, - But the day of our House was ended, - Our hearts weakened - That had been swift as arrows from the bowstring. - We scattered, scattered; till at last - To the deep waters of the Field of Life[24] - We came, but how we found there Death, not Life, - What profit were it to tell? - - -ATSUMORI. - -Who is that? - -(_Pointing in terror at a figure which he sees off the stage._) - -Can it be Yama's messenger? He comes to tell me that I have out-stayed -my time. The Lord of Hell is angry: he asks why I am late? - - -CHORUS. - - So he spoke. But behold - Suddenly black clouds rise, - Earth and sky resound with the clash of arms; - War-demons innumerable - Flash fierce sparks from brandished spears. - - -ATSUMORI. - - The Shura foes who night and day - Come thick about me! - - -CHORUS. - - He waves his sword and rushes among them, - Hither and thither he runs slashing furiously; - Fire glints upon the steel. - But in a little while - The dark clouds recede; - The demons have vanished, - The moon shines unsullied; - The sky is ready for dawn. - - -ATSUMORI. - - Oh! I am ashamed.... - And the child to see me so.... - - -CHORUS. - - "To see my misery! - I must go back. - Oh pray for me; pray for me - When I am gone," he said, - And weeping, weeping, - Dropped the child's hand. - He has faded; he dwindles - Like the dew from rush-leaves - Of hazy meadows. - His form has vanished. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[20] A great preacher; died 1212 A.D. - -[21] The name given to streams which flow through temples. In this case -the River Kamo. - -[22] Tadasu means to "straighten," "correct." The shrine of Kamo lay in -the forest of Tadasu. - -[23] Adapted from a poem in the _Shin Kokinshu_. - -[24] Ikuta means "Field of Life." - - - - -TSUNEMASA - -By SEAMI - - -PERSONS - - THE PRIEST GYOKEI. - THE GHOST OF TAIRA NO TSUNEMASA. - CHORUS. - - -GYOKEI. - -I am Gyokei, priest of the imperial temple Ninnaji. You must know that -there was a certain prince of the House of Taira named Tsunemasa, Lord -of Tajima, who since his boyhood has enjoyed beyond all precedent the -favour of our master the Emperor. But now he has been killed at the -Battle of the Western Seas. - -It was to this Tsunemasa in his lifetime that the Emperor had given -the lute called Green Hill. And now my master bids me take it and -dedicate it to Buddha, performing a liturgy of flutes and strings for -the salvation of Tsunemasa's soul. And that was my purpose in gathering -these musicians together. - -Truly it is said that strangers who shelter under the same tree or draw -water from the same pool will be friends in another life. How much the -more must intercourse of many years, kindness and favour so deep ...[25] - - Surely they will be heard, - The prayers that all night long - With due performance of rites - I have reverently repeated in this Palace - For the salvation of Tsunemasa - And for the awakening of his soul. - - -CHORUS. - - And, more than all, we dedicate - The lute Green Hill for this dead man; - While pipe and flute are joined to sounds of prayer. - For night and day the Gate of Law - Stands open and the Universal Road - Rejects no wayfarer. - - -TSUNEMASA (_speaking off the stage_). - - "The wind blowing through withered trees: rain from a cloudless sky. - The moon shining on level sands: frost on a summer's night."[26] - Frost lying ... but I, because I could not lie at rest, - Am come back to the World for a while, - Like a shadow that steals over the grass. - I am like dews that in the morning - Still cling to the grasses. Oh pitiful the longing - That has beset me! - - -GYOKEI. - -How strange! Within the flame of our candle that is burning low because -the night is far spent, suddenly I seemed to see a man's shadow dimly -appearing. Who can be here? - - -TSUNEMASA (_his shadow disappearing_). - -I am the ghost of Tsunemasa. The sound of your prayers has brought me -in visible shape before you. - - -GYOKEI. - -"I am the ghost of Tsunemasa," he said, but when I looked to where the -voice had sounded nothing was there, neither substance nor shadow! - - -TSUNEMASA. - -Only a voice, - - -GYOKEI. - - A dim voice whispers where the shadow of a man - Visibly lay, but when I looked - - -TSUNEMASA. - -It had vanished-- - - -GYOKEI. - -This flickering form ... - - -TSUNEMASA. - -Like haze over the fields. - - -CHORUS. - - Only as a tricking magic, - A bodiless vision, - Can he hover in the world of his lifetime, - Swift-changing Tsunemasa. - By this name we call him, yet of the body - That men named so, what is left but longing? - What but the longing to look again, through the wall of death, - On one he loved? - "Sooner shall the waters in its garden cease to flow - Than I grow weary of living in the Palace of my Lord."[27] - Like a dream he has come, - Like a morning dream. - - -GYOKEI. - -How strange! When the form of Tsunemasa had vanished, his voice -lingered and spoke to me! Am I dreaming or waking? I cannot tell. But -this I know,--that by the power of my incantations I have had converse -with the dead. Oh! marvellous potency of the Law! - - -TSUNEMASA. - -It was long ago that I came to the Palace. I was but a boy then, but -all the world knew me; for I was marked with the love of our Lord, with -the favour of an Emperor. And, among many gifts, he gave to me once -while I was in the World this lute which you have dedicated. My fingers -were ever on its strings. - - -CHORUS. - - Plucking them even as now - This music plucks at your heart; - The sound of the plectrum, then as now - Divine music fulfilling - The vows of Sarasvati.[28] - But this Tsunemasa, - Was he not from the days of his childhood pre-eminent - In faith, wisdom, benevolence, - Honour and courtesy; yet for his pleasure - Ever of birds and flowers, - Of wind and moonlight making - Ballads and songs to join their harmony - To pipes and lutes? - So springs and autumns passed he. - But in a World that is as dew, - As dew on the grasses, as foam upon the waters, - What flower lasteth? - - -GYOKEI. - -For the dead man's sake we play upon this lute Green Hill that he loved -when he was in the World. We follow the lute-music with a concord of -many instruments. - -(_Music._) - - -TSUNEMASA. - -And while they played the dead man stole up behind them. Though he -could not be seen by the light of the candle, they felt him pluck the -lute-strings.... - - -GYOKEI. - -It is midnight. He is playing _Yabanraku_, the dance of midnight-revel. -And now that we have shaken sleep from our eyes ... - - -TSUNEMASA. - -The sky is clear, yet there is a sound as of sudden rain.... - - -GYOKEI. - -Rain beating carelessly on trees and grasses. What season's music[29] -ought we to play? - - -TSUNEMASA. - -No. It is not rain. Look! At the cloud's fringe - - -CHORUS. - - The moon undimmed - Hangs over the pine-woods of Narabi[30] Hills. - It was the wind you heard; - The wind blowing through the pine-leaves - Pattered, like the falling of winter rain. - O wonderful hour! - "The big strings crashed and sobbed - Like the falling of winter rain. - And the little strings whispered secretly together. - The first and second string - Were like a wind sweeping through pine-woods, - Murmuring disjointedly. - The third and fourth string - Were like the voice of a caged stork - Crying for its little ones at night - In low, dejected notes."[31] - The night must not cease. - The cock shall not crow - And put an end to his wandering.[32] - - -TSUNEMASA. - -"One note of the phoenix-flute[33] - - -CHORUS. - - Shakes the autumn clouds from the mountain-side."[34] - The phoenix and his mate swoop down - Charmed by its music, beat their wings - And dance in rapture, perched upon the swaying boughs - Of kiri and bamboo. - -(_Dance._) - - -TSUNEMASA. - -Oh terrible anguish! - -For a little while I was back in the World and my heart set on its -music, on revels of midnight. But now the hate is rising in me....[35] - - -GYOKEI. - - The shadow that we saw before is still visible. - Can it be Tsunemasa? - - -TSUNEMASA. - - Oh! I am ashamed; I must not let them see me. - Put out your candle. - - -CHORUS. - - "Let us turn away from the candle and watch together - The midnight moon." - Lo, he who holds the moon, - The god Indra, in battle appeareth - Warring upon demons. - Fire leaps from their swords, - The sparks of their own anger fall upon them like rain. - To wound another he draws his sword, - But it is from his own flesh - That the red waves flow; - Like flames they cover him. - "Oh, I am ashamed of the woes that consume me. - No man must see me. I will put out the candle!" he said; - For a foolish man is like a summer moth that flies into the flame.[36] - The wind that blew out the candle - Carried him away. In the darkness his ghost has vanished. - The shadow of his ghost has vanished. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[25] The relation between Tsunemasa and the Emperor is meant. - -[26] I. e. the wind sounds like rain; the sands appear to be covered -with frost. A couplet from a poem by Po Chue-i. - -[27] Part of the poem which Tsunemasa gave to the Emperor before he -went to battle. - -[28] Goddess of Music, who vowed that she would lead all souls to -salvation by the music of her lute. - -[29] Different tunes were appropriate to different seasons. - -[30] A range of hills to the south of the Ninnaji. The name means the -"Row of Hills." - -[31] Quotation from Po Chue-i's "Lute Girl's Song"; for paraphrase see -Giles' _Chinese Literature_, p. 166. - -[32] The ghost must return at dawn. - -[33] The _sheng_. - -[34] Quotation from Chinese poem in _Royei Shu_. - -[35] He had died in battle and was therefore condemned to perpetual war -with the demons of Hell. - -[36] "The wise man is like the autumn deer crying in the mountains; the -fool is like the moth which flies into the candle" (_Gempei Seisuiki_, -chap. viii.). - - - - -CHAPTER II - - - KUMASAKA - EBOSHI-ORI - BENKEI ON THE BRIDGE - -These three plays deal with the boyhood of the hero Yoshitsune, whose -child-name was Ushiwaka. - -_Eboshi-ori_ is a _genzai-mono_, that is to say a play which describes -events actually in progress. In _Kumasaka_ these same events are -rehearsed by the ghost of one who participated in them. There are two -other well-known Yoshitsune plays, _Funa-Benkei_ and _Ataka_. In the -former the phantoms of the dead Taira warriors attack the boat in which -Yoshitsune and Benkei are riding; in the latter occurs the famous scene -called the _Kwanjincho_, in which Benkei pretends to read out from a -scroll a long document which he is in reality improvising on the spot. -(See Mr. Sansom's translations of these two plays in the _Transactions -of the Asiatic Society of Japan_, 1911.) The _Kwanjincho_ was borrowed -by the popular stage, and became one of the favourite "turns" of the -great Danjuro (1660-1703) and his successors. - - - - -KUMASAKA - -By ZENCHIKU UJINOBU (1414-1499?) - - -PERSONS - - _A PRIEST FROM THE CAPITAL._ - _A PRIEST OF AKASAKA (really the ghost of the robber KUMASAKA NO - CHOHAN)._ - _CHORUS._ - - -PRIEST. - - These weary feet that found the World - Too sad to walk in, whither - Oh whither shall wandering lead them? - -I am a priest from the Capital. I have never seen the East country, and -now I am minded to go there on pilgrimage. - -(_He describes the journey, walking slowly round the stage._) - - Over the mountains, down the Omi road by a foam-flecked stream; - And through the woods of Awazu. - Over the long bridge of Seta - Heavily my footfall clangs. - In the bamboo-woods of Noji I await the dawn. - There where the morning dew lies thick, over the Greenfield Plain, - Green in name only--for the leaves are red with autumn-- - In evening sunshine to the village of Akasaka I am come! - - -KUMASAKA. - - (_It is convenient to call him this, but he is the ghost of - Kumasaka, appearing in the guise of a priest._) - -Hey, you priest, I have something to say to you! - - -PRIEST. - -What is it you would say to me? - - -KUMASAKA. - -To-day is some one's birthday. I beg of you to pray for the salvation -of his soul. - - -PRIEST. - -I have left the World, and it is my business now to say such prayers; -but of whom am I to think when I pray? - - -KUMASAKA. - -There is no need to know his name. He is buried in that tomb over -there, among the rushes to this side of the pine-tree. It is because he -cannot get free[37] that he needs your prayers. - - -PRIEST. - -No, no; it will not do. I cannot pray for him unless I know his name. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Pray, none the less. For it is written, "All the creatures of the world -shall be profited. - -There shall be no distinction." - - -PRIEST. - -From dying and being born. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Deliver him, oh deliver him! - - -CHORUS. - - For he that taketh a prayer unto himself - Even though his name be not named, if he receive it gladly, - Is the owner of the prayer. - Was not the promise made to the trees of the field, - To the soil of the land? Though the heart that prays marks no name - upon the prayer, - Yet shall it be heard. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Then come back to my cottage with me and pass the night there. - - -PRIEST. - -I will come. - - (_They go into the cottage, which is represented by a wicker - framework at the front._) - -Listen! I thought you were taking me to where there would be a chapel, -so that I could begin my prayers. But here I can see no painted picture -nor carven image that I could put up. There is nothing on the wall -but a great pike,--no handstaff, but only an iron crowbar; and other -weapons of war are nailed up. What is the reason of this? - - -KUMASAKA. - -You must know that when I first took the vows of priesthood I went -round from village to village here, to Tarui, Auhaka and Akasaka--there -is no end to them, but I know all the roads,--through the tall grass at -Aono and the thick woods of Koyasu, night or day, rain or fine. For I -was a hill-bandit in those days, a thief of the night, tilting baggage -from mules' backs; even stripping servant-girls of their clothes, as -they went from farm to farm, and leaving them sobbing. - -Then it was that I used to take with me that pike there and waving it -in their faces, "Stand and deliver!" I would cry. - -But at last a time came when it was not so.[38] And after that time I -was glad enough to find shelter even in such a place as this. I yielded -my will and was content. For at last I had indeed resolved to leave the -hateful World. - -Oh petty prowess of those days! - - -CHORUS. - - For hand of priest unfit indeed - Such deeds and weapons had I thought; - Yet among gods - Hath not the Lord Amida his sharp sword? - Doth not the King of Love[39] - Shoot arrows of salvation from his bow? - Tamon with tilted lance - Outbattled demons and hath swept away - All perils from the world. - - -KUMASAKA. - - Thoughts of love and pity - May be sins fouler - - -CHORUS. - - Than the Five Faults of Datta;[40] - And the taking of life for faith - Be holiness greater - Than the six virtues of Bosatsu.[41] - These things have I seen and heard. - But for the rest, is it not Thought alone - That either wanders in the trackless night - Of Error or awakes to the wide day? - "Master thy thoughts, or they will master thee," - An ancient proverb[42] says. - -(_Speaking for Kumasaka._) - -"But I must have done, or dawn will find me talking still. Go to your -rest, Sir; and I too will doze awhile." So he spoke, and seemed to go -into the bedroom. But suddenly the cottage vanished: nothing was left -but the tall grass. It was under the shadow of a pine-tree that he[43] -had rested! - - (_There is usually an interlude to occupy the time while Kumasaka - is changing his costume. An inhabitant of Akasaka tells stories of - Kumasaka's exploits._) - - -PRIEST. - -I have seen strange things. I cannot sleep, no, not even for a while -as little as the space between the antlers of a young stag. Under this -autumn-winded pine-tree lying, all night long I will perform a service -of chanted prayer.[44] - - -KUMASAKA. - - (_Reappearing with a scarf tied round his head and a long pike over - his shoulder._) - -The wind is rising in the south-east. The clouds of the north-west are -shifting; it is a dark night. A wild wind is sweeping the woods under -the hill. - - -CHORUS. - -See how the branches are heaving. - - -KUMASAKA. - -The moon does not rise till dawn to-night; and even when she rises she -will be covered. - -Send along the order for an assault! - -(_Recollecting himself._) - -The whole heart divided between bow-hand and rein-hand,--oh the sin of -it! For ever seizing another's treasure! Look, look on my misery, how -my heart clings to the World! - - -PRIEST. - -If you are Kumasaka himself, tell me the story of those days. - - -KUMASAKA. - -There was a merchant, a trafficker in gold, called Kichiji of the Third -Ward. Each year he brought together a great store, and loading it in -bales carried it up-country. And thinking to waylay him I summoned -divers trusty men.... - - -PRIEST. - -Tell me the names of those that were chosen by you and the countries -they came from. - - -KUMASAKA. - -There was Kakujo of Kawachi, and the brothers Surihari that had no -rivals in fencing. - - -PRIEST. - -Well, and from within the City itself among many there were-- - - -KUMASAKA. - -There was Emon of the Third Ward and Kozaru of Mibu. - - -PRIEST. - -Skilful torch-throwers; in broken-attack - - -KUMASAKA. - -Their like will never be seen. - - -PRIEST. - -And from the North country, from Echizen - - -KUMASAKA. - -There was Matsuwaka of Asau and Kuro of Mikuni. - - -PRIEST. - -And from the country of Kaga, from Kumasaka - - -KUMASAKA. - -There was this Chohan, the first of them, a great hand at deeds of -villainy; and with him seventy men of the band. - - -PRIEST. - -On all the roads where Kichiji might be passing, up hill and down dale -on every halting-place they spied, till at last - - -KUMASAKA. - -Here at the Inn of Akasaka we found him,--a fine place, with many roads -leading from it. We set watch upon the place. The merchants had sent -for women. From nightfall they feasted. They roystered the hours away-- - - -PRIEST. - - And at last, very late at night, - Kichiji and his brother, with no thought for safety, - Fell into a sodden sleep. - - -KUMASAKA. - - But there was with them a boy of sixteen.[45] - He put his bright eye to a hole in the wall. - He did not make the least noise. - - -PRIEST. - -He did not sleep a wink. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Ushiwaka! We did not know he was there. - - -PRIEST. - -Then the robbers, whose luck was run out, - - -KUMASAKA. - -Thinking that the hour of fortune was come, - - -PRIEST. - -Waited impatiently. - - -CHORUS. - -Oh how long it seemed till at last the order came. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Dash in! - - -CHORUS. - - And, hurling their firebrands, - In they rushed, each jostling to be first, - More of them and more, in a wild onslaught. - Not even the God of Peril had dared to face them. - But little Ushiwaka showed no fear. - He drew his belt-sword and met them. - The Lion Pounce, The Tiger Leap, The Bird Pounce ...[46] - He parried them all. They thrust at him but could not prevail. - Thirteen there were who attacked him; - And now, done to death, on the same pillow head to head they lie. - And others, wounded, have flung down their swords and slunk back - weaponless, - Stripped of all else but life. - Then Kumasaka cried: "What demon or god can he be - Under whose hand all these have fallen? For a man he cannot be! - But even robbers need their lives! This is no work for me; I will - withdraw." - And slinging his pike, slowly he turned to go. - - -KUMASAKA. - -I was thinking. - - -CHORUS. - - He was thinking as he went, - "Though this stripling slash so bravely, - Yet should Kumasaka employ his secret art,-- - Then though the boy be ogre or hobgoblin, - Waist-strangled he would be pressed to dust." - "I will avenge the fallen," he cried, and, turning back, - He levelled his pike and sheltered behind the wattled door, - Waiting for the urchin to come. - Ushiwaka saw him, and drawing his sword held it close to his side, - Stood apart and watched. But Kumasaka too stood with his pike ready. - Each was waiting for the other to spring. - Then Kumasaka lost patience. He lunged with his left foot and with - his pike - Struck a blow that would have pierced an iron wall. - But Ushiwaka parried it lightly and sprang to the left. - Kumasaka was after him in a moment, and as he sprang nimbly over the - pike,[47] - Turned the point towards him. - But as he drew back the pike, Ushiwaka crossed to the right. - Then levelling the pike, Kumasaka struck a great blow. - This time the boy parried it with a blow that disengaged them, - And springing into the air leapt hither and thither with invisible - speed. - And while the robber sought him, - The wonderful boy pranced behind and stuck his sword through a chink - in his coat of mail. - "Hey, what is that?" cried Kumasaka. "Has this urchin touched me?" - And he was very angry. - But soon Heaven's fatal ordinance was sealed by despair: - "This sword-play brings me no advantage," he cried; "I will wrestle - with him." - Then he threw away his pike, and spreading out his great hands, - Down this corridor and into this corner he chased him, but when he - would have grasped him, - Like lightning, mist, moonlight on the water,-- - The eye could see, but the hand could not touch. - - -KUMASAKA. - -I was wounded again and again. - - -CHORUS. - -He was wounded many times, till the fierce strength of his spirit -weakened and weakened. Like dew upon the moss that grows. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Round the foot of this pine-tree - - -CHORUS. - - Are vanished the men of this old tale. - "Oh, help me to be born to happiness." - -(KUMASAKA _entreats the_ PRIEST _with folded hands_.) - - The cocks are crowing. A whiteness glimmers over the night. - He has hidden under the shadow of the pine-trees of Akasaka; - -(KUMASAKA _hides his face with his left sleeve_.) - - Under the shadow of the pine-trees he has hidden himself away. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[37] I. e. he is "attached" to earth and cannot get away to the Western -Paradise. - -[38] I. e. the time of his encounter with Ushiwaka. - -[39] Aizen. - -[40] Devadatta, the wicked contemporary of Buddha. - -[41] The six paths to Bodisattva-hood, i. e. Almsgiving, Observance of -Rules, Forbearance, Meditation, Knowledge and Singleness of Heart. - -[42] Actually from the Nirvana Sutra. - -[43] The Priest. - -[44] _Koye-butsuji_, "Voice-service." - -[45] Yoshitsune (Ushiwaka) had run away from the temple where he was -being educated and joined the merchant's caravan; see p. 70. - -[46] Names of strokes in fencing. - -[47] I have thought it better to print these "recitals" as verse, -though in the original (as obviously in my translation) they are almost -prose. - - - - -EBOSHI-ORI - -By MIYAMASU (sixteenth century?) - - -PERSONS - - _KICHIJI_ } - _HIS BROTHER KICHIROKU_ } _Gold-merchants._ - _USHIWAKA._ - _HATMAKER._ - _INNKEEPER._ - _BRIGANDS._ - _MESSENGER._ - _HATMAKER'S WIFE._ - _KUMASAKA._ - _CHORUS._ - - -KICHIJI. - - We as travellers dressed-- - Our weary feet upon the Eastern road - For many days must speed. - -I am Sanjo no Kichiji. I have now amassed a great store of treasure and -with my brother Kichiroku am going to take it down to the East. Ho! -Kichiroku, let us get together our bundles and start now. - - -KICHIROKU. - -I am ready. Let us start at once. - - -USHIWAKA. - -Hie, you travellers! If you are going up-country, please take me with -you. - - -KICHIJI. - -That is a small thing to ask. Certainly we would take you with us ..., -but by the look of you, I fancy you must be an apprentice playing -truant from your master. If that is so, I cannot take you. - - -USHIWAKA. - -I have neither father nor mother, and my master has turned me adrift. -Please let me go with you. - - -KICHIJI. - -If that is so, I cannot any longer refuse to take you with me. -(_Describing his own action._) - -Then he offered the boy a broad-brimmed hat. - - -USHIWAKA. - - And Ushiwaka eagerly grasped it. - To-day, he said, begins our troublous journey's toil. - - -CHORUS (_describing the journey and speaking for_ USHIWAKA). - - Past the creek of Awata, to Matsusaka, - To the shore of Shinomiya I travel. - Down the road to the barrier of Osaka walking behind pack-ponies, - How long shall I serve in sadness these hucksters of gold? - Here where once the blind harper[48] lay sorrowing - On a cottage-bed, far away from the City, - Thinking perhaps some such thoughts as I do now. - We have passed the plain of Awazu. Over the long bridge of Seta - The hoofs of our ponies clank. - We cross the hill of Moru, where the evening dew - Lies thick on country paths and, caught in the slanting light, - Gleams on the under-leaves till suddenly night - Comes on us and in darkness we approach - The Mirror Inn. - - -KICHIJI. - -We have travelled so fast that we have already reached the Mirror Inn. -Let us rest here for a little while. - - -MESSENGER. - -I am a servant in the Palace of Rokuhara. I have been sent to fetch -back young Ushiwaka, Lord Yoshitomo's son, who has escaped from the -Temple of Kurama. It is thought that he has taken service with the -merchant Kichiji and has gone up-country with him; so they sent me to -bring him back. Why, I believe that is he! But perhaps he is not alone. -I cannot be sure. I had better go home and fetch help, for if I were -one against many, how could I hope to take him? - -[Illustration: YOUNG MAN'S MASK] - - -USHIWAKA. - -I think it is about me that this messenger is speaking. I must not -let him know me. I will cut my hair and wear an _eboshi_[49], so that -people may think I am an Eastern boy. - - (_He goes to the curtain which separates the green-room from the - entrance-passage. This represents for the moment the front of the - hatmaker's shop._) - -May I come in? (_The curtain is raised._) - - -HATMAKER. - -Who is it? - - -USHIWAKA. - -I have come to order an _eboshi_. - - -HATMAKER. - -An _eboshi_ at this time of night? I will make you one to-morrow, if -you like. - - -USHIWAKA. - -Please make it now. I am travelling in a hurry and cannot wait. - - -HATMAKER. - -Very well then; I will make it now. What size do you take? - - -USHIWAKA. - -Please give me an _eboshi_ of the third size, folded to the left. - - -HATMAKER. - -I am afraid I cannot do that. They were worn folded to the left in the -time of the Minamotos. But now that the Tairas rule the whole land it -would not be possible to wear one folded so. - - -USHIWAKA. - -In spite of that I beg of you to make me one. There is a good reason -for my asking. - - -HATMAKER. - -Well, as you are so young there cannot be much harm in your wearing it. -I will make you one. - -(_He begins to make the hat._) - -There is a fine story about these left-folded _eboshi_ and the luck -they bring. Shall I tell it you? - - -USHIWAKA. - -Yes, pray tell me the story. - - -HATMAKER. - - My grandfather lived at Karasu-maru in the Third Ward. - It was the time when Hachimantaro Yoshi-iye, having routed[50] the - brothers Sadato and Muneto, - Came home in triumph to the Capital. - And when he was summoned to the Emperor's Palace, he went first to - my grandfather and ordered from him - A left-folded _eboshi_ for the Audience. And when he was come before - the Throne - The Emperor welcomed him gladly - And as a token of great favour made him lord - Of the lands of Outer Mutsu. - Even such an _eboshi_ it is that I am making now, - A garment of good omen. - Wear it and when into the world - - -CHORUS. - - When into the world you go, who knows but that Fate's turn - May not at last bring you to lordship of lands, - Of Dewa or the country of Michi. - And on that day remember, - Oh deign to remember, him that now with words of good omen - Folds for you this _eboshi_. - On that day forget not the gift you owe! - But alas! - These things were, but shall not be again. - The time of the left-folded _eboshi_ was long ago: - When the houses of Gen and Hei[51] were in their pride, - Like the plum-tree and cherry-tree among flowers, - Like Spring and Autumn among the four seasons. - Then, as snow that would outsparkle the moonlight, - Gen strove with Hei; and after the years of Hogen,[52] - The house of Hei prevailed and the whole land was theirs - So is it now. - But retribution shall come; time shall bring - Its changes to the world and like the cherry-blossom - This _eboshi_ that knows its season - Shall bloom again. Wait patiently for that time! - - -HATMAKER. - -And while they prayed - - -CHORUS. - - Lo! The cutting of the _eboshi_ was done. - Then he decked it brightly with ribbons of three colours, - Tied the strings to it and finished it handsomely. - "Pray deign to wear it," he cried, and set it on the boy's head. - Then, stepping back to look, - "Oh admirable skill! Not even the captain of a mighty host - Need scorn to wear this hat!" - - -HATMAKER. - -There is not an _eboshi_ in the land that fits so well. - - -USHIWAKA. - -You are right; please take this sword in payment for it. - - -HATMAKER. - -No, no! I could not take it in return for such a trifle. - - -USHIWAKA. - -I beg you to accept it. - - -HATMAKER. - -Well, I cannot any longer refuse. How glad my wife will be! -(_Calling._) Are you there? - - -WIFE. - -What is it? (_They go aside._) - - -HATMAKER. - -This young lad asked me to make him an _eboshi_, and when it was made -he gave me this sword as a present. Is it not a noble payment? Here, -look at it. (_The wife takes the sword and when she has examined it -bursts into tears._) Why, I thought you would treasure it like a gift -from Heaven. And here you are shedding tears over it! What is the -matter? - -WIFE. - -Oh! I am ashamed. When I try to speak, tears come first and choke the -words. I am going to tell you something I have never told you before. -I am the sister of Kamada Masakiyo who fell at the Battle of Utsumi in -the country of Noma. At the time when Tokiwa bore Ushiwaka, her third -son, the lord her husband sent her this weapon as a charm-sword, and I -was the messenger whom he charged to carry it. Oh were he in the world -again;[53] then would our eyes no longer behold such misery. Oh sorrow, -sorrow! - - -HATMAKER. - -You say that you are the sister of Kamada Masakiyo? - - -WIFE. - -I am. - - -HATMAKER. - -How strange, how strange! I have lived with you all these years and -months, and never knew till now. But are you sure that you recognize -this weapon? - - -WIFE. - -Yes; this was the sword they called Konnento. - - -HATMAKER. - -Ah! I have heard that name. Then this must be the young Lord Ushiwaka -from Kurama Temple. Come with me. We must go after him and give him -back the sword at once. Why, he is still there! (_To_ USHIWAKA.) Sir, -this woman tells me she knows the sword; I beg of you to take it back. - - -USHIWAKA. - - Oh! strange adventure; to meet so far from home - With humble folk that show me kindness! - - -HATMAKER and WIFE. - -My Lord, forgive us! We did not know you; but now we see in you Lord -Ushiwaka, the nursling of Kurama Temple. - - -USHIWAKA. - -I am no other. (_To the_ WIFE.) And you, perhaps, are some kinswoman of -Masakiyo?[54] - - -WIFE. - -You have guessed wisely, sir; I am the Kamada's sister. - - -USHIWAKA. - -Lady Akoya? - - -WIFE. - -I am. - - -USHIWAKA. - -Truly I have reason to know.... And _I_ - - -CHORUS. - - Am Ushiwaka fallen on profitless days. - Of whom no longer you may speak - As master, but as one sunk in strange servitude. - Dawn is in the east; the pale moon fades from the sky, as he sets - forth from the Mirror Inn. - - -HATMAKER and WIFE. - -Oh! it breaks my heart to see him! A boy of noble name walking barefoot -with merchants, and nothing on his journey but cloth of Shikama to -clothe him. Oh! piteous sight! - - -USHIWAKA. - -Change rules the world for ever, and Man but for a little while. What -are fine clothes to me, what life itself while foemen flaunt? - - -HATMAKER. - -As a journey-present to speed you on the Eastern road ... - - -CHORUS. - -So he spoke and pressed the sword into the young lord's hands. And the -boy could not any longer refuse, but taking it said, "If ever I come -into the World[55] again, I will not forget." And so saying he turned -and went on his way in company with the merchants his masters. On they -went till at last, weary with travel, they came to the Inn of Akasaka -in the country of Mino. - - -KICHIJI (_the merchant_). - -We have come so fast that here we are at the Inn of Akasaka. - -(_To his_ BROTHER.) - -Listen, Kichiroku, you had better take lodging for us here. - - -KICHIROKU. - -I obey. (_Goes towards the hashigakari or actors' entrance-passage._) -May I come in? - - -INNKEEPER. - -Who are you? Ah! it is Master Kichiroku. I am glad to see you back -again so soon. - -(_To_ KICHIJI.) - -Be on your guard, gentleman. For a desperate gang has got wind of your -coming and has sworn to set upon you to-night. - - -KICHIJI. - -What are we to do? - - -KICHIROKU. - -I cannot tell. - - -USHIWAKA (_comes forward_). - -What are you speaking of? - - -KICHIJI. - -We have heard that robbers may be coming to-night. We were wondering -what we should do.... - - -USHIWAKA. - -Let them come in what force they will; yet if one stout soldier go -to meet them, they will not stand their ground, though they be fifty -mounted men. - - -KICHIJI. - -These are trusty words that you have spoken to us. One and all we look -to you.... - - -USHIWAKA. - -Then arm yourselves and wait. I will go out to meet them. - - -CHORUS. - -And while he spoke, evening passed to darkness. "Now is the time," he -cried, "to show the world those arts of war that for many months and -years upon the Mountain of Kurama I have rehearsed." - -Then he opened the double-doors and waited there for the slow in-coming -of the white waves.[56] - - -BRIGANDS. - -Loud the noise of assault. The lashing of white waves against the -rocks, even such is the din of our battle-cry. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Ho, my man! Who is there? - - -BRIGAND. - -I stand before you. - - -KUMASAKA. - -How fared those skirmishers I sent to make a sudden breach? Blew wind -briskly within? - - -BRIGAND. - -Briskly indeed; for some are slain and many grievously wounded. - - -KUMASAKA. - -How can that be? I thought that none were within but the merchants, -Kichiji and his brother. Who else is there? - - -BRIGAND. - -By the light of a rocket[57] I saw a lad of twelve or thirteen years -slashing about him with a short-sword; and he was nimble as a butterfly -or bird. - - -KUMASAKA. - -And the brothers Surihari? - - -BRIGAND. - -Stood foster-fathers[57] to the fire-throwers and were the first to -enter. - -But soon there meets them this child I tell of and with a blow at each -whisks off their heads from their necks. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Ei! Ei! Those two, and the horsemen that were near a hundred -strong,--all smitten! The fellow has bewitched them! - - -BRIGAND. - -When Takase saw this, thinking perhaps no good would come of this -night-attack, he took some seventy horsemen and galloped away with them. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Ha! It is not the first time that lout has played me false. - -How fared the torch-diviners?[57] - - -BRIGAND. - -The first torch was slashed in pieces; the second was trampled on till -it went out; the third they caught and threw back at us, but it too -went out. There are none left. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Then is all lost. For of these torch-diviners they sing that the first -torch is the soul of an army, the second torch is the wheel of Fate, -and the third torch--Life itself. All three are out, and there is no -hope left for this night's brigandage. - - -BRIGAND. - -It is as you say. Though we were gods, we could not redeem our plight. -Deign to give the word of retreat. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Why, even brigands must be spared from slaughter. Come, withdraw my men. - - -BRIGAND. - -I obey. - - -KUMASAKA. - -Stay! Shall Kumasaka Chohan be worsted in to-night's affray? Never! -Where could he then hide his shame? Come, robbers, to the attack! - - -CHORUS. - -So with mighty voice he called them to him, and they, raising their -war-cry, leapt to the assault. - -(_Speaking for_ USHIWAKA.) - -"Hoho! What a to-do! Himself has come, undaunted by the fate of those -he sent before him. Now, Hachiman,[58] look down upon me, for no other -help is here." So he prayed, and stood waiting at the gap. - -(_Speaking for_ KUMASAKA.) - -"Sixty-three years has Kumasaka lived, and to-day shall make his last -night-assault."[59] So he spoke and kicking off his iron-shoes in a -twinkling he levelled his great battle-sword that measured five foot -three, and as he leapt forward like a great bird pouncing on his prey, -no god or demon had dared encounter him. - -(_Speaking for_ USHIWAKA.) - -"Ha, bandit! Be not so confident! These slinking night-assaults -displease me"; and leaving him no leisure, the boy dashed in to the -attack. - -Then, Kumasaka, deeply versed in use of the battle-sword, lunged with -his left foot and in succession he executed The Ten-Side Cut, The -Eight-Side Sweep, The Body Wheel, The Hanyu Turn, The Wind Roll, The -Blade Drop, The Gnashing Lion, The Maple-Leaf Double, The Flower Double. - - Now fire dances at the sword-points; - Now the sword-backs clash. - -At last even the great battle-sword has spent its art. Parried by -the little belt-sword of Zoshi,[60] it has become no more than a -guard-sword. - -(_Speaking for_ KUMASAKA.) - -"This sword-play brings me no advantage; I will close with him and try -my strength!" - -Then he threw down his battle-sword and spreading out his great hands -rushed wildly forward. But Ushiwaka dodged him, and as he passed mowed -round at his legs. - - The robber fell with a crash, and as he struggled to rise - The belt-sword of Ushiwaka smote him clean through the waist. - And Kumasaka that had been one man - Lay cloven in twain. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[48] Semimaru. - -[49] A tall, nodding hat. - -[50] 1064 A.D. - -[51] I. e. Minamoto and Taira. - -[52] 1156-1159 A.D. - -[53] Yoshi-iye. - -[54] Ushiwaka had not heard this conversation between the hatmaker and -his wife, which takes place as an "aside." - -[55] I. e. into power. - -[56] I. e. robbers. A band of brigands who troubled China in 184 A. -D. were known the White Waves, and the phrase was later applied to -robbers in general. - -[57] Torches were thrown among the enemy to discover their number and -defences. - -[58] God of War and clan-god of the Minamotos. - -[59] He feels that he is too old for the work. - -[60] I. e. Ushiwaka. - - - - -BENKEI ON THE BRIDGE - -(HASHI-BENKEI) - -By HIYOSHI SA-AMI YASUKIYO - -(_Date unknown, probably first half of the fifteenth century._) - - -PERSONS - - _BENKEI._ - _USHIWAKA._ - _FOLLOWER._ - _CHORUS._ - - -BENKEI. - -I am one who lives near the Western Pagoda. My name is Musashi-bo -Benkei. In fulfillment of a certain vow I have been going lately by -night at the hour of the Ox[61] to worship at the Gojo Temple. To-night -is the last time; I ought soon to be starting. - -Hie! Is any one there? - - -FOLLOWER. - -Here I am. - - -BENKEI. - -I sent for you to tell you that I shall be going to the Gojo Temple -to-night. - - -FOLLOWER. - -I tremble and listen. But there is a matter that I must bring to your -notice. I hear that yesterday there was a boy of twelve or thirteen -guarding the Gojo Bridge. They say he was slashing round with his short -sword as nimble as a bird or butterfly. I beg that you will not make -your pilgrimage to-night. Do not court this peril. - - -BENKEI. - -That's a strange thing to ask! Why, were he demon or hobgoblin, he -could not stand alone against many. We will surround him and you shall -soon see him on his knees. - - -FOLLOWER. - -They have tried surrounding him, but he always escapes as though by -magic, and none is able to lay hands on him. - - -BENKEI. - -When he seems within their grasp - - -FOLLOWER. - -From before their eyes - - -BENKEI. - -Suddenly he vanishes. - - -CHORUS. - - This strange hobgoblin, elfish apparition, - Into great peril may bring - The reverend limbs of my master. - In all this City none can withstand the prowess - Of this unparalleled monster. - - -BENKEI. - -If this is as you say, I will not go to-night; and yet ... No. It is -not to be thought of that such a one as Benkei should be affrighted by -a tale. To-night when it is dark I will go to the bridge and humble -this arrogant elf. - - -CHORUS. - - And while he spoke, - Evening already to the western sky had come; - Soon the night-wind had shattered and dispersed - The shapes of sunset. Cheerless night - Came swiftly, but with step too slow - For him who waits. - - (_A Comic interlude played by a bow-master is sometimes used here - to fill in the time while_ BENKEI _is arming himself_.) - - -USHIWAKA. - -I am Ushiwaka. I must do as my mother told me; "Go up to the Temple[62] -at daybreak," she said. But it is still night. I will go to Gojo -Bridge and wait there till suddenly - - Moonlight mingles with the rising waves; - No twilight closes - The autumn day, but swiftly - The winds of night bring darkness. - - -CHORUS (_speaking for_ USHIWAKA). - - Oh! beauty of the waves! High beats my heart, - High as their scattered pearls! - Waves white as dewy calabash[63] at dawn, - By Gojo Bridge. - Silently the night passes, - No sound but my own feet upon the wooden planks - Clanking and clanking; still I wait - And still in vain. - - -BENKEI. - - The night grows late. Eastward the bells of the Three Pagodas toll. - By the moonlight that gleams through leaves of these thick cedar-trees - I gird my armour on; - I fasten the black thongs of my coat of mail. - I adjust its armoured skirts. - By the middle I grasp firmly - My great halberd that I have loved so long. - I lay it across my shoulder; with leisurely step stride forward. - Be he demon or hobgoblin, how shall he stand against me? - Such trust have I in my own prowess. Oh, how I long - For a foeman worthy of my hand! - - -USHIWAKA. - - The river-wind blows keen; - The night is almost spent, - But none has crossed the Bridge. - I am disconsolate and will lie down to rest. - - -BENKEI. - - Then Benkei, all unknowing, - Came towards the Bridge where white waves lapped. - Heavily his feet clanked on the boards of the Bridge. - - -USHIWAKA. - - And even before he saw him Ushiwaka gave a whoop of joy. - "Some one has come," he cried, and hitching his cloak over his - shoulder - Took his stand at the bridge-side. - - -BENKEI. - - Benkei discerned him and would have spoken.... - But when he looked, lo! it was a woman's form! - Then, because he had left the World,[64] with troubled mind he - hurried on. - - -USHIWAKA. - - Then Ushiwaka said, - "I will make game of him," and as Benkei passed - Kicked at the button of his halberd so that it jerked into the air. - - -BENKEI (_cries out in surprise_). - -Ah! fool, I will teach you a lesson! - - -CHORUS. - - Then Benkei while he retrieved his halberd - Cried out in anger, - "You shall soon feel the strength of my arm," and fell fiercely - upon him. - But the boy, not a jot alarmed, - Stood his ground and with one hand pulled aside his cloak, - While with the other he quietly drew his sword from the scabbard - And parried the thrust of the halberd that threatened him. - Again and again he parried the halberd's point. - And so they fought, now closing, now breaking. - What shall Benkei do? For when he thinks that he has conquered, - With his little sword the boy thrusts the blow aside. - Again and again Benkei strikes. - Again and again his blows are parried, - Till at last even he, mighty Benkei, - Can do battle no longer. - Disheartened he steps back the space of a few bridge-beams. - "Monstrous," he cries, "that this stripling ... No, it cannot be. - He shall not outwit my skill." - And holding out his halberd at full length before him - He rushed forward and dealt a mighty blow. - But Ushiwaka turned and dived swiftly to the left. - Benkei recovered his halberd and slashed at the boy's skirts; - But _he_, unfaltering, instantly leapt from the ground. - And when he thrust at the boy's body, - Then Ushiwaka squirmed with head upon the ground. - Thus a thousand, thousand bouts they fought, - Till the halberd fell from Benkei's weary hands. - He would have wrestled, but the boy's sword flashed before him, - And he could get no hold. - Then at his wits' end, "Oh, marvellous youth!" - Benkei cried, and stood dumbfounded. - - -CHORUS. - -Who are you that, so young and frail, possess such daring? Tell us your -name and state. - - -USHIWAKA. - -Why should I conceal it from you? I am Minamoto Ushiwaka. - - -CHORUS. - -Yoshitomo's son? - - -USHIWAKA. - -I am. And your name ...? - - -CHORUS (_speaking for_ BENKEI). - - "I am called Musashi Benkei of the Western Pagoda. - And now that we have told our names, - I surrender myself and beg for mercy; - For you are yet a child, and I a priest. - Such are your rank and lineage, such your prowess - That I will gladly serve you. - Too hastily you took me for an enemy; but now begins - A three lives' bond; henceforward[65] - As slave I serve you." - So, while the one made vows of homage, the other girded up his cloak. - Then Benkei laid his halberd across his shoulder - And together they went on their way - To the palace of Kujo.[66] - -FOOTNOTES: - -[61] 1-3 A.M. - -[62] The Kurama Temple. - -[63] Flowers of the _yugao_ or calabash. There is a reference to Lady -Yugao (see p. 142), who lived at Gojo. - -[64] Because he was a priest. - -[65] I. e. three incarnations. - -[66] Ushiwaka's home. - - - - -CHAPTER III - - KAGEKIYO - HACHI NO KI - SOTOBA KOMACHI - - - - -KAGEKIYO - -By SEAMI - - -PERSONS - - _A GIRL (Kagekiyo's daughter)._ - _KAGEKIYO THE PASSIONATE._ - _HER ATTENDANT._ - _A VILLAGER._ - - _CHORUS._ - - -GIRL and ATTENDANT. - - Late dewdrops are our lives that only wait - Till the wind blows, the wind of morning blows. - - -GIRL. - -I am Hitomaru. I live in the valley of Kamegaye. My father Kagekiyo -the Passionate fought for the House of Hei[67] and for this was hated -by the Genji.[68] I am told they have banished him to Miyazaki in the -country of Hyuga, and there in changed estate he passes the months -and years. I must not be downcast at the toil of the journey;[69] for -hardship is the lot of all that travel on unfamiliar roads, and I must -bear it for my father's sake. - - -GIRL and ATTENDANT. - - Oh double-wet our sleeves - With the tears of troubled dreaming and the dews - That wet our grassy bed. - We leave Sagami; who shall point the way - To Totomi, far off not only in name?[70] - Over the sea we row: - And now the eight-fold Spider Bridge we cross - To Mikawa. How long, O City of the Clouds,[71] - Shall we, inured to travel, see you in our dreams? - - -ATTENDANT. - -We have journeyed so fast that I think we must already have come to -Miyazaki in the country of Hyuga. It is here you should ask for your -father. - - (_The voice of_ KAGEKIYO _is heard from within his hut_.) - - -KAGEKIYO. - - Behind this gate, - This pine-wood barricade shut in alone - I waste the hours and days; - By me not numbered, since my eyes no longer - See the clear light of heaven, but in darkness, - Unending darkness, profitlessly sleep - In this low room. - For garment given but one coat to cover - From winter winds or summer's fire - This ruin, this anatomy! - - -CHORUS (_speaking for_ KAGEKIYO). - - Oh better had I left the world, to wear - The black-stained sleeve. - Who will now pity me, whose withered frame - Even to myself is hateful? - Or who shall make a care to search for me - And carry consolation to my woes? - - -GIRL. - -How strange! That hut is so old, I cannot think that any one can live -there. Yet I heard a voice speaking within. Perhaps some beggar lodges -there; I will not go nearer. (_She steps back_.) - - -KAGEKIYO. - - Though my eyes see not autumn - Yet has the wind brought tiding - - -GIRL. - - Of one who wanders - By ways unknown bewildered, - Finding rest nowhere-- - - -KAGEKIYO. - - For in the Three Worlds of Being - Nowhere is rest,[72] but only - In the Void Eternal. - None is, and none can answer - _Where_ to thy asking. - - -ATTENDANT (_going up to_ KAGEKIYO'S _hut_). - -I have come to your cottage to ask you something. - - -KAGEKIYO. - -What is it you want? - - -ATTENDANT. - -Can you tell me where the exile lives? - - -KAGEKIYO. - -The exile? What exile do you mean? Tell me his name. - - -ATTENDANT. - -We are looking for Kagekiyo the Passionate who fought for the Taira. - - -KAGEKIYO. - -I have heard of him indeed. But I am blind, and have not seen him. I -have heard such sad tales of his plight that I needs must pity him. Go -further; ask elsewhere. - - -ATTENDANT (_to_ GIRL, _who has been waiting_). - -It does not seem that we shall find him here. Let us go further and ask -again. (_They pass on._) - - -KAGEKIYO. - -Who can it be that is asking for me? What if it should be the child of -this blind man? For long ago when I was at Atsuta in Owari I courted a -woman and had a child by her. But since the child was a girl, I thought -I would get no good of her and left her with the head-man of the valley -of Kamegaye. But she was not content to stay with her foster-parents -and has come all this way to meet her true father. - - -CHORUS. - - To hear a voice, - To hear and not to see! - Oh pity of blind eyes! - I have let her pass by; - I have not told my name; - But it was love that bound me, - Love's rope that held me. - - -ATTENDANT (_calling into the side-bridge_). - -Hie! Is there any villager about? - - -VILLAGER (_raising the curtain that divides the side-bridge from the -stage_). - -What do you want with me? - - -ATTENDANT. - -Do you know where the exile lives? - - -VILLAGER. - -The exile? What exile is it you are asking for? - - -ATTENDANT. - -One called Kagekiyo the Passionate who fought for the Taira. - - -VILLAGER. - -Did you not see some one in a thatched hut under the hillside as you -came along? - - -ATTENDANT. - -Why, we saw a blind beggar in a thatched hut. - - -VILLAGER. - -That blind beggar is your man. _He_ is Kagekiyo. - - (_The_ GIRL _starts and trembles_.) - -But why does your lady tremble when I tell you that he is Kagekiyo? -What is amiss with her? - - -ATTENDANT. - -No wonder that you ask. I will tell you at once; this lady is -Kagekiyo's daughter. She has borne the toil of this journey because she -longed to meet her father face to face. Please take her to him. - - -VILLAGER. - -She is Kagekiyo's daughter? How strange, how strange! But, lady, calm -yourself and listen. - -Kagekiyo went blind in both his eyes, and finding himself helpless, -shaved his head and called himself the beggar of Hyuga. He begs a -little from travellers; and we villagers are sorry for him and see to -it that he does not starve. Perhaps he would not tell you his name -because he was ashamed of what he has become. But if you will come with -me I will shout "Kagekiyo" at him. He will surely answer to his own -name. Then you shall go to him and talk of what you will, old times or -now. Please come this way. - - (_They go towards the hut._) - -Hie, Kagekiyo, Kagekiyo! Are you there, Kagekiyo the Passionate? - - -KAGEKIYO (_stopping his ears with his hands, irritably_). - -Noise, noise! - -Silence! I was vexed already. For a while ago there came travellers -from my home! Do you think I let them stay? No, no. I could not show -them my loathsomeness.... It was hard to let them go,--not tell them my -name! - - A thousand rivers of tears soften my sleeve! - A thousand, thousand things I do in dream - And wake to idleness! Oh I am resolved - To be in the world as one who is not in the world. - Let them shout "Kagekiyo, Kagekiyo": - Need beggars answer? - Moreover, in this land I have a name. - - -CHORUS. - - "In Hyuga sunward-facing - A fit name found I. - Oh call me not by the name - Of old days that have dropped - Like the bow from a stricken hand! - For I whom passion - Had left for ever - At the sound of that wrathful name - Am angry, angry." - - (_While the_ CHORUS _speaks his thought_ KAGEKIYO _mimes their - words, waving his stick and finally beating it against his thigh in - a crescendo of rage_.) - - -KAGEKIYO (_suddenly lowering his voice, gently_). - -But while I dwell here - - -CHORUS. - - "But while I dwell here - To those that tend me - Should I grow hateful - Then were I truly - A blind man staffless. - Oh forgive - Profitless anger, tongue untended, - A cripple's spleen." - - -KAGEKIYO. - -For though my eyes be darkened - - -CHORUS. - - "Though my eyes be darkened - Yet, no word spoken, - Men's thoughts I see. - Listen now to the wind - In the woods upon the hill: - Snow is coming, snow! - Oh bitterness to wake - From dreams of flowers unseen! - And on the shore, - Listen, the waves are lapping - Over rough stones to the cliff. - The evening tide is in. - - (KAGEKIYO _fumbles for his staff and rises, coming just outside the - hut. The mention of "waves," "shore," "tide," has reminded him of - the great shore-battle at Yashima in which the Tairas triumphed_.) - -"I was one of them, of those Tairas. If you will listen, I will tell -the tale...." - - -KAGEKIYO (_to the_ VILLAGER). - -There was a weight on my mind when I spoke to you so harshly. Pray -forgive me. - - -VILLAGER. - -No, no! you are always so! I do not heed you. But tell me, did not some -one come before, asking for Kagekiyo? - - -KAGEKIYO. - -No,--you are the only one who has asked. - - -VILLAGER. - -It is not true. Some one came here saying that she was Kagekiyo's -daughter. Why did you not tell her? I was sorry for her and have -brought her back with me. - -(_To the_ GIRL.) Come now, speak with your father. - - -GIRL (_going to_ KAGEKIYO'S _side and touching his sleeve_). - - It is I who have come to you. - I have come all the long way, - Through rain, wind, frost and dew. - And now--you have not understood; it was all for nothing. - Am I not worth your love? Oh cruel, cruel! (_She weeps._) - - -KAGEKIYO. - - All that till now I thought to have concealed - Is known; where can I hide, - I that have no more refuge than the dew - That finds no leaf to lie on? - Should you, oh flower delicately tended, - Call me your father, then would the World know you - A beggar's daughter. Oh think not ill of me - That I did let you pass! - - (_He gropes falteringly with his right hand and touches her - sleeve._) - - -CHORUS. - - Oh sad, sad! - He that of old gave welcome - To casual strangers and would raise an angry voice - If any passed his door, - Now from his own child gladly - Would hide his wretchedness. - He that once - Among all that in the warships of Taira - Shoulder to shoulder, knee locked with knee, - Dwelt crowded-- - Even Kagekiyo keen - As the clear moonlight-- - Was ever called on to captain - The Royal Pinnace. - And though among his men - Many were brave and many of wise counsel, - Yet was he even as the helm of the boat. - And of the many who served him - None cavilled, disputed. - But now - He that of all was envied - Is like Kirin[73] grown old, - By every jade outrun. - - -VILLAGER (_seeing the_ GIRL _standing sadly apart_). - -Poor child, come back again. - - (_She comes back to her father's side._) - -Listen, Kagekiyo, there is something your daughter wants of you. - - -KAGEKIYO. - -What is it she wants? - - -VILLAGER. - -She tells me that she longs to hear the story of your high deeds at -Yashima. Could you not tell us the tale? - - -KAGEKIYO. - -That is a strange thing for a girl to ask. Yet since kind love brought -her this long, long way to visit me, I cannot but tell her the tale. -Promise me that when it is finished you will send her back again to her -home. - - -VILLAGER. - -I will. So soon as your tale is finished, I will send her home. - - -KAGEKIYO. - - It was in the third year of Juyei,[74] - At the close of the third month. - We of Heike were in our ships, - The men of Genji on shore. - Two armies spread along the coast - Eager to bid in battle - For final mastery. - Then said Noritsune, Lord of Noto, - "Last year at Muro Hill in the land of Harima, - At Water Island, even at Jackdaw Pass, - We were beaten again and again; outwitted - By Yoshitsune's strategy. - Oh that some plan might be found, some counsel given - For the slaying of Kuro."[75] So spoke he. - Then thought Kagekiyo in his heart, - "Though he be called 'Judge,' - Yet is he no god or demon, this Yoshitsune. - An easy task! Oh easy for one that loves not - His own life chiefly!" - So he took leave of Noritsune - And landed upon the beach. - The soldiers of Genji - "Death to him, death to him!" cried - As they swept towards him. - - -CHORUS. - - And when he saw them, - "What great to-do!" he cried, then waving - His sword in the evening sunlight - He fell upon them swiftly. - They fled before his sword-point, - They could not withstand him, those soldiers; - This way, that way, they scuttled wildly, and he cried, - "They shall not escape me!" - - -KAGEKIYO (_breaking in excitedly_). - -Cowards, cowards all of you! - - -CHORUS. - - Cowards, all of you! - Sight shameful alike for Gen and Hei. - Then, thinking that to stop one man - Could not but be easy, - Sword under arm, - "I am Kagekiyo," he cried, - "Kagekiyo the Passionate, a captain of the soldiers of Hei." - And swiftly pursued, with naked hand to grasp - The helm that Mionoya wore. - He clutched at the neck-piece, - Twice and again he clutched, but it slipped from him, slid through - his fingers. - Then crying "He shall not escape me, this foe I have chosen," - Swooped like a bird, seized upon the helmet, - "Eya, eya," he cried, tugging, - Till "Crack"--the neck-piece tore from the helm and was left in - his hand, - While the master of it, suddenly free, ran till he was come - A good way off, then turning, - "O mighty Kagekiyo, how terrible the strength of your arm!" - And the other called back to him, "Nay, say rather 'How strong - the shaft - Of Mionoya's neck!'" So laughed they across the battle, - And went off each his way. - - (KAGEKIYO, _who has been miming the battle, breaks off abruptly and - turns to the_ VILLAGER. _The_ CHORUS _speaks for him_.) - - -CHORUS. - - "I am old: I have forgotten--things unforgettable! - My thoughts are tangled: I am ashamed. - But little longer shall this world, - This sorrowful world torment me. - The end is near: go to your home; - Pray for my soul departed, child, candle to my darkness, - Bridge to salvation! - - (_He rises to his feet groping with his stick, comes to the_ GIRL, - _and gently pushes her before him towards the wing_.) - - "I stay," he said; and she "I go." - The sound of this word - Was all he kept of her, - Nor passed between them - Remembrance other. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[67] The Tairas. - -[68] The Minamotos, who came into power at the end of the twelfth -century. - -[69] The journey to look for her father. - -[70] Totomi is written with characters meaning "distant estuary." The -whole passage is full of double-meanings which cannot be rendered. - -[71] The Capital. - -[72] Quotation from the Parable Chapter of the _Hokkekyo_. - -[73] A Chinese Pegasus. The proverb says, "Even Kirin, when he was old, -was outstripped by hacks." Seami quotes this proverb, _Works_, p. 9. - -[74] "Le vieux guerrier avengle, assis devant sa cabane d'exile, mime -son dernier combat de gestes incertains et tremblants" (Peri). - -[75] Yoshitsune. - - - - -HACHI NO KI - -By SEAMI - - -PERSONS - - _THE PRIEST (Lord Tokiyori disguised)._ - _TSUNEYO GENZAYEMON (a former retainer of Tokiyori)._ - _GENZAYEMON'S WIFE._ - _TOKIYORI'S MINISTER, and followers._ - _CHORUS._ - - -PRIEST. - - No whence nor whither know I, only onward, - Onward my way. - -I am a holy man of no fixed abode. I have been travelling through the -land of Shinano; but the snow lies thick. I had best go up to Kamakura -now and wait there. When Spring comes I will set out upon my pilgrimage. - - (_He walks round the stage singing his song of travel._) - - Land of Shinano, Peak of Asama, - Thy red smoke rising far and near! Yet cold - Blows the great wind whose breath - From Greatwell Hill is fetched. - On to the Village of Friends--but friendless I, - Whose self is cast aside, go up the path - Of Parting Hill, that from the temporal world - Yet further parts me. Down the river, down - Runs my swift raft plank-nosed to Plank-nose Inn, - And to the Ford of Sano I am come. - -I have travelled so fast that I am come to the Ford of Sano in the -country of Kozuke. Ara! It is snowing again. I must seek shelter here. -(_Goes to the wing and knocks._) Is there anyone in this house? - - -TSUNEYO'S WIFE (_raising the curtain that divides the hashigakari from -the stage_). - -Who is there? - - -PRIEST. - -I am a pilgrim; pray lodge me here to-night. - - -WIFE. - -That is a small thing to ask. But since the master is away, you cannot -lodge in this house. - - -PRIEST. - -Then I will wait here till he comes back. - - -WIFE. - -That must be as you please. I will go to the corner and watch for him. -When he comes I will tell him you are here. - - (_Enter_ TSUNEYO _from the wing, making the gesture of one who - shakes snow from his clothes_.) - - -TSUNEYO. - -Ah! How the snow falls! Long ago when I was in the World[76] I loved to -see it: - - "Hither and thither the snow blew like feathers plucked from a - goose; - Long, long I watched it fall, till it dressed me in a white coat." - So I sang; and the snow that falls now is the same that I saw then. - But I indeed am frost-white[77] that watch it! - Oh how shall this thin dress of Kefu-cloth[78] - Chase from my bones the winter of to-day, - Oh pitiless day of snow! - - (_He sees his_ WIFE _standing waiting_.) - -What is this! How comes it that you are waiting here in this great -storm of snow? - - -WIFE. - -A pilgrim came this way and begged for a night's lodging. And when I -told him you were not in the house, he asked if he might wait till you -returned. That is why I am here. - - -TSUNEYO. - -Where is this pilgrim now? - - -WIFE. - -There he stands! - - -PRIEST. - -I am he. Though the day is not far spent, how can I find my way in this -great storm of snow? Pray give me shelter for the night. - - -TSUNEYO. - -That is a small thing to ask; but I have no lodging fit for you; I -cannot receive you. - - -PRIEST. - -No, no. I do not care how poor the lodging may be. Pray let me stay -here for one night. - - -TSUNEYO. - -I would gladly ask you to stay, but there is scarce space for us two, -that are husband and wife. How can we give you lodging? At the village -of Yamamoto yonder, ten furlongs further, you will find a good inn. You -had best be on your way before the daylight goes. - - -PRIEST. - -So you are resolved to turn me away? - - -TSUNEYO. - -I am sorry for it, but I cannot give you lodging. - - -PRIEST (_turning away_). - -Much good I got by waiting for such a fellow! I will go my way. (_He -goes._) - - -WIFE. - -Alas, it is because in a former life we neglected the ordinances[79] -that we are now come to ruin. And surely it will bring us ill-fortune -in our next life, if we give no welcome to such a one as this! If it is -by any means possible for him to shelter here, please let him stay. - - -TSUNEYO. - -If you are of that mind, why did you not speak before? (_Looking after -the_ PRIEST.) No, he cannot have gone far in this great snowstorm. I -will go after him and stop him. Hie, traveller, hie! We will give you -lodging. Hie! The snow is falling so thick that he cannot hear me. -What a sad plight he is in. Old-fallen snow covers the way he came -and snow new-fallen hides the path where he should go. Look, look! He -is standing still. He is shaking the snow from his clothes; shaking, -shaking. It is like that old song: - - "At Sano Ferry - No shelter found we - To rest our horses, - Shake our jackets, - In the snowy twilight." - - That song was made at Sano Ferry, - At the headland of Miwa on the Yamato Way. - - -CHORUS. - - But now at Sano on the Eastern Way - Would you wander weary in the snow of twilight? - Though mean the lodging, - Rest with us, oh rest till day! - - (_The_ PRIEST _goes with them into the hut_.) - - -TSUNEYO (_to his_ WIFE). - -Listen. We have given him lodging, but have not laid the least thing -before him. Is there nothing we can give? - - -WIFE. - -It happens that we have a little boiled millet;[80] we can give him -that if he will take it. - - -TSUNEYO. - -I will tell him. (_To the_ PRIEST.) I have given you lodging, but I -have not yet laid anything before you. It happens that we have a little -boiled millet. It is coarse food, but pray eat it if you can. - - -PRIEST. - -Why, that's a famous dish! Please give it me. - - -TSUNEYO (_to_ WIFE). - -He says he will take some; make haste and give it to him. - - -WIFE. - -I will do so. - - -TSUNEYO. - -Long ago when I was in the World I knew nothing of this stuff called -millet but what I read of it in poems and songs. But now it is the prop -of my life. - - Truly Rosei's dream of fifty years' glory - That he dreamed at Kantan on lent pillow propped - Was dreamed while millet cooked, as yonder dish now. - Oh if I might but sleep as he slept, and see in my dream - Times that have passed away, then should I have comfort; - But now through battered walls - - -CHORUS. - - Cold wind from the woods - Blows sleep away and the dreams of recollection. - - (_While the_ CHORUS _sings these words an_ ATTENDANT _brings on to - the stage the three dwarf trees_.) - - -TSUNEYO. - -How cold it is! And as the night passes, each hour the frost grows -keener. If I had but fuel to light a fire with, that you might sit by -it and warm yourself! Ah! I have thought of something. I have some -dwarf trees. I will cut them down and make a fire of them. - - -PRIEST. - -Have you indeed dwarf trees? - - -TSUNEYO. - -Yes, when I was in the World I had a fine show of them; but when my -trouble came I had no more heart for tree-fancying, and gave them away. -But three of them, I kept,--plum, cherry and pine. Look, there they -are, covered with snow. They are precious to me; yet for this night's -entertainment I will gladly set light to them. - - -PRIEST. - -No, no, that must not be. I thank you for your kindness, but it is -likely that one day you will go back to the World again and need them -for your pleasure. Indeed it is not to be thought of. - - -TSUNEYO. - - My life is like a tree the earth has covered; - I shoot no blossoms upward to the world. - - -WIFE. - - And should we burn for you - These shrubs, these profitless toys, - - -TSUNEYO. - -Think them the faggots of our Master's servitude.[81] - - -WIFE. - -For snow falls now upon them, as it fell - - -TSUNEYO. - - When he to hermits of the cold - Himalayan Hills was carrier of wood. - - -WIFE. - -So let it be. - - -CHORUS. - - "Shall I from one who has cast life aside, - Dear life itself, withold these trivial trees?" - - (TSUNEYO _goes and stands by the dwarf trees_.) - - Then he brushed the snow from off them, and when he looked, - "I cannot, cannot," he cried, "O beautiful trees, - Must I begin? - You, plum-tree, among bare boughs blossoming - Hard by the window, still on northward face - Snow-sealed, yet first to scent - Cold air with flowers, earliest of Spring; - 'You first shall fall.' - You by whose boughs on mountain hedge entwined - Dull country folk have paused and caught their breath,[82] - Hewn down for firewood. Little had I thought - My hand so pitiless!" - - (_He cuts down the plum-tree._) - - "You, cherry (for each Spring your blossom comes - Behind the rest), I thought a lonely tree - And reared you tenderly, but now - _I_, _I_ am lonely left, and you, cut down, - Shall flower but with flame." - - -TSUNEYO. - - You now, O pine, whose branches I had thought - One day when you were old to lop and trim, - Standing you in the field, a football-post,[83] - Such use shall never know. - Tree, whom the winds have ever wreathed - With quaking mists, now shimmering in the flame - Shall burn and burn. - Now like a beacon, sentinels at night - Kindle by palace gate to guard a king, - Your fire burns brightly. - Come, warm yourself. - - -PRIEST. - -Now we have a good fire and can forget the cold. - - -TSUNEYO. - -It is because you lodged with us that we too have a fire to sit by. - - -PRIEST. - -There is something I must ask you: I would gladly know to what clan my -host belongs. - - -TSUNEYO. - -I am not of such birth; I have no clan-name. - - -PRIEST. - -Say what you will, I cannot think you a commoner. The times may change; -what harm will you get by telling me your clan? - - -TSUNEYO. - -Indeed I have no reason to conceal it. Know then that Tsuneyo -Genzayemon, Lord of Sano, is sunk to this! - - -PRIEST. - -How came it, sir, that you fell to such misery? - - -TSUNEYO. - -Thus it was: kinsmen usurped my lands, and so I became what I am. - - -PRIEST. - -Why do you not go up to the Capital and lay your case before the -Shikken's court? - - -TSUNEYO. - -By further mischance it happens that Lord Saimyoji[84] himself is -absent upon pilgrimage. And yet not all is lost; for on the wall a tall -spear still hangs, and armour with it; while in the stall a steed is -tied. And if at any time there came from the City news of peril to our -master-- - - Then, broken though it be I would gird this armour on, - And rusty though it be I would hold this tall spear, - And lean-ribbed though he be I would mount my horse and ride - Neck by neck with the swiftest, - To write my name on the roll. - And when the fight began - Though the foe were many, yet would I be the first - To cleave their ranks, to choose an adversary - To fight with him and die. - - (_He covers his face with his hands; his voice sinks again._) - - But now, another fate, worn out with hunger - To die useless. Oh despair, despair! - - -PRIEST. - -Take courage; you shall not end so. If I live, I will come to you -again. Now I go. - - -TSUNEYO and WIFE. - -We cannot let you go. At first we were ashamed that you should see the -misery of our dwelling; but now we ask you to stay with us awhile. - - -PRIEST. - -Were I to follow my desire, think you I would soon go forth into the -snow? - - -TSUNEYO and WIFE. - -After a day of snow even the clear sky is cold, and to-night-- - - -PRIEST. - -Where shall I lodge? - - -WIFE. - -Stay with us this one day. - - -PRIEST. - -Though my longing bides with you-- - - -TSUNEYO and WIFE. - -You leave us? - - -PRIEST. - -Farewell, Tsuneyo! - - -BOTH. - -Come back to us again. - - -CHORUS (_speaking for_ PRIEST). - -"And should you one day come up to the City, seek for me there. A -humble priest can give you no public furtherance, yet can he find ways -to bring you into the presence of Authority. Do not give up your suit." -He said no more. He went his way,--he sad to leave them and they to -lose him from their sight. - - * * * * * - -(_Interval of Six Months._) - - -TSUNEYO (_standing outside his hut and seeming to watch travellers on -the road_). - -Hie, you travellers! Is it true that the levies are marching to -Kamakura? They are marching in great force, you say? So it is true. -Barons and knights from the Eight Counties of the East all riding to -Kamakura! A fine sight it will be. Tasselled breastplates of beaten -silver; swords and daggers fretted with gold. On horses fat with fodder -they ride; even the grooms of the relay-horses are magnificently -apparelled. And along with them (_miming the action of leading a -horse_) goes Tsuneyo, with horse, armour and sword that scarce seem -worthy of such names. They may laugh, yet I am not, I think, a -worse man than they; and had I but a steed to match my heart, then -valiantly--(_making the gesture of cracking a whip_) you laggard! - - -CHORUS. - -The horse is old, palsied as a willow-bough; it cannot hasten. It is -lean and twisted. Not whip or spur can move it. It sticks like a coach -in a bog. He follows far behind the rest. - - -PRIEST (_again ruler[85] of Japan, seated on a throne_). - -Are you there? - - -ATTENDANT. - -I stand before you. - - -PRIEST. - -Have the levies of all the lands arrived? - - -ATTENDANT. - -They are all come. - - -PRIEST. - -Among them should be a knight in broken armour, carrying a rusty sword, -and leading his own lean horse. Find him, and bring him to me. - - -ATTENDANT. - -I tremble and obey. (_Going to_ TSUNEYO.) I must speak with you. - - -TSUNEYO. - -What is it? - - -ATTENDANT. - -You are to appear immediately before my lord. - - -TSUNEYO. - -Is it I whom you are bidding appear before his lordship? - - -ATTENDANT. - -Yes, you indeed. - - -TSUNEYO. - -How can it be I? You have mistaken me for some other. - - -ATTENDANT. - -Oh no, it is you. I was told to fetch the most ill-conditioned of all -the soldiers; and I am sure you are he. Come at once. - - -TSUNEYO. - -The most ill-conditioned of all the soldiers? - - -ATTENDANT. - -Yes, truly. - - -TSUNEYO. - -Then I am surely he. - -Tell your lord that I obey. - - -ATTENDANT. - -I will do so. - - -TSUNEYO. - -I understand; too well I understand. Some enemy of mine has called me -traitor, and it is to execution that I am summoned before the Throne. -Well, there is no help for it. Bring me into the Presence. - - -CHORUS. - - He was led to where on a great dais - All the warriors of this levy were assembled - Like a bright bevy of stars. - Row on row they were ranged, - Samurai and soldiers; - Swift scornful glances, fingers pointed - And the noise of laughter met his entering. - - -TSUNEYO. - - Stuck through his tattered, his old side-sewn sash, - His rusty sword sags and trails,--yet he undaunted, - "My Lord, I have come." - - (_He bows before the Throne._) - - -PRIEST. - -Ha! He has come, Tsuneyo of Sano! - -Have you forgotten the priest whom once you sheltered from the -snowstorm? You have been true to the words that you spoke that night at -Sano: - - "If at any time there came news from the City of peril to our master - Then broken though it be, I would gird this armour on, - And rusty though it be, I would hold this tall spear, - And bony though he be, I would mount my horse and ride - Neck by neck with the swiftest." - -These were not vain words; you have come valiantly. But know that this -levy of men was made to this purpose: to test the issue of your words -whether they were spoken false or true; and to hear the suits of all -those that have obeyed my summons, that if any among them have suffered -injury, his wrongs may be righted. - -And first in the case of Tsuneyo, I make judgment. To him shall be -returned his lawful estate, thirty parishes in the land of Sano. - -But above all else one thing shall never be forgotten, that in the -great snowstorm he cut down his trees, his treasure, and burnt them for -firewood. And now in gratitude for the three trees of that time,--plum, -cherry and pine,--we grant to him three fiefs, Plumfield in Kaga, -Cherrywell in Etchu and Pine-branch in Kozuke. - -He shall hold them as a perpetual inheritance for himself and for his -heirs; in testimony whereof we give this title-deed, by our own hand -signed and sealed, together with the safe possession of his former -lands. - - -TSUNEYO. - -Then Tsuneyo took the deeds. - - -CHORUS. - -He took the deeds, thrice bowing his head. - - (_Speaking for_ TSUNEYO.) - - "Look, all you barons! (TSUNEYO _holds up the documents_.) - Look upon this sight - And scorn to envy turn!" - Then the levies of all the lands - Took leave of their Lord - And went their homeward way. - - -TSUNEYO. - -And among them Tsuneyo - - -CHORUS. - - Among them Tsuneyo, - Joy breaking on his brow, - Rides now on splendid steed - To the Boat-bridge of Sano, to his lands once torn - Pitiless from him as the torrent tears - That Bridge of Boats at Sano now his own. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[76] Po Chue-i's _Works_, iii. 13. - -[77] Alluding partly to the fact that he is snow-covered, partly to his -grey hairs. - -[78] _Kefu_, "to-day." - -[79] Buddhist ordinances, such as hospitality to priests. - -[80] Food of the poorest peasants. - -[81] After Shakyamuni left the palace, he served the Rishi of the -mountains. - -[82] Using words from a poem by Michizane (845-903 A.D.). - -[83] For Japanese football, see p. 248. A different interpretation has -lately been suggested by Mr. Suzuki. - -[84] I. e. Tokiyori. - -[85] Hojo no Tokiyori ruled at Kamakura from 1246 till 1256. He then -became a priest and travelled through the country incognito in order to -acquaint himself with the needs of his subjects. - - - - -NOTE ON KOMACHI. - - -The legend of Komachi is that she had many lovers when she was young -but was cruel and mocked at their pain. Among them was one, Shii no -Shosho, who came a long way to court her. She told him that she would -not listen to him till he had come on a hundred nights from his house -to hers and cut a hundred notches on the shaft-bench of his chariot. -And so he came a hundred nights all but one, through rain, hail, snow, -and wind. But on the last night he died. - -Once, when she was growing old, the poet Yasuhide asked her to go with -him to Mikawa. She answered with the poem: - - "I that am lonely, - Like a reed root-cut, - Should a stream entice me, - Would go, I think." - -When she grew quite old, both her friends and her wits forsook her. She -wandered about in destitution, a tattered, crazy beggar-woman. - -As is shown in this play, her madness was a "possession" by the spirit -of the lover whom she had tormented. She was released from this -"possession" by the virtue of a sacred Stupa[86] or log carved into -five parts, symbolic of the Five Elements, on which she sat down to -rest. - -In the disputation between Komachi and the priests, she upholds the -doctrines of the Zen Sect, which uses neither scriptures nor idols; -the priests defend the doctrines of the Shingon Sect, which promises -salvation by the use of incantations and the worship of holy images.[87] - -There is no doubt about the authorship of this play. Seami (_Works_, -p. 246) gives it as the work of his father, Kwanami Kiyotsugu. Kwanami -wrote another play, _Shii no Shosho_,[88] in which Shosho is the -principal character and Komachi the _tsure_ or subordinate. - -Seami also used the Komachi legend. In his _Sekidera Komachi_ he tells -how when she was very old the priests of _Sekidera_ invited her to -dance at the festival of Tanabata. She dances, and in rehearsing the -splendours of her youth for a moment becomes young again. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[86] Sanskrit; Jap. _sotoba_. - -[87] See p. 32. - -[88] Now generally called _Kayoi Komachi_. - - - - -SOTOBA KOMACHI - -By KWANAMI - - -PERSONS - - _A PRIEST OF THE KOYASAN._ - _SECOND PRIEST._ - _ONO NO KOMACHI._ - _CHORUS._ - - -PRIEST. - - We who on shallow hills[89] have built our home - In the heart's deep recess seek solitude. - - (_Turning to the audience._) - -I am a priest of the Koyasan. I am minded to go up to the Capital to -visit the shrines and sanctuaries there. - - The Buddha of the Past is gone, - And he that shall be Buddha has not yet come into the world. - - -SECOND PRIEST. - - In a dream-lull our lives are passed; all, all - That round us lies - Is visionary, void. - Yet got we by rare fortune at our birth - Man's shape, that is hard to get; - And dearer gift was given us, harder to win, - The doctrine of Buddha, seed of our Salvation. - And me this only thought possessed, - How I might bring that seed to blossom, till at last - I drew this sombre cassock across my back. - And knowing now the lives before my birth, - No love I owe - To those that to this life engendered me, - Nor seek a care (have I not disavowed - Such hollow bonds?) from child by me begot. - A thousand leagues - Is little road - To the pilgrim's feet. - The fields his bed, - The hills his home - Till the travel's close. - - -PRIEST. - -We have come so fast that we have reached the pine-woods of Abeno, in -the country of Tsu. Let us rest in this place. - - (_They sit down by the Waki's pillar._) - - -KOMACHI. - - Like a root-cut reed,[90] - Should the tide entice, - I would come, I think; but now - No wave asks; no stream stirs. - Long ago I was full of pride; - Crowned with nodding tresses, halcyon locks, - I walked like a young willow delicately wafted - By the winds of Spring. - I spoke with the voice of a nightingale that has sipped the dew. - I was lovelier than the petals of the wild-rose open-stretched - In the hour before its fall. - But now I am grown loathsome even to sluts, - Poor girls of the people, and they and all men - Turn scornful from me. - Unhappy months and days pile up their score; - I am old; old by a hundred years. - In the City I fear men's eyes, - And at dusk, lest they should cry "Is it she?" - Westward with the moon I creep - From the cloud-high City of the Hundred Towers. - No guard will question, none challenge - Pilgrim so wretched: yet must I be walking - Hid ever in shadow of the trees. - Past the Lovers' Tomb, - And the Hill of Autumn - To the River of Katsura, the boats, the moonlight. - - (_She shrinks back and covers her face, frightened of being - known._) - - Who are those rowing in the boats?[91] - Oh, I am weary. I will sit on this tree-stump and rest awhile. - - -PRIEST. - -Come! The sun is sinking; we must hasten on our way. Look, look at that -beggar there! It is a holy Stupa that she is sitting on! I must tell -her to come off it. - -Now then, what is that you are sitting on? Is it not a holy Stupa, the -worshipful Body of Buddha? Come off it and rest in some other place. - - -KOMACHI. - -Buddha's worshipful body, you say? But I could see no writing on it, -nor any figure carved. I thought it was only a tree-stump. - - -PRIEST. - - Even the little black tree on the hillside - When it has put its blossoms on - Cannot be hid; - And think you that this tree - Cut fivefold in the fashion of Buddha's holy form - Shall not make manifest its power? - - -KOMACHI. - - I too am a poor withered bough. - But there are flowers at my heart,[92] - Good enough, maybe, for an offering. - But why is this called Buddha's body? - - -PRIEST. - -Hear then! This Stupa is the Body of the Diamond Lord.[93] It is the -symbol of his incarnation. - - -KOMACHI. - -And in what elements did he choose to manifest his body? - - -PRIEST. - -Earth, water, wind, fire and space. - - -KOMACHI. - -Of these five man also is compounded. Where then is the difference? - - -PRIEST. - -The forms are the same, but not the virtue. - - -KOMACHI. - -And what is the virtue of the Stupa? - - -PRIEST. - -"He that has looked once upon the Stupa, shall escape forever from the -Three Paths of Evil."[94] - - -KOMACHI. - -"One thought can sow salvation in the heart."[95] Is that of less price? - - -SECOND PRIEST. - -If your heart has seen salvation, how comes it that you linger in the -World? - - -KOMACHI. - -It is my body that lingers, for my heart left it long ago. - - -PRIEST. - -You have no heart at all, or you would have known the Body of Buddha. - - -KOMACHI. - -It was because I knew it that I came to see it! - - -SECOND PRIEST. - -And knowing what you know, you sprawled upon it without a word of -prayer? - - -KOMACHI. - -It was on the ground already. What harm could it get by my resting on -it? - - -PRIEST. - -It was an act of discord.[96] - - -KOMACHI. - -Sometimes from discord salvation springs. - - -SECOND PRIEST. - -From the malice of Daiba ...[97] - - -KOMACHI. - -As from the mercy of Kwannon.[98] - - -PRIEST. - -From the folly of Handoku ...[99] - - -KOMACHI. - -As from the wisdom of Monju.[100] - - -SECOND PRIEST. - -That which is called Evil - - -KOMACHI. - -Is Good. - - -PRIEST. - -That which is called Illusion - - -KOMACHI. - -Is Salvation.[101] - - -SECOND PRIEST. - -For Salvation - - -KOMACHI. - -Cannot be planted like a tree. - - -PRIEST. - -And the Heart's Mirror - - -KOMACHI. - -Hangs in the void. - - -CHORUS (_speaking for_ KOMACHI). - - "Nothing is real. - Between Buddha and Man - Is no distinction, but a seeming of difference planned - For the welfare of the humble, the ill-instructed, - Whom he has vowed to save. - Sin itself may be the ladder of salvation." - So she spoke, eagerly; and the priests, - "A saint, a saint is this decrepit, outcast soul." - And bending their heads to the ground, - Three times did homage before her. - - -KOMACHI. - - I now emboldened - Recite a riddle, a jesting song. - "Were I in Heaven - The Stupa were an ill seat; - But here, in the world without, - What harm is done?"[102] - - -CHORUS. - - The priests would have rebuked her; - But they have found their match. - - -PRIEST. - -Who are you? Pray tell us the name you had, and we will pray for you -when you are dead. - - -KOMACHI. - -Shame covers me when I speak my name; but if you will pray for -me, I will try to tell you. This is my name; write it down in your -prayer-list: I am the ruins of Komachi, daughter of Ono no Yoshizane, -Governor of the land of Dewa. - - -PRIESTS. - - Oh piteous, piteous! Is this - Komachi that once - Was a bright flower, - Komachi the beautiful, whose dark brows - Linked like young moons; - Her face white-farded ever; - Whose many, many damask robes - Filled cedar-scented halls? - - -KOMACHI. - - I made verses in our speech - And in the speech of the foreign Court. - - -CHORUS. - - The cup she held at the feast - Like gentle moonlight dropped its glint on her sleeve. - Oh how fell she from splendour, - How came the white of winter - To crown her head? - Where are gone the lovely locks, double-twined, - The coils of jet? - Lank wisps, scant curls wither now - On wilted flesh; - And twin-arches, moth-brows tinge no more - With the hue of far hills. "Oh cover, cover - From the creeping light of dawn - Silted seaweed locks that of a hundred years - Lack now but one. - Oh hide me from my shame." - - (KOMACHI _hides her face_.) - - -CHORUS (_speaking for the_ PRIEST). - -What is it you carry in the wallet string at your neck? - - -KOMACHI. - - Death may come to-day--or hunger to-morrow. - A few beans and a cake of millet: - That is what I carry in my bag. - - -CHORUS. - -And in the wallet on your back? - - -KOMACHI. - -A garment stained with dust and sweat. - - -CHORUS. - -And in the basket on your arm? - - -KOMACHI. - -Sagittaries white and black. - - -CHORUS. - -Tattered cloak,[103] - - -KOMACHI. - -Broken hat ... - - -CHORUS. - - She cannot hide her face from our eyes; - And how her limbs - - -KOMACHI. - -From rain and dew, hoar-frost and snow? - - -CHORUS (_speaking for_ KOMACHI _while she mimes the actions they -describe_). - - Not rags enough to wipe the tears from my eyes! - Now, wandering along the roads - I beg an alms of those that pass. - And when they will not give, - An evil rage, a very madness possesses me. - My voice changes. - Oh terrible! - - -KOMACHI (_thrusting her hat under the_ PRIESTS' _noses and shrieking at -them menacingly_). - -Grr! You priests, give me something: give me something ... Ah! - - -PRIEST. - -What do you want? - - -KOMACHI. - -Let me go to Komachi.[104] - - -PRIEST. - -But you told us you were Komachi. What folly is this you are talking? - - -KOMACHI. - - No, no.... Komachi was very beautiful. - Many letters came to her, many messages,-- - Thick as raindrops out of a black summer sky. - But she sent no answer, not even an empty word. - And now in punishment she has grown old: - She has lived a hundred years-- - I love her, oh I love her! - - -PRIEST. - -You love Komachi? Say then, whose spirit has possessed you? - - -KOMACHI. - - There were many who set their hearts on her, - But among them all - It was Shosho who loved her best, - Shii no Shosho of the Deep Grass.[105] - - -CHORUS (_speaking for_ KOMACHI, _i. e._ _for the spirit of Shosho_). - - The wheel goes back; I live again through the cycle of my woes. - Again I travel to the shaft-bench. - The sun ... what hour does he show? - Dusk.... Alone in the moonlight - I must go my way. - Though the watchmen of the barriers - Stand across my path, - They shall not stop me! - - (_Attendants robe_ KOMACHI _in the Court hat and travelling-cloak - of Shosho_.) - -Look, I go! - - -KOMACHI. - -Lifting the white skirts of my trailing dress, - - -CHORUS (_speaking for_ KOMACHI, _while she, dressed as her lover -Shosho, mimes the night-journey_). - - Pulling down over my ears the tall, nodding hat, - Tying over my head the long sleeves of my hunting cloak, - Hidden from the eyes of men, - In moonlight, in darkness, - On rainy nights I travelled; on windy nights, - Under a shower of leaves; when the snow was deep, - - -KOMACHI. - -And when water dripped at the roof-eaves,--tok, tok ... - - -CHORUS. - - Swiftly, swiftly coming and going, coming and going ... - One night, two nights, three nights, - Ten nights (and this was harvest night) ... - I never saw her, yet I travelled; - Faithful as the cock who marks each day the dawn, - I carved my marks on the bench. - I was to come a hundred times; - There lacked but one ... - - -KOMACHI (_feeling the death-agony of Shosho_). - -My eyes dazzle. Oh the pain, the pain! - - -CHORUS. - - Oh the pain! and desperate, - Before the last night had come, - He died--Shii no Shosho the Captain. - - (_Speaking for_ KOMACHI, _who is now no longer possessed by - Shosho's spirit_.) - - Was it his spirit that possessed me, - Was it his anger that broke my wits? - If this be so, let me pray for the life hereafter, - Where alone is comfort; - Piling high the sands[106] - Till I be burnished as gold.[107] - See, I offer my flower[108] to Buddha, - I hold it in both hands. - Oh may He lead me into the Path of Truth, - Into the Path of Truth. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[89] The Koyasan is not so remote as most mountain temples. - -[90] See p. 113. - -[91] Seami, writing c. 1430, says: "_Komachi_ was once a long play. -After the words 'Who are those,' etc., there used to be a long lyric -passage" (_Works_, p. 240). - -[92] "Heart flowers," _kokoro no hana_, is a synonym for "poetry." - -[93] Vajrasattva, himself an emanation of Vairochana, the principal -Buddha of the Shingon Sect. - -[94] From the Nirvana Sutra. - -[95] From the Avatamsaka Sutra. - -[96] Lit. "discordant karma." - -[97] A wicked disciple who in the end attained to Illumination. Also -called Datta; cp. _Kumasaka_, p. 63. - -[98] The Goddess of Mercy. - -[99] A disciple so witless that he could not recite a single verse of -Scripture. - -[100] God of Wisdom. - -[101] From the Nirvana Sutra. - -[102] The riddle depends on a pun between _sotoba_ and _soto wa_, -"without" "outside." - -[103] The words which follow suggest the plight of her lover Shosho -when he travelled to her house "a hundred nights all but one," to cut -his notch on the bench. - -[104] The spirit of her lover Shosho has now entirely possessed her: -this "possession-scene" lasts very much longer on the stage than the -brief words would suggest. - -[105] Fukagusa the name of his native place, means "deep grass." - -[106] See _Hokkekyo_, II. 18. - -[107] The colour of the saints in heaven. - -[108] Her "heart-flower," i. e. poetic talent. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -UKAI - -AYA NO TSUZUMI - -AOI NO UYE - - - - -NOTE ON UKAI. - - -Seami tells us (_Works_, p. 246) that this play was written by Enami no -Sayemon. "But as I removed bad passages and added good ones, I consider -the play to be really my work" (p. 247). - -On p. 245 he points out that the same play on words occurs in _Ukai_ -three times, and suggests how one passage might be amended. The text -of the play which we possess to-day still contains the passages which -Seami ridiculed, so that it must be Enami no Sayemon's version which -has survived, while Seami's amended text is lost. - -It is well known that Buddhism forbids the taking of life, especially -by cruel means or for sport. The cormorant-fisher's trade had long been -considered particularly wicked, as is shown by an early folk-song:[109] - - "Woe to the cormorant-fisher - Who binds the heads of his cormorants - And slays the tortoise whose span is ten thousand aeons! - In this life he may do well enough, - But what will become of him at his next birth?" - -This song, which is at least as old as the twelfth century, and may be -much earlier, seems to be the seed from which the No play _Ukai_ grew. - -FOOTNOTE: - -[109] _Ryojin Hissho_, p. 135. - - - - -UKAI - -(THE CORMORANT-FISHER) - -By ENAMI NO SAYEMON (_c._ 1400). - - -PERSONS - - _PRIEST._ - _SECOND PRIEST._ - _FISHER._ - _YAMA, KING OF HELL._ - _CHORUS._ - - -PRIEST. - -I am a priest from Kiyosumi in Awa. I have never yet seen the country -of Kai, so now I am minded to go there on pilgrimage. - - (_Describing the journey._) - - On the foam of white waves - From Kiyosumi in the land of Awa riding - To Mutsura I come; to the Hill of Kamakura, - Lamentably tattered, yet because the World - Is mine no longer, unashamed on borrowed bed, - Mattress of straw, to lie till the bell swings - Above my pillow. Away, away! For dawn - Is on the hemp-fields of Tsuru. Now the noonday sun - Hangs high above us as we cross the hills. - Now to the village of Isawa we come. - Let us lie down and rest awhile in the shelter of this shrine. - - (_The_ FISHER _comes along the hashigakari towards the stage - carrying a lighted torch_.) - - -FISHER. - - When the fisher's torch is quenched - What lamp shall guide him on the dark road that lies before? - Truly, if the World had tasked me hardly - I might be minded to leave it, but this bird-fishing, - Cruel though it be in the wanton taking of life away, - Is a pleasant trade to ply - Afloat on summer streams. - -I have heard it told that Yushi and Hakuyo vowed their love-vows by -the moon, and were changed to wedded stars of heaven. And even to-day -the high ones of the earth are grieved by moonless nights. Only I grow -weary of her shining and welcome nights of darkness. But when the -torches on the boats burn low, - - Then, in the dreadful darkness comes repentance - Of the crime that is my trade, - My sinful sustenance; and life thus lived - Is loathsome then. - Yet I would live, and soon - Bent on my oar I push between the waves - To ply my hateful trade. - -I will go up to the chapel as I am wont to do, and give my cormorants -rest. (_Seeing the_ PRIESTS.) What, have travellers entered here? - - -PRIEST. - -We are pilgrim-priests. We asked for lodging in the village. But they -told us that it was not lawful for them to receive us, so we lay down -in the shelter of this shrine. - - -FISHER. - -Truly, truly: I know of none in the village that could give you lodging. - - -PRIEST. - -Pray tell me, sir, what brings you here? - - -FISHER. - -Gladly. I am a cormorant-fisher. While the moon is shining I rest at -this shrine; but when the moon sinks, I go to ply my trade. - - -PRIEST. - -Then you will not mind our lodging here. But, sir, this work of -slaughter ill becomes you; for I see that the years lie heavy on you. -Pray leave this trade and find yourself another means of sustenance. - - -FISHER. - -You say well. But this trade has kept me since I was a child. I cannot -leave it now. - - -SECOND PRIEST. - -Listen. The sight of this man has brought back something to my mind. -Down this river there is a place they call Rock-tumble. And there, when -I passed that way three years ago, I met just such a fisherman as this. -And when I told him this cormorant-fishing was reckoned a sin against -life, I think he listened; for he brought me back to his house and -lodged me with uncommon care. - - -FISHER. - -And you are the priest that came then? - - -SECOND PRIEST. - -Yes, I am he. - - -FISHER. - -That cormorant-fisher died. - - -PRIEST. - -How came he to die? - - -FISHER. - -Following his trade, more shame to him. Listen to his story and give -his soul your prayers. - - -PRIEST. - -Gladly we will. - - -FISHER (_seats himself facing the audience and puts down his torch_). - -You must know that on this river of Isawa, for a stretch of three -leagues up stream and down, the killing of any living creature is -forbidden. Now at that Rock-tumble you spoke of there were many -cormorant-fishers who every night went secretly to their fishing. And -the people of the place, hating the vile trade, made plans to catch -them at their task. But he knew nothing of this; and one night he went -there secretly and let his cormorants loose. - -There was an ambush set for him; in a moment they were upon him. "Kill -him!" they cried; "one life for many," was their plea. Then he pressed -palm to palm. "Is the taking of life forbidden in this place? Had I but -known it! But now, never again...." So with clasped hands he prayed and -wept; but none helped him; and as fishers set their stakes they planted -him deep in the stream. He cried, but no sound came. (_Turning to the_ -PRIEST _suddenly_.) I am the ghost of that fisherman. - - -PRIEST. - -Oh strange! If that be so, act out before me the tale of your -repentance. Show me your sin and I will pray for you tenderly. - - -FISHER. - -I will act before your eyes the sin that binds me, the -cormorant-fishing of those days. Oh give my soul your prayer! - - -PRIEST. - -I will. - - -FISHER (_rising and taking up his torch_). - - The night is passing. It is fishing-time. - I must rehearse the sin that binds me. - - -PRIEST. - - I have read in tales of a foreign land[110] - How sin-laden the souls of the dead - Have toiled at bitter tasks; - But strange, before my eyes - To see such penance done! - - -FISHER (_describing his own action_). - -He waved the smeared torches. - - -PRIEST (_describing the_ FISHER'S _action_). - -Girt up his coarse-spun skirts. - - -FISHER (_going to the "flute-pillar" and bending over as if opening a -basket_). - -Then he opened the basket, - - -PRIEST. - -And those fierce island-birds - - -FISHER. - -Over the river-waves suddenly he loosed.... - - -CHORUS. - - See them, see them clear in the torches' light - Hither and thither darting, - Those frightened fishes.[111] - Swift pounce the diving birds, - Plunging, scooping, - Ceaselessly clutch their prey: - In the joy of capture - Forgotten sin and forfeit - Of the life hereafter! - Oh if these boiling waters would be still, - Then would the carp rise thick - As goldfinch in a bowl. - Look how the little ayu leap[112] - Playing in the shallow stream. - Hem them in: give them no rest! - Oh strange! - The torches burn still, but their light grows dim; - And I remember suddenly and am sad. - It is the hated moon! - - (_He throws down the torch._) - - The lights of the fishing-boat are quenched; - Homeward on the Way of Darkness[113] - In anguish I depart. - - (_He leaves the stage._) - - -PRIEST (_sings his "machi-utai" or waiting-song, while the actor who -has taken the part of the_ FISHER _changes into the mask and costume of -the_ KING OF HELL.) - - I dip my hand in the shallows, - I gather pebbles in the stream. - I write Scripture upon them, - Upon each stone a letter of the Holy Law. - Now I cast them back into the waves and their drowned spell - Shall raise from its abyss a foundered soul. - - (_Enter_ YAMA, KING OF HELL; _he remains on the hashigakari_.) - - -YAMA. - - Hell is not far away: - All that your eyes look out on in the world - Is the Fiend's home. - -I am come to proclaim that the sins of this man, who from the days of -his boyhood long ago has fished in rivers and streams, were grown so -many that they filled the pages of the Iron Book;[114] while on the -Golden Leaves there was not a mark to his name. And he was like to have -been thrown down into the Deepest Pit; but now, because he once gave -lodging to a priest, I am commanded to carry him quickly to Buddha's -Place. - - The Demon's rage is stilled, - The fisher's boat is changed - To the ship of Buddha's vow,[115] - Lifeboat of the Lotus Law.[116] - -FOOTNOTES: - -[110] Or, according to another reading, "tales of Hell." - -[111] The Fisher holds up his torch and looks down as though peering -into the water. - -[112] I have omitted the line "Though this be not the river of -Tamashima," a reference to the Empress Jingo, who caught an _ayu_ at -Tamashima when on her way to fight the Coreans. - -[113] A name for Hades. - -[114] Good deeds were recorded in a golden book, evil deeds in an iron -one. - -[115] He vowed that he would come as a ship to those drowning in the -Sea of Delusion. - -[116] Here follow the twelve concluding lines, too full of Buddhist -technicalities to interest a general reader. - - - - -AYA NO TSUZUMI - -(THE DAMASK DRUM) - -ATTRIBUTED TO SEAMI, BUT PERHAPS EARLIER. - - -PERSONS - - _A COURTIER._ - _AN OLD GARDENER._ - _THE PRINCESS._ - - -COURTIER. - -I am a courtier at the Palace of Kinomaru in the country of Chikuzen. -You must know that in this place there is a famous pond called the -Laurel Pond, where the royal ones often take their walks; so it -happened that one day the old man who sweeps the garden here caught -sight of the Princess. And from that time he has loved her with a love -that gives his heart no rest. - -Some one told her of this, and she said, "Love's equal realm knows no -divisions,"[117] and in her pity she said, "By that pond there stands a -laurel-tree, and on its branches there hangs a drum. Let him beat the -drum, and if the sound is heard in the Palace, he shall see my face -again." - -I must tell him of this. - -Listen, old Gardener! The worshipful lady has heard of your love and -sends you this message: "Go and beat the drum that hangs on the tree -by the pond, and if the sound is heard in the Palace, you shall see my -face again." Go quickly now and beat the drum! - - -GARDENER. - -With trembling I receive her words. I will go and beat the drum. - - -COURTIER. - -Look, here is the drum she spoke of. Make haste and beat it! - - (_He leaves the_ GARDENER _standing by the tree and seats himself - at the foot of the "Waki's pillar."_) - - -GARDENER. - -They talk of the moon-tree, the laurel that grows in the Garden of the -Moon.... But for me there is but one true tree, this laurel by the -lake. Oh, may the drum that hangs on its branches give forth a mighty -note, a music to bind up my bursting heart. - - Listen! the evening bell to help me chimes; - But then tolls in - A heavy tale of day linked on to day, - - -CHORUS (_speaking for the_ GARDENER). - - And hope stretched out from dusk to dusk. - But now, a watchman of the hours, I beat - The longed-for stroke. - - -GARDENER. - - I was old, I shunned the daylight, - I was gaunt as an aged crane; - And upon all that misery - Suddenly a sorrow was heaped, - The new sorrow of love. - The days had left their marks, - Coming and coming, like waves that beat on a sandy shore ... - - -CHORUS. - - Oh, with a thunder of white waves - The echo of the drum shall roll. - - -GARDENER. - - The after-world draws near me, - Yet even now I wake not - From this autumn of love that closes - In sadness the sequence of my years. - - -CHORUS. - - And slow as the autumn dew - Tears gather in my eyes, to fall - Scattered like dewdrops from a shaken flower - On my coarse-woven dress. - See here the marks, imprint of tangled love, - That all the world will read. - - -GARDENER. - -I said "I will forget," - - -CHORUS. - - And got worse torment so - Than by remembrance. But all in this world - Is as the horse of the aged man of the land of Sai;[118] - And as a white colt flashes - Past a gap in the hedge, even so our days pass.[119] - And though the time be come, - Yet can none know the road that he at last must tread, - Goal of his dewdrop-life. - All this I knew; yet knowing, - Was blind with folly. - - -GARDENER. - -"Wake, wake," he cries,-- - - -CHORUS. - - The watchman of the hours,-- - "Wake from the sleep of dawn!" - And batters on the drum. - For if its sound be heard, soon shall he see - Her face, the damask of her dress ... - Aye, damask! He does not know - That on a damask drum he beats, - Beats with all the strength of his hands, his aged hands, - But hears no sound. - "Am I grown deaf?" he cries, and listens, listens: - Rain on the windows, lapping of waves on the pool-- - Both these he hears, and silent only - The drum, strange damask drum. - Oh, will it never sound? - I thought to beat the sorrow from my heart, - Wake music in a damask drum; an echo of love - From the voiceless fabric of pride! - - -GARDENER. - - Longed for as the moon that hides - In the obstinate clouds of a rainy night - Is the sound of the watchman's drum, - To roll the darkness from my heart. - - -CHORUS. - - I beat the drum. The days pass and the hours. - It was yesterday, and it is to-day. - - -GARDENER. - -But she for whom I wait - - -CHORUS. - -Comes not even in dream. At dawn and dusk - - -GARDENER. - -No drum sounds. - - -CHORUS. - - She has not come. Is it not sung that those - Whom love has joined - Not even the God of Thunder can divide? - Of lovers, I alone - Am guideless, comfortless. - Then weary of himself and calling her to witness of his woe, - "Why should I endure," he cried, - "Such life as this?" and in the waters of the pond - He cast himself and died. - - (GARDENER _leaves the stage_.) - - _Enter the_ PRINCESS. - - -COURTIER. - -I would speak with you, madam. - -The drum made no sound, and the aged Gardener in despair has flung -himself into the pond by the laurel tree, and died. The soul of such a -one may cling to you and do you injury. Go out and look upon him - - -PRINCESS (_speaking wildly, already possessed by the_ GARDENER'S _angry -ghost, which speaks through her_).[120] - - Listen, people, listen! - In the noise of the beating waves - I hear the rolling of a drum. - Oh, joyful sound, oh joyful! - The music of a drum. - - -COURTIER. - - Strange, strange! - This lady speaks as one - By phantasy possessed. - What is amiss, what ails her? - - -PRINCESS. - - Truly, by phantasy I am possessed. - Can a damask drum give sound? - When I bade him beat what could not ring, - Then tottered first my wits. - - -COURTIER. - - She spoke, and on the face of the evening pool - A wave stirred. - - -PRINCESS. - -And out of the wave - -COURTIER. - -A voice spoke. - - (_The voice of the_ GARDENER _is heard; as he gradually advances - along the hashigakari it is seen that he wears a "demon mask," - leans on a staff and carries the "demon mallet" at his girdle_.) - - -GARDENER'S GHOST. - -I was driftwood in the pool, but the waves of bitterness - - -CHORUS. - -Have washed me back to the shore. - - -GHOST. - - Anger clings to my heart, - Clings even now when neither wrath nor weeping - Are aught but folly. - - -CHORUS. - - One thought consumes me, - The anger of lust denied - Covers me like darkness. - I am become a demon dwelling - In the hell of my dark thoughts, - Storm-cloud of my desires. - - -GHOST. - - "Though the waters parch in the fields - Though the brooks run dry, - Never shall the place be shown - Of the spring that feeds my heart."[121] - So I had resolved. Oh, why so cruelly - Set they me to win - Voice from a voiceless drum, - Spending my heart in vain? - And I spent my heart on the glimpse of a moon that slipped - Through the boughs of an autumn tree.[122] - - -CHORUS. - -This damask drum that hangs on the laurel-tree - - -GHOST. - -Will it sound, will it sound? - - (_He seizes the_ PRINCESS _and drags her towards the drum_.) - -Try! Strike it! - - -CHORUS. - - "Strike!" he cries; - "The quick beat, the battle-charge! - Loud, loud! Strike, strike," he rails, - And brandishing his demon-stick - Gives her no rest. - "Oh woe!" the lady weeps, - "No sound, no sound. Oh misery!" she wails. - And he, at the mallet stroke, "Repent, repent!" - Such torments in the world of night - Aborasetsu, chief of demons, wields, - Who on the Wheel of Fire - Sears sinful flesh and shatters bones to dust. - Not less her torture now! - "Oh, agony!" she cries, "What have I done, - By what dire seed this harvest sown?" - - -GHOST. - -Clear stands the cause before you. - - -CHORUS. - - Clear stands the cause before my eyes; - I know it now. - By the pool's white waters, upon the laurel's bough - The drum was hung. - He did not know his hour, but struck and struck - Till all the will had ebbed from his heart's core; - Then leapt into the lake and died. - And while his body rocked - Like driftwood on the waves, - His soul, an angry ghost, - Possessed the lady's wits, haunted her heart with woe. - The mallet lashed, as these waves lash the shore, - Lash on the ice of the eastern shore. - The wind passes; the rain falls - On the Red Lotus, the Lesser and the Greater.[123] - The hair stands up on my head. - "The fish that leaps the falls - To a fell snake is turned,"[124] - - In the Kwanze School this play is replaced by another called _The - Burden of Love_, also attributed to Seami, who writes (_Works_, p. - 166): "_The Burden of Love_ was formerly _The Damask Drum_." The - task set in the later play is the carrying of a burden a thousand - times round the garden. The Gardener seizes the burden joyfully and - begins to run with it, but it grows heavier and heavier, till he - sinks crushed to death beneath it. - - I have learned to know them; - Such, such are the demons of the World of Night. - "O hateful lady, hateful!" he cried, and sank again - Into the whirlpool of desire. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[117] A twelfth-century folk-song (_Ryojin Hissho_, p. 126), speaks of -"The Way of Love which knows no castes of 'high' and 'low.'" - -[118] A story from _Huai-nan Tzu_. What looks like disaster turns out -to be good fortune and _vice versa_. The horse broke away and was lost. -A revolution occurred during which the Government seized all horses. -When the revolution was over the man of Sai's horse was rediscovered. -If he had not lost it the Government would have taken it. - -[119] This simile, which passed into a proverb in China and Japan, -occurs first in _Chuang Tzu_, chap. xxii. - -[120] Compare the "possession" in _Sotoba Komachi_. - -[121] Adapted from a poem in the _Gosenshu_. - -[122] Adapted from a poem in the _Kokinshu_. - -[123] The names of two of the Cold Hells in the Buddhist Inferno. - -[124] There is a legend that the fish who succeed in leaping a certain -waterfall turn into dragons. So the Gardener's attempt to raise himself -to the level of the Princess has changed him into an evil demon. - - - - -NOTE ON AOI NO UYE. - - -At the age of twelve Prince Genji went through the ceremony of marriage -with Aoi no Uye (Princess Hollyhock), the Prime Minister's daughter. -She continued to live at her father's house and Genji at his palace. -When he was about sixteen he fell in love with Princess Rokujo, the -widow of the Emperor's brother; she was about eight years older than -himself. He was not long faithful to her. The lady Yugao next engaged -his affections. He carried her one night to a deserted mansion on the -outskirts of the City. "The night was far advanced and they had both -fallen asleep. Suddenly the figure of a woman appeared at the bedside. -"I have found you!" it cried. "What stranger is this that lies beside -you? What treachery is this that you flaunt before my eyes?" And with -these words the apparition stooped over the bed, and made as though to -drag away the sleeping girl from Genji's side."[125] - -Before dawn Yugao was dead, stricken by the "living phantom" of Rokujo, -embodiment of her baleful jealousy. - -Soon after this, Genji became reconciled with his wife Aoi, but -continued to visit Rokujo. One day, at the Kamo Festival, Aoi's way -was blocked by another carriage. She ordered her attendants to drag -it aside. A scuffle ensued between her servants and those of Rokujo -(for she was the occupant of the second carriage) in which Aoi's side -prevailed. Rokujo's carriage was broken and Aoi's pushed into the front -place. After the festival was over Aoi returned to the Prime Minister's -house in high spirits. - -Soon afterwards she fell ill, and it is at this point that the play -begins. - -There is nothing obscure or ambiguous in the situation. Fenollosa -seems to have misunderstood the play and read into it complications -and confusions which do not exist. He also changes the sex of the -Witch, though the Japanese word, _miko_, always has a feminine meaning. -The "Romance of Genji" (_Genji Monogatari_) was written by Lady -Murasaki Shikibu and was finished in the year 1004 A. D. Of -its fifty-four chapters only seventeen have been translated.[126] It -furnished the plots of many No plays, of which _Suma Genji_ (Genji's -exile at Suma), _No no Miya_ (his visit to Rokujo after she became a -nun), _Tamakatsura_ (the story of Yugao's daughter), and _Hajitomi_ (in -which Yugao's ghost appears) are the best known. - -There is some doubt about the authorship of the play. Seami saw it -acted as a Dengaku by his father's contemporary Inuo. He describes -Inuo's entry on to the stage in the role of Rokujo and quotes the -first six lines of her opening speech. These lines correspond exactly -with the modern text, and it is probable that the play existed in -something like its present form in the middle of the fourteenth -century. Kwanze Nagatoshi, the great-grandson of Seami, includes it in -a list of Seami's works; while popular tradition ascribes it to Seami's -son-in-law Zenchiku. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[125] _Genji Monogatari_ (Romance of Genji), chap, iii., Hakubunkwan -Edition, p. 87. - -[126] By Baron Suyematsu in 1881. - - - - -AOI NO UYE - -(PRINCESS HOLLYHOCK) - -REVISED BY ZENCHIKU UJINOBU (1414-1499?) - - -PERSONS - - _COURTIER._ - _WITCH._ - _PRINCESS ROKUJO._ - _THE SAINT OF YOKAWA._ - _MESSENGER._ - _CHORUS._ - - (_A folded cloak laid in front of the stage symbolizes the sick-bed - of Aoi._) - - -COURTIER. - -I am a courtier in the service of the Emperor Shujaku. You must know -that the Prime Minister's daughter, Princess Aoi, has fallen sick. We -have sent for abbots and high-priests of the Greater School and of the -Secret School, but they could not cure her. - -And now, here at my side, stands the witch of Teruhi,[127] a famous -diviner with the bow-string. My lord has been told that by twanging her -bow-string she can make visible an evil spirit and tell if it be the -spirit of a living man or a dead. So he bade me send for her and let -her pluck her string. (_Turning to the_ WITCH, _who has been waiting -motionless_.) Come, sorceress, we are ready! - - -WITCH (_comes forward beating a little drum and reciting a mystic -formula_). - - _Ten shojo; chi shojo. - Naige shojo; rokon shojo._ - Pure above; pure below. - Pure without; pure within. - Pure in eyes, ears, heart and tongue. - - (_She plucks her bow-string, reciting the spell._) - - You whom I call - Hold loose the reins - On your grey colt's neck - As you gallop to me - Over the long sands! - - (_The living phantasm of_ ROKUJO _appears at the back of the - stage_.) - - -ROKUJO. - - In the Three Coaches - That travel on the Road of Law - I drove out of the Burning House ...[128] - Is there no way to banish the broken coach - That stands at Yugao's door?[129] - - This world - Is like the wheels of the little ox-cart; - Round and round they go ... till vengeance comes. - The Wheel of Life turns like the wheel of a coach; - There is no escape from the Six Paths and Four Births. - We are brittle as the leaves of the _basho_; - As fleeting as foam upon the sea. - Yesterday's flower, to-day's dream. - From such a dream were it not wiser to wake? - And when to this is added another's scorn - How can the heart have rest? - So when I heard the twanging of your bow - For a little while, I thought, I will take my pleasure; - And as an angry ghost appeared. - Oh! I am ashamed! - - (_She veils her face._) - - This time too I have come secretly[130] - In a closed coach. - Though I sat till dawn and watched the moon, - Till dawn and watched, - How could I show myself, - That am no more than the mists that tremble over the fields? - I am come, I am come to the notch of your bow - To tell my sorrow. - Whence came the noise of the bow-string? - - -WITCH. - -Though she should stand at the wife-door of the mother-house of the -square court ...[131] - - -ROKUJO. - -Yet would none come to me, that am not in the flesh.[132] - - -WITCH. - -How strange! I see a fine lady whom I do not know riding in a broken -coach. She clutches at the shafts of another coach from which the oxen -have been unyoked. And in the second coach sits one who seems a new -wife.[133] The lady of the broken coach is weeping, weeping. It is a -piteous sight. - -Can this be she? - - -COURTIER. - -It would not be hard to guess who such a one might be. Come, spirit, -tell us your name! - - -ROKUJO. - - In this Saha World[134] where days fly like the lightning's flash - None is worth hating and none worth pitying. - This I knew. Oh when did folly master me? - -You would know who I am that have come drawn by the twanging of your -bow? I am the angry ghost of Rokujo, Lady of the Chamber. - - Long ago I lived in the world. - I sat at flower-feasts among the clouds.[135] - On spring mornings I rode out - In royal retinue and on autumn nights - Among the red leaves of the Rishis' Cave - I sported with moonbeams, - With colours and perfumes - My senses sated. - I had splendour then; - But now I wither like the Morning Glory - Whose span endures not from dawn to midday. - I have come to clear my hate. - - (_She then quotes the Buddhist saying, "Our sorrows in this - world are not caused by others; for even when others wrong us - we are suffering the retribution of our own deeds in a previous - existence."_ - - _But while singing these words she turns towards_ AOI'S _bed; - passion again seizes her and she cries_:) - - I am full of hatred. - I must strike; I must strike. - - (_She creeps towards the bed._) - - -WITCH. - -You, Lady Rokujo, you a Lady of the Chamber! Would you lay wait and -strike as peasant women do?[136] How can this be? Think and forbear! - - -ROKUJO. - -Say what you will, I must strike. I must strike now. (_Describing her -own action._) "And as she said this, she went over to the pillow and -struck at it." (_She strikes at the head of the bed with her fan._) - - -WITCH. - -She is going to strike again. (_To_ ROKUJO.) You shall pay for this! - - -ROKUJO. - -And this hate too is payment for past hate. - - -WITCH. - -"The flame of anger - - -ROKUJO. - -Consumes itself only."[137] - - -WITCH. - -Did you not know? - - -ROKUJO. - -Know it then now. - - -CHORUS. - - O Hate, Hate! - Her[138] hate so deep that on her bed - Our lady[139] moans. - Yet, should she live in the world again,[140] - He would call her to him, her Lord - The Shining One, whose light - Is brighter than fire-fly hovering - Over the slime of an inky pool. - - -ROKUJO. - - But for me - There is no way back to what I was, - No more than to the heart of a bramble-thicket. - The dew that dries on the bramble-leaf - Comes back again; - But love (and this is worst) - That not even in dream returns,-- - That is grown to be an old tale,-- - Now, even now waxes, - So that standing at the bright mirror - I tremble and am ashamed. - -I am come to my broken coach. (_She throws down her fan and begins to -slip off her embroidered robe._) I will hide you in it and carry you -away! - - (_She stands right over the bed, then turns away and at the back of - the stage throws off her robe, which is held by two attendants in - such a way that she cannot be seen. She changes her "deigan" mask - for a female demon's mask and now carries a mallet in her hand._) - - (_Meanwhile the_ COURTIER, _who has been standing near the bed_:) - - -COURTIER. - -Come quickly, some one! Princess Aoi is worse. Every minute she is -worse. Go and fetch the Little Saint of Yokawa.[141] - - -MESSENGER. - -I tremble and obey. - - (_He goes to the wing and speaks to some one off the stage._) - -May I come in? - - -SAINT (_speaking from the wing_). - -Who is it that seeks admittance to a room washed by the moonlight -of the Three Mysteries, sprinkled with the holy water of Yoga? Who -would draw near to a couch of the Ten Vehicles, a window of the Eight -Perceptions? - - -MESSENGER. - -I am come from the Court. Princess Aoi is ill. They would have you come -to her. - - -SAINT. - -It happens that at this time I am practising particular austerities and -go nowhere abroad. But if you are a messenger from the Court, I will -follow you. - - (_He comes on the stage._) - - -COURTIER. - -We thank you for coming. - - -SAINT. - -I wait upon you. Where is the sick person? - - -COURTIER. - -On the bed here. - - -SAINT. - -Then I will begin my incantations at once. - - -COURTIER. - -Pray do so. - - -SAINT. - - He said: "I will say my incantations." - Following in the steps of En no Gyoja,[142] - Clad in skirts that have trailed the Peak of the Two Spheres,[143] - That have brushed the dew of the Seven Precious Trees, - Clad in the cope of endurance - That shields from the world's defilement, - "Sarari, sarari," with such sound - I shake the red wooden beads of my rosary - And say the first spell: - _Namaku Samanda Basarada - Namaku Samanda Basarada_.[144] - - -ROKUJO (_during the incantation she has cowered at the back of the -stage wrapped in her Chinese robe, which she has picked up again._) - -Go back, Gyoja, go back to your home; do not stay and be vanquished! - - -SAINT. - -Be you what demon you will, do not hope to overcome the Gyoja's subtle -power. I will pray again. - -(_He shakes his rosary whilst the_ CHORUS, _speaking for him, invokes -the first of the Five Kings_.) - - -CHORUS. - -In the east Go Sanze, Subduer of the Three Worlds. - - -ROKUJO (_counter-invoking_). - -In the south Gundari Yasha. - - -CHORUS. - -In the west Dai-itoku. - - -ROKUJO. - -In the north Kongo - - -CHORUS. - -Yasha, the Diamond King. - - -ROKUJO. - -In the centre the Great Holy - - -CHORUS. - - Fudo Immutable. - _Namaku Samanda Basarada - Senda Makaroshana - Sohataya Untaratakarman._ - "They that hear my name shall get Great Enlightenment; - They that see my body shall attain to Buddhahood."[145] - - -ROKUJO (_suddenly dropping her mallet and pressing her hands to her -ears._) - -The voice of the Hannya Book! I am afraid. Never again will I come as -an angry ghost. - - -GHOST. - - When she heard the sound of Scripture - The demon's raging heart was stilled; - Shapes of Pity and Sufferance, - The Bodhisats descend. - Her soul casts off its bonds, - She walks in Buddha's Way. - - -[Illustration: DEMON MASK] - -FOOTNOTES: - -[127] A _miko_ or witch called Teruhi is the subject of the play _Sanja -Takusen_. - -[128] Rokujo has left the "Burning House," i. e. her material body. -The "Three Coaches" are those of the famous "Burning House" parable -in the _Hokkekyo_. Some children were in a burning house. Intent on -their play, they could not be induced to leave the building; till their -father lured them out by the promise that they would find those little -toy coaches awaiting them. So Buddha, by partial truth, lures men from -the "burning house" of their material lives. Owing to the episode at -the Kamo Festival, Rokujo is obsessed by the idea of "carriages," -"wheels" and the like. - -[129] One day Rokujo saw a coach from which all badges and distinctive -decorations had been purposely stripped (hence, in a sense, a "broken -coach") standing before Yugao's door. She found out that it was -Genji's. For Yugao, see p. 142. - -[130] Rokujo went secretly to the Kamo Festival in a closed carriage. - -[131] Words from an old dance-song or "_saibara_." - -[132] "That am a ghost," but also "that have lost my beauty." - -[133] Alluding to Aoi's pregnancy. - -[134] A Sanskrit name for the "world of appearances." - -[135] I. e. at the Palace. - -[136] It was the custom for wives who had been put away to ambush the -new wife and strike her "to clear their hate." - -[137] From the Sutralankaera Shastra (Cat. No. 1182). - -[138] Rokujo's. - -[139] Aoi. - -[140] I. e. recover. - -[141] The hero of the "Finding of Ukifune," a later episode in the -_Genji Monogatari_. - -[142] Founder of the sect of the ascetics called Yamabushi Mountaineers. - -[143] Mount Omine, near Yoshino, ritual ascents of which were made by -Yamabushi. - -[144] Known as the Lesser Spell of Fudo. The longer one which follows -is the Middle Spell. They consist of corrupt Sanskrit mixed with -meaningless magic syllables. - -[145] From the Buddhist Sutra known in Japan as the Hannya Kyo. It was -supposed to have a particular influence over female demons, who are -also called "Hannyas." - - - - -CHAPTER V - -KANTAN - -THE HOKA PRIESTS - -HAGOROMO - - - - -NOTE ON KANTAN. - - -A young man, going into the world to make his fortune, stops at an inn -on the road and there meets with a sage, who lends him a pillow. While -the inn-servant is heating up the millet, the young man dozes on the -pillow and dreams that he enters public life, is promoted, degraded, -recalled to office, endures the hardship of distant campaigns, is -accused of treason, condemned to death, saved at the last moment and -finally dies at a great old age. Awaking from his dream, the young man -discovers that the millet is not yet cooked. In a moment's sleep he has -lived through the vicissitudes of a long public career. Convinced that -in the great world "honour is soon followed by disgrace, and promotion -by calumny," he turns back again towards the village from which he came. - -Such, in outline, is the most usual version of the story of Rosei's -dream at Kantan. The earliest form in which we know it is the "Pillow -Tale" of the Chinese writer Li Pi, who lived from 722 to 789 A. -D. - -It is interesting to see how Seami deals with a subject which seems -at first sight so impossible to shape into a No play. The "sage" is -eliminated, and in the dream Rosei immediately becomes Emperor of -Central China. This affords an excuse for the Court dances which form -the central "ballet" of the piece. In the second half, as in _Hagoromo_ -and other plays, the words are merely an accompaniment to the dancing. - -Chamberlain's version loses by the fact that it is made from the -ordinary printed text which omits the prologue and all the speeches of -the hostess. - -The play is usually attributed to Seami, but it is not mentioned in his -_Works_, nor in the list of plays by him drawn up by his great-grandson -in 1524. - -It is discussed at considerable length in the _Later Kwadensho_, -which was printed _c._ 1600. The writer of that book must therefore -have regarded the play as a work of Seami's period. It should be -mentioned that the geography of the play is absurd. Though both his -starting-point and goal lie in the south-western province of Ssechuan, -he passes through Hantan,[146] which lay in the northern province of -Chih-li. - -FOOTNOTE: - -[146] In Japanese, Kantan. - - - - -KANTAN - - -PERSONS - - _HOSTESS._ - _ROSEI._ - _ENVOY._ - _TWO LITTER BEARERS._ - _BOY DANCER._ - _TWO COURTIERS._ - _CHORUS._ - - -HOSTESS - -I who now stand before you am a woman of the village of Kantan in -China. A long while ago I gave lodging to one who practised the arts -of wizardry; and as payment he left here a famous pillow, called the -Pillow of Kantan. He who sleeps on this pillow sees in a moment's dream -the past or future spread out before him, and so awakes illumined. If -it should chance that any worshipful travellers arrive to-day, pray -send for me. - - (_She takes the pillow and lays it on the covered "dais" which - represents at first the bed and afterwards the palace._) - - -ROSEI (_enters_). - - Lost on the journey of life, shall I learn at last - That I trod but a path of dreams? - -My name is Rosei, and I have come from the land of Shoku. Though born -to man's estate, I have not sought Buddha's way, but have drifted from -dusk to dawn and dawn to dusk. - -They tell me that on the Hill of the Flying Sheep in the land of -So[147] there lives a mighty sage; and now I am hastening to visit him -that he may tell by what rule I should conduct my life. - - (_Song of Travel._) - - Deep hid behind the alleys of the sky - Lie the far lands where I was wont to dwell. - Over the hills I trail - A tattered cloak; over the hills again: - Fen-dusk and mountain-dusk and village-dusk - Closed many times about me, till to-day - At the village of Kantan, - Strange to me save in name, my journey ends. - -I have travelled so fast that I am already come to the village of -Kantan. Though the sun is still high, I will lodge here to-night. -(_Knocking._) May I come in? - - -HOSTESS. - -Who is it? - - -ROSEI. - -I am a traveller; pray give me lodging for the night. - - -HOSTESS. - -Yes, I can give you lodging; pray come this way.... You seem to be -travelling all alone. Tell me where you have come from and where you -are going. - - -ROSEI. - -I come from the land of Shoku. They tell me that on the Hill of the -Flying Sheep there lives a sage; and I am visiting him that he may tell -me by what rule I should conduct my life. - - -HOSTESS. - -It is a long way to the Hill of the Flying Sheep. Listen! A wizard -once lodged here and gave us a marvellous pillow called the Pillow of -Kantan: he who sleeps on it sees all his future in a moment's dream. - - -ROSEI. - -Where is this pillow? - - -HOSTESS. - -It is on the bed. - - -ROSEI. - -I will go and sleep upon it. - - -HOSTESS. - -And I meanwhile will heat you some millet at the fire. - - -ROSEI (_going to the bed_). - -So this is the pillow, the Pillow of Kantan that I have heard such -strange tales of? Heaven has guided me to it, that I who came out to -learn the secret of life may taste the world in a dream. - - As one whose course swift summer-rain has stayed, - Unthrifty of the noon he turned aside - To seek a wayside dream; - Upon the borrowed Pillow of Kantan - He laid his head and slept. - -(_While_ ROSEI _is still chanting these words, the_ ENVOY _enters, -followed by two_ ATTENDANTS _who carry a litter. The_ ENVOY _raps on -the post of the bed_.) - - -ENVOY. - -Rosei, Rosei! I must speak with you. - - (ROSEI, _who has been lying with his fan over his face, rises when - the_ ENVOY _begins to speak_.) - - -ROSEI. - -But who are you? - - -ENVOY. - -I am come as a messenger to tell you that the Emperor of the Land of -So[148] resigns his throne and commands that Rosei shall reign in his -stead. - - -ROSEI. - -Unthinkable! I a king? But for what reason am I assigned this task? - - -ENVOY. - -I cannot venture to determine. Doubtless there were found in your -Majesty's countenance auspicious tokens, signs that you must rule the -land. Let us lose no time; pray deign to enter this palanquin. - - -ROSEI (_looking at the palanquin in astonishment_). - - What thing is this? - A litter spangled with a dew of shining stones? - I am not wont to ride. Such splendour! Oh, little thought I - When first my weary feet trod unfamiliar roads - In kingly state to be borne to my journey's end. - Is it to Heaven I ride? - - -CHORUS. - - In jewelled palanquin - On the Way of Wisdom you are borne; here shall you learn - That the flower of glory fades like a moment's dream. - See, you are become a cloud-man of the sky.[149] - The palaces of ancient kings - Rise up before you, Abo's Hall, the Dragon's Tower;[150] - High over the tall clouds their moonlit gables gleam. - The light wells and wells like a rising tide.[151] - Oh splendid vision! A courtyard strewn - With golden and silver sand; - And they that at the four sides - Pass through the jewelled door are canopied - With a crown of woven light. - In the Cities of Heaven, in the home of Gods, I had thought, - Shine such still beams on walls of stone; - Never on palace reared by hands of men. - Treasures, a thousand kinds, ten thousand kinds, - Tribute to tribute joined, a myriad vassal-kings - Cast down before the Throne. - Flags of a thousand lords, ten thousand lords - Shine many-coloured in the sky, - And the noise of their wind-flapping - Rolls round the echoing earth. - - -ROSEI. - -And in the east - - -CHORUS. - - Over a silver hill of thirty cubits height - A golden sun-wheel rose. - - -ROSEI. - - And in the west - Over a golden hill of thirty cubits height - A silver moon-wheel rose, - To prove his words who sang - "In the Palace of Long Life[152] - The Springs and Autumns cease. - Before the Gate of Endless Youth[153] - The days and months pass slow."[154] - - -COURTIER. - -I would address your Majesty. Your Majesty has reigned for fifty years. -Deign but to drink this drink and you shall live a thousand years. See! -I bring you the nectar and the grail. - - -ROSEI. - -The nectar? - - -COURTIER. - -It is the wine that Immortals drink. - - -ROSEI. - -The grail? - - -COURTIER. - -It is the cup from which they drink. - - -ROSEI. - -The magic wine! A thousand generations shall pass - - -COURTIER. - -Or ever the springtime of your glory fade. - - -ROSEI. - -I bountiful ... - - -COURTIER. - -Your people prosperous. - - -CHORUS. - - For ever and ever - The land secure; - The flower of glory waxing; - The "herb of increase," joy-increasing - Into the cup we pour. - See! from hand to hand it goes. - "I will drink," he cries. - - -ROSEI. - -Go circling, magic cup, - - -CHORUS. - - Circling from hand to hand;[155] - As at the Feast of Floating Cups[156] - Hands thrust from damask sleeves detain - The goblet whirling in the eager stream; - Now launched, now landed![157] - Oh merry flashing light, that shall endure - Long as the Silver Chalice[158] circles space. - - -BOY DANCER. - -The white chrysanthem-dew, - - -CHORUS. - - "The dew of the flowers dripping day by day - In how many thousand years - Will it have grown into a pool?"[159] - It shall not fail, it shall not fail, - The fountain of our Immortality; - He draws, and yet it wells; - He drinks, and to his taste it is as sweet - As the Gods' deathless food. - His heart grows airy; day and night - In unimagined revel, incomparable pride and glory - Eternally shall pass. - - (_End of the_ BOY DANCER'S _dance_. ROSEI, _who has been - watching this dance, now springs up in ecstasy to dance the Gaku or - Court Dance_.) - - -ROSEI. - -The spring-time of my glory fades not ... - - -CHORUS. - - Many times shall you behold - The pale moon of dawn ... - - -ROSEI. - - This is the moon-men's dance; - Cloud-like the feathery sleeves pile up; the song of joy - From dusk to dawn I sing. - - -CHORUS. - - All night we sing. - The sun shines forth again, - Sinks down, and it is night ... - - -ROSEI. - -Nay, dawn has come! - - -CHORUS. - -We thought the morning young, and lo! the moon - - -ROSEI. - -Again is bright. - - -CHORUS. - -Spring scarce has opened her fresh flowers, - - -ROSEI. - -When leaves are crimson-dyed. - - -CHORUS. - -Summer is with us yet; - - -ROSEI. - -Nay, the snow falls. - - -CHORUS (_speaking for_ ROSEI). - - "I watched the seasons pass: - Spring, summer, autumn, winter; a thousand trees, - A thousand flowers were strange and lovely in their pride. - So the time sped, and now - Fifty years of glory have passed by me, - And because they were a dream, - - (_At this point an_ ATTENDANT _brings back the pillow, and places - it in the "palace" which becomes a bed again_.) - - All, all has vanished and I wake - On the pillow where I laid my head, - The Pillow of Kantan." - - (_The_ BOY DANCER _and the two_ COURTIERS _slip out by the - side-door "kirido"_; ROSEI _has mounted the bed and is asleep_.) - - -HOSTESS (_tapping twice with her fan_). - -Listen, traveller! Your millet is ready. Come quickly and eat your -dinner. - - -ROSEI (_rising slowly from the bed_). - -Rosei has woken from his dream ... - - -CHORUS. - - Woken from his dream! The springs and autumns of fifty years - Vanished with all their glory; dazed he rises from the bed. - - -ROSEI. - -Whither are they gone that were so many ... - - -CHORUS. - -"The queens and waiting-ladies? What I thought their voices" - - -ROSEI. - -Were but the whisperings of wind in the trees. - - -CHORUS. - -The palaces and towers - - -ROSEI. - -Were but the baiting-house of Kantan. - - -CHORUS. - -The time of my glory, - - -ROSEI. - -Those fifty years, - - -CHORUS. - -Were but the space of a dream, - - -ROSEI. - -Dreamed while a bowl of millet cooked! - - -CHORUS. - -It is the Inscrutable, the Mystery. - - -ROSEI. - - Yet when I well consider - Man's life in the world of men ... - - -CHORUS. - - Then shall you find that a hundred years of gladness - Fade as a dream when Death their sequence closes. - Thus too has ended - This monarch's fifty years of state. - Ambition, length of days, - Revels and kingly rule, - All, all has ended thus, all was a dream - Dreamed while the millet cooked. - - -ROSEI. - - Glory be to the Trinity,[160] - Glory to the Trinity! - - -CHORUS. - - Seek you a sage to loose - The bonds that bound you to life's woes? - This pillow is the oracle you sought. - Now shall the wayfarer, content to learn - What here he learnt, that Life is but a dream, - Turn homeward from the village of Kantan. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[147] Corresponds to the modern province Hupeh. - -[148] So, Chinese "Ch'u," was formerly an independent feudal State. The -name means "thorn," as does the Japanese "ibara." Chamberlain calls it -"The Country of Ibara," but in this case the reading "So" is indicated -by both Owada and Haga. - -[149] Kings and princes are often called "thou above the clouds." - -[150] Palaces of the First Emperor. An attendant has removed the pillow -from the "bed." From this moment the bed becomes a magnificent palace, -as described in the verses which follow. - -[151] At this point the Boy Dancer enters. - -[152] Name of a famous Chinese palace. - -[153] Famous Gate in the palace of the T'ang Emperors. - -[154] These lines are from a poem by Yasutane, d. 997 A. D. -(Chamberlain attributes them to Po Chue-i.) - -[155] Here the Boy Dancer begins to dance the Dream-dance. - -[156] On the third day of the third month people floated cups in the -stream. Each person as the cup passed in front of him, had to compose a -poem and drink the contents of the cup. - -[157] These words also describe the dancer's movements. - -[158] The Moon. - -[159] See Waley, _Japanese Poetry_, p. 77. - -[160] I. e. Buddha, the Law and the Priesthood. A pious exclamation of -astonishment like the Spanish "Jesu, Maria Jose!" - - - - -THE HOKA PRIESTS - -(HOKAZO) - -By ZENCHIKU UJINOBU (1414-1499) - - -PERSONS - - _MAKINO._ - _HIS BROTHER._ - _NOBUTOSHI (their father's murderer)._ - _NOBUTOSHI'S SERVANT._ - - -MAKINO. - -My name is Kojiro; I am the son of one Makino no Sayemon who lived in -the land of Shimotsuke. You must know that my father had a quarrel with -Nobutoshi, a man of Sagami, and was done to death by him. So this man -was my father's murderer and I ought to kill him. But he has many bold -fellows to stand by him, while I am all alone. So the days and months -slip by with nothing done. - -A brother indeed I have, but he left home when he was a child, made -himself into a priest, and lives at the seminary near by. - -I am much puzzled how to act. I think I will go across and speak to -my brother of this matter. (_He goes to the curtain at the end of the -hashigakari._) May I come in? - - (_The curtain is raised and the_ BROTHER _appears_.) - - -BROTHER. - -Who is it? - - -MAKINO. - -It is I. - - -BROTHER. - -Come in, brother. What has brought you hither? - - -MAKINO. - -I will tell you. It is this matter of our father's murder that has -brought me. I have been thinking that I ought to kill his enemy, and -would have done so but he has many bold fellows to stand by him and I -am all alone. So the days and months slip by and nothing is done. - -For pity's sake, decide with me what course we must pursue. - - -BROTHER. - -Brother, what you have said is true enough. But have you forgotten that -I left my home when I was but a child and made myself a priest? Since -that is so, I cannot help you. - - -MAKINO. - -So you are pleased to think; but men say he is a bad son who does not -kill his father's foe. - - -BROTHER. - -Can you tell me of any that have ministered to piety by slaying a -parent's foe? - - -MAKINO. - -Why, yes. It was in China, I think. There was one whose mother had been -taken by a savage tiger. "I will take vengeance," he cried, and for a -hundred days he lay ambushed in the fields waiting for the tiger to -come. And once when he was walking on the hillside at dusk, he thought -he saw his enemy, and having an arrow already on his bow-string, he -shot with all his might. It was nothing but a great rock that he had -seen, shaped like a tiger. But his arrow stuck so deep in the stone -that blood gushed out from it. If then the strength of piety is such -that it can drive an arrow deep into the heart of a stone, take -thought, I beseech you, whether you will not resolve to come with me. - - -BROTHER. - -You have cited me a notable instance. I am persuaded to resolve with -you how this thing may be effected. - -Come now, by what strategy may we get access to our foe? - - -MAKINO. - -A plan has suddenly come into my head. You know that these _hoka_ -plays are become the fashion of the day. Why should not I dress up as -a _hoka_ and you as a _hoka_ priest? They say that our man is a great -lover of the Zen doctrine; so you may talk to him of Zen. - - -BROTHER. - - That is indeed a pretty notion; let me lose no time in effecting it. - I am resolved; in a pilgrim guise - I mask my limbs. - - -MAKINO. - - And I, glad-thoughted, - In a minstrel's garb go forth. - - -BROTHER. - -Secretly - - -MAKINO. - -We steal from a home - - -CHORUS. - - "Where fain we would stay, but now - Long as life lasts, - Life fickle as the moon of dawn, - No refuge know we - But the haven of our intent." - - (_The_ BROTHERS _leave the stage. Enter their enemy_ NOBUTOSHI, - _followed by his Servant_.) - - -NOBUTOSHI. - - To the home of gods my footsteps turn - To the Sacred Fence that bars - No suppliant's desire. - -I am called Tone no Nobutoshi. My home is in the land of Sagami. -Because for much time past I have been troubled with evil dreams, I -have resolved to visit the Three Isles of Seto. - - (_Re-enter the Brothers_: MAKINO _with bow and arrow in his hand - and bamboo sprigs stuck in his belt behind; the_ BROTHER _carrying - a long staff to which a round fan is attached_.) - - -BROTHER. - - A fine sight are we now! - From priest and laic way alike removed, - Scarce men in speech or form! - - -MAKINO. - - This antic garb shall hide us from the World - More safe than hermit cell; - All earthly thoughts shut out here might we bide - Cloistered in ease. Oh why, - Why back to the bitter World - Are we borne by our intent? - - -MAKINO and BROTHER. - - The flower that has fallen dreams that Spring is done, - There are white clouds to cover - The green hillside ... - - -MAKINO. - - To match the scarlet - Of the autumn leaves - Red sunlight glitters - On the flowing stream. - - -CHORUS. - - Wind at morning, rain at night; - To-day and to-morrow - Shall be part of long ago. - We who pass through a world - Changeful as the dews of evening, - Uncertain as the skies of Spring, - We that are as foam upon the stream,-- - Can _any_ be our foe? - - -SERVANT (_seeing them and going towards the hashigakari_). - -You're a merry pair of guys! What may your names be? - - -BROTHER. - -Floating Cloud; Running Water. - - -SERVANT. - -And what is your friend's name? - - -MAKINO. - -Floating Cloud; Running Water. - - -SERVANT. - -Have you then but one name between you? - - -BROTHER. - -I am Floating Cloud and he is Running Water. And now, pray, tell us -your master's name. - - -SERVANT. - -Why, he comes from the land of Sagami, and Nobutoshi ... (_here the_ -SERVANT _suddenly remembers that he is being indiscreet and stuffs his -hand into his mouth_) ... is not his name. - - -BROTHER. - -That's no matter. Whoever he is, tell him that we are only two _hoka_ -come to speak with him. - - -SERVANT. - -I will tell him. Do you wait here. - - (_He goes over to_ NOBUTOSHI _and whispers with him, then comes - back to the_ BROTHERS.) - -Come this way. - - (NOBUTOSHI _comes to meet them, covering his face with a fan_.) - - -NOBUTOSHI. - -Listen, gentlemen, I desire an explanation from you. - - -BROTHER. - -What would you know? - - -NOBUTOSHI. - -It is this. They alone can be called priests round whose fingers -is twisted the rosary of Tenfold Power, who are clad in cloak of -Forbearance, round whose shoulders hangs the stole of Penitence. Such -is everywhere the garb of Buddha's priests. I know no other habit. But -you, I see, carry a round fan tied to your pillar-staff. By what verse -do you justify the wearing of a fan? - - -BROTHER. - - "In motion, a wind; - In stillness, a bright moon." - And even as in this one substance - Both wind and moon inhere, - So Thought alone is Truth, and from the mind - Spring all component things. - Such is the sermon of the fan, as a sign we bear it - Of the heart's omnipotence. It is an emblem - Fools only would decry! - - -NOBUTOSHI. - -The fan indeed teaches an agreeable lesson; but one of you carries a -bow and arrow at his side. Are these too reckoned fit gear for men of -your profession? - - -MAKINO. - - The bow? Why, surely! - Are not its two horns fashioned - In likeness of the Hare and Crow, - Symbols of the Moon and Sun, of Night and Day? - Here is the primal mystery displayed - Of fair and foul conjoined.[161] - Bears not the God of Love, unsullied king, - A magical bow? Does he not stretch upon its string - Arrows of grace whereby - The armies of the Four Fiends[162] know no rest - - -CHORUS. - - And thus we two are armed, - For though the bow be not bent nor the arrow loosed, - Yet falls the prey unmasked. - - (MAKINO _draws his bow as though about to shoot; his_ BROTHER - _checks him with his staff_.) - - So says the song. Now speak no more - Of things you know not of. - - -NOBUTOSHI. - -Tell me, pray, from which patriarch do the _hoka_ priests derive their -doctrine? To what sect do you adhere? - - -BROTHER. - -We are of no sect; our doctrine stands apart. It cannot be spoken nor -expounded. To frame it in sentences is to degrade our faith; to set it -down in writing is to be untrue to our Order; but by the bending of a -leaf is the wind's journey known. - - -NOBUTOSHI. - -I thank you; your exposition delights me. Pray tell me now, what is the -meaning of this word "Zen"? - - -MAKINO. - - Within, to sound to their depths the waters of Mystery; - Without, to wander at will through the portals of Concentration. - - -NOBUTOSHI. - -And of the doctrine that Buddha is in the bones of each one of us ...? - - -BROTHER. - -He lurks unseen; like the golden dragon[163] when he leaps behind the -clouds. - - -NOBUTOSHI. - -If we believe that life and death are real ... - - -BROTHER. - -Then are we caught in the wheel of sorrow. - - -NOBUTOSHI. - -But if we deny them ... - - -BROTHER. - -We are listed to a heresy.[164] - - -NOBUTOSHI. - -And the straight path to knowledge ... - - -MAKINO (_rushing forward sword in hand_). - -"With the triple stroke is carved."[165] - -Hold! (_turning to_ NOBUTOSHI _who has recoiled and drawn his sword_.) - - "To carve a way to knowledge by the triple stroke" ... - These are Zen words; he was but quoting a text. - This perturbation does little honour to your wits. - - -CHORUS. - - Thus do men ever - Blurt out or blazen on the cheek - Red as rock-rose[166] the thing they would not speak. - Now by the Trinity, how foolish are men's hearts! - - -SERVANT (_aside_). - -While my masters are fooling, I'll to my folly too. - - (_He slips out by the side door._) - - -BROTHER (_embarking upon a religious discourse in order to allay_ -NOBUTOSHI'S _suspicions_). - - It matters not whether faith and words be great or small, - Whether the law be kept or broken. - - -CHORUS. - - Neither in the "Yea" nor "Nay" is the Truth found; - There is none but may be saved at last. - - -BROTHER. - - Not man alone; the woods and fields - Show happy striving. - - -CHORUS. - - The willow in his green, the peony - In crimson dressed. - - (_The_ BROTHER _here begins his first dance; like that which - follows, it is a "shimai" or dance without instrumental music_.) - - On mornings of green spring - When at the valley's shining gate - First melt the hawthorn-warbler's frozen tears, - Or when by singing foam - Of snow-fed waters echoes the discourse - Of neighbourly frogs;--then speaks - The voice of Buddha's heart. - Autumn, by eyes unseen, - Is heard in the wind's anger; - And the clash of river-reeds, the clamorous descent - Of wild-geese searching - The home-field's face, - Clouds shaped like leaves of rice,--all these - To watchful eyes foretell the evening storm. - He who has seen upon a mountain-side - Stock-still beneath the moon - The young deer stand in longing for his mate, - That man may read the writing, and forget - The finger on the page. - - -BROTHER. - - Even so the fisher's boats that ride - The harbour of the creek, - - -CHORUS. - - Bring back the fish, but leave the net behind. - These things you have heard and seen; - In the wind of the hill-top, in the valley's song, - In the film of night, in the mist of morning - Is it proclaimed that Thought alone - Was, Is and Shall be. - - -BROTHER. - - Conceive this truth and wake! - As a cloud that hides the moon, so Matter veils - - -CHORUS. - -The face of Thought. - - -BROTHER (_begins his second dance, while the_ CHORUS _sings the ballad -used by the "hoka" players_). - -Oh, a pleasant place is the City of Flowers; - - -CHORUS. - - No pen could write its wonders.[167] - In the east, Gion and the Temple of Clear Waters - Where torrents tumble with a noise of many wings; - In the storm-wind flutter, flutter - The blossoms of the Earth-lord's tree.[168] - In the west, the Temple of the Wheel of Law, - The Shrine of Saga (Turn, if thou wilt, - Wheel of the Water Mill!), - Where river-waves dance on the weir - And river-willows by the waves are chafed; - Oxen of the City by the wheels are chafed; - And the tea-mortar by the pestle is chafed. - Why, and I'd forgot! In the _hoka's_ hands - The _kokiriko_[169] is chafed. - Now long may our Lord rule - Age notched on age, like the notches - Of these gnarled sticks! - - -MAKINO and BROTHER. - -Enough! Why longer hide our plot? - - (_They draw their swords and rush upon_ NOBUTOSHI, _who places - his hat upon the ground and slips out at the side-door. The hat - henceforward symbolically represents_ NOBUTOSHI, _an actual - representation of slaughter being thus avoided_.) - - -CHORUS. - - Then the brothers drew their swords and rushed upon him, - The foe of their desire. - - (MAKINO _gets behind the hat, to signify that_ NOBUTOSHI _is - surrounded_.) - - They have scaled the summit of their hate, - The rancour of many months and years. - The way is open to the bourne of their intent. - - (_They strike._) - - They have laid their enemy low. - So when the hour was come - Did these two brothers - By sudden resolution - Destroy their father's foe. - For valour and piety are their names remembered - Even in this aftertime. - -[Illustration: THE ANGEL IN _HAGOROMO_] - -FOOTNOTES: - -[161] The Sun is male, i. e. fair. The Moon female, i. e. foul. - -[162] The demons of Delusion, of the Senses, of the Air and of Death. - -[163] The Sun. - -[164] The heresy of Nihilism. To say that phenomena do not exist is as -untrue as to say that they exist. - -[165] He quotes a Zen text. - -[166] _Iwa_, "rock," also means "not speak." - -[167] Some actors, says Owada, here write in the air with their fan; -but such detailed miming is vulgar. - -[168] An allusion to the cherry-trees at the Kiyomizu-dera. - -[169] Bamboo-strips rubbed together to produce a squeaking sound. - - - - -NOTE ON HAGOROMO. - - -The story of the mortal who stole an angel's cloak and so prevented her -return to heaven is very widely spread. It exists, with variations and -complications, in India, China, Japan, the Liu Chiu Islands and Sweden. -The story of Hasan in the _Arabian Nights_ is an elaboration of the -same theme. - -The No play is said to have been written by Seami, but a version of -it existed long before. The last half consists merely of chants sung -to the dancing. Some of these (e.g. the words to the Suruga Dance) -have no relevance to the play, which is chiefly a framework or excuse -for the dances. It is thus a No of the primitive type, and perhaps -belongs, at any rate in its conception, to an earlier period than such -unified dramas as _Atsumori_ or _Kagekiyo_. The words of the dances in -_Maiguruma_ are just as irrelevant to the play as those of the Suruga -Dance in _Hagoromo_, but there the plot explains and even demands their -intrusion. - -The libretto of the second part lends itself very ill to translation, -but I have thought it best to give the play in full. - - - - -HAGOROMO - -By SEAMI - - -PERSONS - - _HAKURYO (a Fisherman)._ - _ANGEL._ - _ANOTHER FISHERMAN._ - _CHORUS._ - - -FISHERMAN. - - Loud the rowers' cry - Who through the storm-swept paths of Mio Bay - Ride to the rising sea. - - -HAKURYO. - -I am Hakuryo, a fisherman whose home is by the pine-woods of Mio. - - -BOTH. - - "On a thousand leagues of lovely hill clouds suddenly close; - But by one tower the bright moon shines in a clear sky."[170] - A pleasant season, truly: on the pine-wood shore - The countenance of Spring; - Early mist close-clasped to the swell of the sea; - In the plains of the sky a dim, loitering moon. - Sweet sight, to gaze enticing - Eyes even of us earth-cumbered - Low souls, least for attaining - Of high beauty nurtured. - Oh unforgettable! By mountain paths - Down to the sea of Kiyomi I come - And on far woodlands look, - Pine-woods of Mio, thither - Come, thither guide we our course. - Fishers, why put you back your boats to shore, - No fishing done? - - Thought you them rising waves, those billowy clouds - Wind-blown across sea? - Wait, for the time is Spring and in the trees - The early wind his everlasting song - Sings low; and in the bay - Silent in morning calm the little ships, - Ships of a thousand fishers, ride the sea. - - (_The second_ FISHERMAN _retires to a position near the leader of - the_ CHORUS, _and takes no further part in the action_.) - - -HAKURYO. - -Now I have landed at the pine-wood of Mio and am viewing the beauty -of the shore. Suddenly there is music in the sky, a rain of flowers, -unearthly fragrance wafted on all sides. These are no common things; -nor is this beautiful cloak that hangs upon the pine-tree. I come near -to it. It is marvellous in form and fragrance. This surely is no common -dress. I will take it back with me and show it to the people of my -home. It shall be a treasure in my house. - - (_He walks four steps towards the Waki's pillar carrying the - feather robe._) - - -ANGEL (_entering through the curtain at the end of the gallery_). - -Stop! That cloak is mine. Where are you going with it? - - -HAKURYO. - -This is a cloak I found here. I am taking it home. - - -ANGEL. - -It is an angel's robe of feathers, a cloak no mortal man may wear. Put -it back where you found it. - - -HAKURYO. - -How? Is the owner of this cloak an angel of the sky? Why, then, I will -put it in safe keeping. It shall be a treasure in the land, a marvel to -men unborn.[171] I will not give back your cloak. - - -ANGEL. - - Oh pitiful! How shall I cloakless tread - The wing-ways of the air, how climb - The sky, my home? - Oh, give it back, in charity give it back. - - -HAKURYO. - - No charity is in me, and your moan - Makes my heart resolute. - Look, I take your robe, hide it, and will not give it back. - - (_Describing his own actions. Then he walks away._) - - -ANGEL. - - Like a bird without wings, - I would rise, but robeless - - -HAKURYO. - - To the low earth you sink, an angel dwelling - In the dingy world. - - -ANGEL. - - This way, that way. - Despair only. - - -HAKURYO. - -But when she saw he was resolved to keep it ... - - -ANGEL. - -Strength failing. - - -HAKURYO. - -Help none ... - - -CHORUS. - - Then on her coronet, - Jewelled as with the dew of tears, - The bright flowers drooped and faded.[172] - O piteous to see before the eyes, - Fivefold the signs of sickness - Corrupt an angel's form. - - -ANGEL. - - I look into the plains of heaven, - The cloud-ways are hid in mist, - The path is lost. - - -CHORUS. - - Oh, enviable clouds, - At your will wandering - For ever idle in the empty sky - That was my home! - Now fades and fades upon my ear - The voice of Kalavink,[173] - Daily accustomed song. - And you, oh you I envy, - Wild-geese clamorous - Down the sky-paths returning; - And you, O seaward circling, shoreward sweeping - Swift seagulls of the bay: - Even the wind, because in heaven it blows, - The wind of Spring I envy. - - -HAKURYO. - -Listen. Now that I have seen you in your sorrow, I yield and would give -you back your mantle. - - -ANGEL. - -Oh, I am happy! Give it me then! - - -HAKURYO. - -Wait. I have heard tell of the dances that are danced in heaven. Dance -for me now, and I will give back your robe. - - -ANGEL. - - I am happy, happy. Now I shall have wings and mount the sky again. - And for thanksgiving I bequeath - A dance of remembrance to the world, - Fit for the princes of men: - The dance-tune that makes to turn - The towers of the moon, - I will dance it here and as an heirloom leave it - To the sorrowful men of the world. - Give back my mantle, I cannot dance without it. - Say what you will, I must first have back the robe. - - -HAKURYO. - -Not yet, for if I give back your robe, not a step would you dance, but -fly with it straight to the sky. - - -ANGEL. - - No, no. Doubt is for mortals; - In heaven is no deceit. - - -HAKURYO. - -I am ashamed. Look, I give back the robe. - - (_He gives it to her and she takes it in both hands._) - - -ANGEL. - - The heavenly lady puts on her garment, - She dances the dance of the Rainbow Skirt, of the Robe of Feathers. - - -HAKURYO. - -The sky-robe flutters; it yields to the wind. - - -ANGEL. - -Sleeve like a flower wet with rain ... - - -HAKURYO. - -The first dance is over. - - -ANGEL. - -Shall I dance? - - -CHORUS. - - The dance of Suruga, with music of the East? - Thus was it first danced. - - (_The_ ANGEL _dances, while the_ CHORUS _sings the words of the - dance, an ancient Shinto chant_.) - - "Why name we - Wide-stretched and everlasting. - The sky of heaven? - Two gods[174] there came of old - And built, upon ten sides shut in, - A measured world for men; - But without limit arched they - The sky above, and named it - Wide-stretched and everlasting." - - -ANGEL. - - Thus is the Moon-God's palace: - Its walls are fashioned - With an axe of jade. - - -CHORUS. - - In white dress, black dress, - Thrice ten angels - In two ranks divided, - Thrice five for the waning, - Thrice five for nights of the waxing moon, - One heavenly lady on each night of the moon - Does service and fulfils - Her ritual task assigned. - - -ANGEL. - - I too am of their number, - A moon-lady of heaven. - - -CHORUS. - - "Mine is the fruit of the moon-tree,[175] yet came I to the East - incarnate,[176] - Dwelt with the people of Earth, and gave them - A gift of music, song-dance of Suruga. - - Now upon earth trail the long mists of Spring; - Who knows but in the valleys of the moon - The heavenly moon-tree puts her blossom on? - The blossoms of her crown win back their glory: - It is the sign of Spring. - Not heaven is here, but beauty of the wind and sky. - Blow, blow, you wind, and build - Cloud-walls across the sky, lest the vision leave us - Of a maid divine! - This tint of springtime in the woods, - This colour on the headland, - Snow on the mountain,[177] - Moonlight on the clear shore,-- - Which fairest? Nay, each peerless - At the dawn of a Spring day. - Waves lapping, wind in the pine-trees whispering - Along the quiet shore. Say you, what cause - Has Heaven to be estranged - From us Earth-men; are we not children of the Gods, - Within, without the jewelled temple wall,[178] - Born where no cloud dares dim the waiting moon, - Land of Sunrise?" - - -ANGEL. - - May our Lord's life, - Last long as a great rock rubbed - Only by the rare trailing - Of an angel's feather-skirt.[179] - Oh, marvellous music! - The Eastern song joined - To many instruments; - Harp, zither, pan-pipes, flute, - Belly their notes beyond the lonely clouds. - The sunset stained with crimson light - From Mount Sumeru's side;[180] - For green, the islands floating on the sea; - For whiteness whirled - A snow of blossom blasted - By the wild winds, a white cloud - Of sleeves waving. - - (_Concluding the dance, she folds her hands and prays._) - - -NAMU KIMYO GWATTEN-SHI. - - To thee, Monarch of the Moon, - Be glory and praise, - Thou son of Seishi Omnipotent![181] - - -CHORUS. - -This is a dance of the East. - - (_She dances three of the five parts of the dance called "Yo no - Mai," the Prelude Dance._) - - -ANGEL. - -I am robed in sky, in the empty blue of heaven. - - -CHORUS. - -Now she is robed in a garment of mist, of Spring mist. - - -ANGEL. - - Wonderful in perfume and colour, an angel's skirt,--left, right, - left, left, right. - - (_Springing from side to side._) - - The skirt swishes, the flowers nod, the feathery sleeves trail out - and return, the dancing-sleeves. - - (_She dances "Ha no Mai" the Broken Dance._) - - -CHORUS. - - She has danced many dances, - But not yet are they numbered, - The dances of the East. - And now she, whose beauty is as the young moon, - Shines on us in the sky of midnight, - The fifteenth night, - With the beam of perfect fulfilment, - The splendor of Truth. - The vows[182] are fulfilled, and the land we live in - Rich with the Seven Treasures - By this dance rained down on us, - The gift of Heaven. - But, as the hours pass by, - Sky-cloak of feathers fluttering, fluttering, - Over the pine-woods of Mio, - Past the Floating Islands, through the feet of the clouds she flies - Over the mountain of Ashitaka, the high peak of Fuji, - Very faint her form, - Mingled with the mists of heaven; - Now lost to sight. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[170] A Chinese couplet quoted from the _Shih Jen Yue Hsieh_ ("Jade-dust -of the Poets"), a Sung Dynasty work on poetry which was popular in -Japan. - -[171] _Masse_ here means, I think, "future generations," not "this -degraded age." - -[172] When an angel is about to die, the flowers of his crown wither, -his feather robe is stained with dust, sweat pours from under the -arm-pits, the eyelids tremble, he is tired of his place in heaven. - -[173] The sacred bird of heaven. - -[174] Izanagi and Izanami. - -[175] The "Katsura" tree, a kind of laurel supposed to grow in the moon. - -[176] Lit. "dividing my body," an expression used of Buddhist -divinities that detach a portion of their godhead and incarnate it in -some visible form. - -[177] Fuji. - -[178] The inner and outer temples at Ise. - -[179] Quoting an ancient prayer for the Mikado. - -[180] Sumeru is the great mountain at the centre of the universe. Its -west side is of rubies, its south side of green stones, its east side -of white stones, etc. - -[181] Called in Sanskrit Mahasthama-prapta, third person of the Trinity -sitting on Amida's right hand. The Moon-God is an emanation of this -deity. - -[182] Of Buddha. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -TANIKO - -IKENIYE - -HATSUYUKI - -HAKU RAKUTEN - - - - -NOTE ON TANIKO AND IKENIYE. - - -Both of these plays deal with the ruthless exactions of religion; in -each the first part lends itself better to translation than the second. -_Taniko_ is still played; but _Ikeniye_, though printed by both Owada -and Haga, has probably not been staged for many centuries. - -The pilgrims of _Taniko_ are _Yamabushi_, "mountaineers," to whom -reference has been made on page 33. They called themselves _Shu-genja_, -"portent-workers," and claimed to be the knight-errants of Buddhism. -But their conduct seems to have differed little from that of the -_Sohei_ (armed monks) who poured down in hordes from Mount Hiyei to -terrorize the inhabitants of the surrounding country. Some one in the -_Genji Monogatari_ is said to have "collected a crowd of evil-looking -Yamabushi, desperate, stick-at-nothing fellows." - -_Ikeniye_, the title of the second play, means "Pool Sacrifice," but -also "Living Sacrifice," i. e. human sacrifice. - - - - -TANIKO - -(THE VALLEY-HURLING) - -PART I - -By ZENCHIKU - - -PERSONS - - _A TEACHER._ - _THE BOY'S MOTHER._ - _PILGRIMS._ - _A YOUNG BOY._ - _LEADER OF THE PILGRIMS._ - _CHORUS._ - - -TEACHER. - -I am a teacher. I keep a school at one of the temples in the City. I -have a pupil whose father is dead; he has only his mother to look after -him. Now I will go and say good-bye to them, for I am soon starting on -a journey to the mountains. (_He knocks at the door of the house._) May -I come in? - - -BOY. - -Who is it? Why, it is the Master who has come out to see us! - - -TEACHER. - -Why is it so long since you came to my classes at the temple? - - -BOY. - -I have not been able to come because my mother has been ill. - - -TEACHER. - -I had no idea of that. Please tell her at once that I am here. - - -BOY (_calling into the house_). - -Mother, the Master is here. - - -MOTHER. - -Ask him to come in. - - -BOY. - -Please come in here. - - -TEACHER. - -It is a long time since I was here. Your son says you have been ill. -Are you better now? - - -MOTHER. - -Do not worry about my illness. It is of no consequence. - - -TEACHER. - -I am glad to hear it. I have come to say good-bye, for I am soon -starting on a ritual mountain-climbing. - - -MOTHER. - -A mountain-climbing? Yes, indeed; I have heard that it is a dangerous -ritual. Shall you take my child with you? - - -TEACHER. - -It is not a journey that a young child could make. - - -MOTHER. - -Well,--I hope you will come back safely. - - -TEACHER. - -I must go now. - - -BOY. - -I have something to say. - - -TEACHER. - -What is it? - - -BOY. - -I will go with you to the mountains. - - -TEACHER. - -No, no. As I said to your mother, we are going on a difficult and -dangerous excursion. You could not possibly come with us. Besides, how -could you leave your mother when she is not well? Stay here. It is in -every way impossible that you should go with us. - - -BOY. - -Because my mother is ill I will go with you to pray for her. - - -TEACHER. - -I must speak to your mother again. (_He goes back into the inner -room._) I have come back,--your son says he is going to come with us. I -told him he could not leave you when you were ill and that it would be -a difficult and dangerous road. I said it was quite impossible for him -to come. But he says he must come to pray for your health. What is to -be done? - - -MOTHER. - -I have listened to your words. I do not doubt what the boy says,--that -he would gladly go with you to the mountains: (_to the_ BOY) but since -the day your father left us I have had none but you at my side. I have -not had you out of mind or sight for as long a time as it takes a -dewdrop to dry! Give back the measure of my love. Let your love keep -you with me. - - -BOY. - -This is all as you say.... Yet nothing shall move me from my purpose. I -must climb this difficult path and pray for your health in this life. - - -CHORUS. - - They saw no plea could move him. - Then master and mother with one voice: - "Alas for such deep piety, - Deep as our heavy sighs." - The mother said, - "I have no strength left; - If indeed it must be, - Go with the Master. - But swiftly, swiftly - Return from danger." - - -BOY. - - Checking his heart which longed for swift return - At dawn towards the hills he dragged his feet.[183] - - * * * * * - - -TEACHER. - -We have climbed so fast that we have already reached the first hut. We -will stay here a little while. - - -LEADER. - -We obey. - - -BOY. - -I have something to say. - - -TEACHER. - -What is it? - - -BOY. - -I do not feel well. - - -TEACHER. - -Stay! Such things may not be said by those who travel on errands like -ours. Perhaps you are tired because you are not used to climbing. Lie -there and rest. - - -LEADER. - -They are saying that the young boy is ill with climbing. I must ask the -Master about it. - - -PILGRIMS. - -Do so. - - -LEADER. - -I hear that this young boy is ill with climbing. What is the matter -with him? Are you anxious about him? - - -TEACHER. - -He is not feeling well, but there is nothing wrong with him. He is only -tired with climbing. - - -LEADER. - -So you are not troubled about him? - - (_A pause._) - - -PILGRIM. - -Listen, you pilgrims. Just now the Master said this boy was only tired -with climbing. But now he is looking very strange. Ought we not to -follow our Great Custom and hurl him into the valley? - - -LEADER. - -We ought to indeed. I must tell the Master. Sir, when I enquired before -about the child you told me he was only tired with climbing; but now he -is looking very strange. - -Though I say it with dread, there has been from ancient times a Great -Custom that those who fail should be cast down. All the pilgrims are -asking that he should be thrown into the valley. - - -TEACHER. - -What, you would hurl this child into the valley? - - -LEADER. - -We would. - - -TEACHER. - -It is a Mighty Custom. I cannot gainsay it. But I have great pity in my -heart for that creature. I will tell him tenderly of this Great Custom. - - -LEADER. - -Pray do so. - - -TEACHER. - -Listen carefully to me. It has been the law from ancient times that if -any pilgrim falls sick on such journey as these he should be hurled -into the valley,--done suddenly to death. If I could take your place, -how gladly I would die. But now I cannot help you. - - -BOY. - -I understand. I knew well that if I came on this journey I might lose -my life. - - Only at the thought - Of my dear mother, - How her tree of sorrow - For me must blossom - With flower of weeping,-- - I am heavy-hearted. - - -CHORUS. - - Then the pilgrims sighing - For the sad ways of the world - And the bitter ordinances of it, - Make ready for the hurling. - Foot to foot - They stood together - Heaving blindly, - None guiltier than his neighbour. - And clods of earth after - And flat stones they flung.[184] - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[183] Here follows a long lyric passage describing their journey and -ascent. The frequent occurrence of place-names and plays of word on -such names makes it impossible to translate. - -[184] I have only summarized the last chorus. When the pilgrims reach -the summit, they pray to their founder, En no Gyoja, and to the God -Fudo that the boy may be restored to life. In answer to their prayers -a Spirit appears carrying the boy in her arms. She lays him at the -Priest's feet and vanishes again, treading the Invisible Pathway that -En no Gyoja trod when he crossed from Mount Katsuragi to the Great Peak -without descending into the valley. - - - - -IKENIYE - -(THE POOL-SACRIFICE) - -PART I - -By SEAMI[185] - - -PERSONS - - _THE TRAVELLER._ - _HIS WIFE._ - _HIS DAUGHTER._ - _THE INNKEEPER._ - _THE PRIEST._ - _THE ACOLYTE._ - _CHORUS._ - - -TRAVELLER. - -I am a man who lives in the Capital. Maybe because of some great wrong -I did in a former life ... I have fallen into trouble and cannot go on -living here. - -I have a friend in the East country. Perhaps he would help me. I will -take my wife and child and go at once to the ends of the East. - - (_He travels to the East, singing as he goes a song about the - places through which he passes._) - -We are come to the Inn. (_Knocks at the door._) We are travellers. Pray -give us shelter. - - -INNKEEPER. - -Lodging, do you say? Come in with me. This way. Tell me, where have you -come from? - - -TRAVELLER. - -I come from the Capital, and I am going down to the East to visit my -friend. - - -INNKEEPER. - -Listen. I am sorry. There is something I must tell you privately. -Whoever passes this night at the Inn must go to-morrow to the drawing -of lots at the sacrifice. I am sorry for it, but you would do best to -leave the Inn before dawn. Tell no one what I have said, and mind you -start early. - - -TRAVELLER. - -If we may sleep here now we will gladly start at dawn. - - (_They lie down and sleep in the open courtyard. After a while they - rise and start on their journey._) - - _Enter the_ PRIEST. - - -PRIEST. - -Hey! where are you? - - _Enter the_ ACOLYTE. - - -ACOLYTE. - -Here I am. - - -PRIEST. - -I hear that three travellers stayed at the Inn last night and have left -before dawn. Go after them and stop them. - - -ACOLYTE. - -I listen and obey. Hey, you travellers, go no further! - - -TRAVELLER. - -Is it at us you are shouting? - - -ACOLYTE. - -Yes, indeed it is at you. - - -TRAVELLER. - -And why should we stop? Tell me the reason. - - -ACOLYTE. - -He is right. It is not to be wondered at that he should ask the reason. -(_To the_ TRAVELLER.) Listen. Each year at this place there is a -sacrifice at the Pool. To-day is the festival of this holy rite, and we -ask you to join in it. - - -TRAVELLER. - -I understand you. But it is for those that live here, those that were -born children of this Deity, to attend his worship. Must a wanderer go -with you because he chances to lodge here for a night? - - (_He turns to go._) - - -ACOLYTE. - -No, No! For all you say, this will not do. - - -PRIEST. - -Stay! Sir, we do not wonder that you should think this strange. But -listen to me. From ancient times till now no traveller has ever lodged -this night of the year at the Inn of Yoshiwara without attending the -sacrifice at the Pool. If you are in a hurry, come quickly to the -sacrifice, and then with a blessing set out again on your journey. - - -TRAVELLER. - -I understand you. But, as I have said, for such rites as these you -should take men born in the place.... No, I still do not understand. -Why should a fleeting traveller be summoned to this Pool-Sacrifice? - - -PRIEST. - -It is a Great Custom. - - -TRAVELLER. - -That may be. I do not question that that is your rule. But I beg you, -consider my case and excuse me. - - -PRIEST. - -Would you be the first to break a Great Custom that has been observed -since ancient times? - - -TRAVELLER. - -No, that is not what I meant. But if we are to discuss this matter, I -must be plain with you.... I am a man of the Capital. Perhaps because -of some ill deed done in a former life I have suffered many troubles. -At last I could no longer build the pathway of my life, so I took my -wife and child and set out to seek my friend who lives in the East. -Pray let me go on my way. - - -PRIEST. - -Indeed, indeed you have cause for distress. But from ancient times till -now - - Parents have been taken - And countless beyond all knowing - Wives and husbands parted. - -Call this, if you will, the retribution of a former life. But now come -with us quickly to the shores of the Holy Pool. - - (_Describing his own actions._) - -So saying, the Priest and acolytes went forward. - - -WIFE and DAUGHTER. - -And the wife and child, crying "Oh what shall we do?" clutched at the -father's sleeve. - - -TRAVELLER. - -But the father could find no words to speak. He stood baffled, -helpless.... - - -PRIEST. - -They must not loiter. Divide them and drive them on! - - -ACOLYTE. - -So he drove them before him and they walked like ... - - -TRAVELLER. - -If true comparison were made ... - - -CHORUS. - - Like guilty souls of the Dead - Driven to Judgment - By fiends reproachful; - Whose hearts unknowing - Like dew in day-time - To nothing dwindle. - Like sheep to shambles - They walk weeping, - No step without a tear - Till to the Pool they come. - - -PRIEST. - -Now we are come to the Pool, and by its edge are ranged the Priest, the -acolytes, the virgins and dancing-boys. - - -CHORUS. - - There is one doom-lot; - Yet those that are thinking - "Will it be mine?" - They are a hundred, - And many times a hundred. - - -PRIEST. - -Embracing, clasping hands ... - - -CHORUS. - -Pale-faced - - -PRIEST. - -Sinking at heart - - -CHORUS. - - "On whom will it fall?" - Not knowing, thick as snow, - White snow of winter fall their prayers - To their clan-gods, "Protect us" ... - Palm pressed to palm. - - -PRIEST. - -At last the Priest mounted the dais, raised the lid of the box and -counted the lots to see that there was one for each to take. - - -CHORUS. - - Then all the people came forward - To draw their lots. - And each when he unfolded his lot - And found it was not the First, - How glad he was! - But the traveller's daughter, - Knowing her fate, - Fell weeping to the earth. - - -PRIEST. - -Are there not three travellers? They have only drawn two lots. The -First Lot is still undrawn. Tell them that one of them must draw it. - - -ACOLYTE. - -I listen and obey. Ho, you travellers, it is to you I am speaking. -There are three of you, and you have only drawn two lots. The Priest -says one of you must draw the First Lot. - - -TRAVELLER. - -We have all drawn. - - -ACOLYTE. - -No, I am sure the young girl has not drawn her lot. Look, here it is. -Yes, and it is the Doom-lot! - - -WIFE. - -The First Lot! How terrible! - -Hoping to rear you to womanhood, we wandered blindly from the City and -came down to the unknown country of the East. For your sake we set our -hearts on this sad journey. If you are taken, what will become of us? -How hideous! - - -DAUGHTER. - -Do not sob so! If you or my father had drawn this lot, what should I -have done? But now it has fallen to me, and it is hard for you to let -me go. - - -TRAVELLER. - -What brave words! "If you or my father had drawn this lot...." There is -great piety in that saying. (_To his_ WIFE.) Come, do not sob so before -all these people. We are both parents and must have like feelings. But -from the time I set out to this holy lottery something told me that of -the three of us one would be taken. Look! I am not crying. - - -WIFE. - - I thought as you did, yet ... - It is too much! Can it all be real? - - -TRAVELLER. - - The father said "I will not show weakness," yet while he was speaking - bravely - Because she was his dear daughter - His secret tears - Could not be checked. - - -WIFE. - -Is this a dream or is it real? - - (_She clings to the daughter, wailing._) - - -PRIEST. - - Because the time had come - The Priest and his men - Stood waiting on the shore - - -CHORUS. - - They decked the boat with ribands - And upon a bed of water-herbs - They laid the maiden of the Pool. - - -PRIEST. - - The priest pulled the ribands - And spoke the words of prayer. - - [In the second part of the play the dragon of the Pool is appeased - and the girl restored to life.] - -FOOTNOTE: - -[185] The play is given in a list of Seami's works composed on the -authority of his great-grandson, Kwanze Nagatoshi, in 1524. Owada gives -it as anonymous. - - - - -HATSUYUKI - -(EARLY SNOW) - -By KOPARU ZEMBO MOTOYASU (1453-1532). - - -PERSONS - - _EVENING MIST, a servant girl._ - _A LADY, the Abbot's daughter._ - _TWO NOBLE LADIES._ - _THE SOUL OF THE BIRD HATSUYUKI ("Early Snow")._ - _CHORUS._ - - -SCENE: _The Great Temple at Izumo_. - - -SERVANT. - -I am a servant at the Nyoroku Shrine in the Great Temple of Izumo. My -name is Evening Mist. You must know that the Lord Abbot has a daughter, -a beautiful lady and gentle as can be. And she keeps a tame bird that -was given her a year ago, and because it was a lovely white bird she -called it Hatsuyuki, Early Snow; and she loves it dearly. - -I have not seen the bird to-day. I think I will go to the bird-cage and -have a look at it. - - (_She goes to the cage._) - -Mercy on us, the bird is not there! Whatever shall I say to my lady? -But I shall have to tell her. I think I'll tell her now. Madam, madam, -your dear Snow-bird is not here! - - -LADY. - -What is that you say? Early Snow is not there? It cannot be true. - - (_She goes to the cage._) - -It is true. Early Snow has gone! How can that be? How can it be that my -pretty one that was so tame should vanish and leave no trace? - - Oh bitterness of snows - That melt and disappear! - Now do I understand - The meaning of a midnight dream - That lately broke my rest. - A harbinger it was - Of Hatsuyuki's fate. - - (_She bursts into tears._) - - -CHORUS. - - Though for such tears and sighs - There be no cause, - Yet came her grief so suddenly, - Her heart's fire is ablaze; - And all the while - Never a moment are her long sleeves dry. - They say that written letters first were traced - By feet of birds in sand - Yet Hatsuyuki leaves no testament. - - (_They mourn._) - - -CHORUS (_"kuse" chant, irregular verse accompanied by dancing_). - - How sad to call to mind - When first it left the breeding-cage - So fair of form - And coloured white as snow. - We called it Hatsuyuki, "Year's First Snow." - And where our mistress walked - It followed like a shadow at her side. - But now alas! it is a bird of parting[186] - Though not in Love's dark lane. - - -LADY. - -There's no help now. (_She weeps bitterly._) - - -CHORUS. - - Still there is one way left. Stop weeping, Lady, - And turn your heart to him who vowed to hear. - The Lord Amida, if a prayer be said-- - Who knows but he can bring - Even a bird's soul into Paradise - And set it on the Lotus Pedestal?[187] - - -LADY. - -Evening Mist, are you not sad that Hatsuyuki has gone? ... But we must -not cry any more. Let us call together the noble ladies of this place -and for seven days sit with them praying behind barred doors. Go now -and do my bidding. - - (EVENING MIST _fetches the_ NOBLE LADIES _of the place_). - - -TWO NOBLE LADIES (_together_). - - A solemn Mass we sing - A dirge for the Dead; - At this hour of heart-cleansing - We beat on Buddha's gong. - - (_They pray._) - -NAMU AMIDA BUTSU NAMU NYORAI - - Praise to Amida Buddha, - Praise to Mida our Saviour! - - (_The prayers and gong-beating last for some time and form the - central ballet of the play._) - - -CHORUS (_the bird's soul appears as a white speck in the sky_). - - Look! Look! A cloud in the clear mid-sky! - But it is not a cloud. - With pure white wings beating the air - The Snow-bird comes! - Flying towards our lady - Lovingly he hovers, - Dances before her. - - -THE BIRD'S SOUL. - -Drawn by the merit of your prayers and songs - - -CHORUS. - - Straightway he was reborn in Paradise. - By the pond of Eight Virtues he walks abroad: - With the Phoenix and Fugan his playtime passing. - He lodges in the sevenfold summit of the trees of Heaven. - No hurt shall harm him - For ever and ever. - - Now like the tasselled doves we loose - From battlements on holy days - A little while he flutters; - Flutters a little while and then is gone - We know not where. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[186] "Wakare no tori," the bird which warns lovers of the approach of -day. - -[187] Turn it into a Buddha. - - - - -HAKU RAKUTEN - -By SEAMI - - -INTRODUCTION - -The Chinese poet Po Chue-i, whom the Japanese call Haku Rakuten, was -born in 772 A. D. and died in 847. His works enjoyed immense -contemporary popularity in China, Korea and Japan. In the second -half of the ninth century the composition of Chinese verse became -fashionable at the Japanese Court, and native forms of poetry were for -a time threatened with extinction. - -The No play _Haku Rakuten_ deals with this literary peril. It was -written at the end of the fourteenth century, a time when Japanese -art and literature were again becoming subject to Chinese influence. -Painting and prose ultimately succumbed, but poetry was saved. - -Historically, Haku Rakuten never came to Japan. But the danger of his -influence was real and actual, as may be deduced from reading the -works of Sugawara no Michizane, the greatest Japanese poet of the -ninth century. Michizane's slavish imitations of Po Chue-i show an -unparalleled example of literary prostration. The plot of the play is -as follows: - -Rakuten is sent by the Emperor of China to "subdue" Japan with his -art. On arriving at the coast of Bizen, he meets with two Japanese -fishermen. One of them is in reality the god of Japanese poetry, -Sumiyoshi no Kami. In the second act his identity is revealed. He -summons other gods, and a great dancing-scene ensues. Finally the wind -from their dancing-sleeves blows the Chinese poet's ship back to his -own country. - -Seami, in his plays, frequently quotes Po Chue-i's poems; and in his -lament for the death of his son, Zemparu Motomasa, who died in 1432, he -refers to the death of Po Chue-i's son, A-ts'ui. - - -PERSONS - - _RAKUTEN_ (_a Chinese poet_). - - _AN OLD FISHERMAN, SUMIYOSHI NO KAMI, who in Act II becomes the God - of Japanese Poetry._ - - _ANOTHER FISHERMAN._ - - _CHORUS OF FISHERMEN._ - - -SCENE: _The coast of Bizen in Japan_. - - -HAKU. - -I am Haku Rakuten, a courtier of the Prince of China. There is a land -in the East called Nippon.[188] Now, at my master's bidding, I am sent -to that land to make proof of the wisdom of its people. I must travel -over the paths of the sea. - - I will row my boat towards the rising sun, - The rising sun; - And seek the country that lies to the far side - Over the wave-paths of the Eastern Sea. - Far my boat shall go, - My boat shall go,-- - With the light of the setting sun in the waves of its wake - And a cloud like a banner shaking the void of the sky. - Now the moon rises, and on the margin of the sea - A mountain I discern. - I am come to the land of Nippon, - The land of Nippon. - -So swiftly have I passed over the ways of the ocean that I am come -already to the shores of Nippon. I will cast anchor here a little -while. I would know what manner of land this may be. - - -THE TWO FISHERMEN (_together_). - - Dawn over the Sea of Tsukushi, - Place of the Unknown Fire. - Only the moonlight--nothing else left! - - -THE OLD FISHERMAN. - - The great waters toss and toss; - The grey waves soak the sky. - - -THE TWO FISHERMEN. - - So was it when Han Rei[189] left the land of Etsu - And rowed in a little boat - Over the misty waves of the Five Lakes. - - How pleasant the sea looks! - From the beach of Matsura - Westward we watch the hill-less dawn. - A cloud, where the moon is setting, - Floats like a boat at sea, - A boat at sea - That would anchor near us in the dawn. - Over the sea from the far side, - From China the journey of a ship's travel - Is a single night's sailing, they say. - And lo! the moon has vanished! - - -HAKU. - -I have borne with the billows of a thousand miles of sea and come at -last to the land of Nippon. Here is a little ship anchored near me. An -old fisherman is in it. Can this be indeed an inhabitant of Nippon? - - -OLD FISHERMAN. - -Aye, so it is. I am an old fisher of Nihon. And your Honour, I think, -is Haku Rakuten, of China. - - -HAKU. - -How strange! No sooner am I come to this land than they call me by my -name! How can this be? - - -SECOND FISHERMAN. - -Although your Honour is a man of China, your name and fame have come -before you. - - -HAKU. - -Even though my name be known, yet that you should know my face is -strange surely! - - -THE TWO FISHERMEN. - -It was said everywhere in the Land of Sunrise that your Honour, -Rakuten, would come to make trial of the wisdom of Nihon. And when, -as we gazed westwards, we saw a boat coming in from the open sea, the -hearts of us all thought in a twinkling, "This is he." - - -CHORUS. - - "He has come, he has come." - So we cried when the boat came in - To the shore of Matsura, - The shore of Matsura. - Sailing in from the sea - Openly before us-- - A Chinese ship - And a man from China,-- - How could we fail to know you, - Haku Rakuten? - But your halting words tire us. - Listen as we will, we cannot understand - Your foreign talk. - Come, our fishing-time is precious. - Let us cast our hooks, - Let us cast our hooks! - - -HAKU. - -Stay! Answer me one question.[190] Bring your boat closer and tell me, -Fisherman, what is your pastime now in Nippon? - - -FISHERMAN. - -And in the land of China, pray how do your Honours disport yourselves? - - -HAKU. - -In China we play at making poetry. - - -FISHERMAN. - -And in Nihon, may it please you, we venture on the sport of making -"uta."[191] - - -HAKU. - -And what are "uta"? - - -FISHERMAN. - -You in China make your poems and odes out of the Scriptures of India; -and we have made our "uta" out of the poems and odes of China. Since -then our poetry is a blend of three lands, we have named it Yamato, the -great Blend, and all our songs "Yamato Uta." But I think you question -me only to mock an old man's simplicity. - - -HAKU. - -No, truly; that was not my purpose. But come, I will sing a Chinese -poem about the scene before us. - - "Green moss donned like a cloak - Lies on the shoulders of the rocks; - White clouds drawn like a belt - Surround the flanks of the mountains." - -How does that song please you? - - -FISHERMAN. - -It is indeed a pleasant verse. In our tongue we should say the poem -thus: - - _Koke-goromo - Kitaru iwao wa - Samonakute, - Kinu kinu yama no - Obi wo suru kana!_ - - -HAKU. - -How strange that a poor fisherman should put my verse into a sweet -native measure! Who can he be? - - -FISHERMAN. - -A poor man and unknown. But as for the making of "uta," it is not only -men that make them. "For among things that live there is none that has -not the gift of song."[192] - - -HAKU (_taking up the other's words as if hypnotized_). - -"Among things that have life,--yes, and birds and insects--" - - -FISHERMAN. - -They have sung Yamato songs. - - -HAKU. - -In the land of Yamato ... - - -FISHERMAN. - -... many such have been sung. - - -CHORUS. - - "The nightingale singing on the bush, - Even the frog that dwells in the pond----" - I know not if it be in your Honour's land, - But in Nihon they sing the stanzas of the "uta." - And so it comes that an old man - Can sing the song you have heard, - A song of great Yamato. - - -CHORUS (_changing the chant_). - - And as for the nightingale and the poem it made,-- - They say that in the royal reign - Of the Emperor Koren - In the land of Yamato, in the temple of High Heaven - A priest was dwelling.[193] - Each year at the season of Spring - There came a nightingale - To the plum-tree at his window. - And when he listened to its song - He heard it singing a verse: - - "_Sho-yo mei-cho rai - Fu-so gem-bon sei._" - - And when he wrote down the characters, - Behold, it was an "uta"-song - Of thirty letters and one. - And the words of the song-- - - -FISHERMAN. - - _Hatsu-haru no_ Of Spring's beginning - _Ashita goto ni wa_ At each dawn - _Kitaredomo_ Though I come, - - -CHORUS. - - _Awade zo kaeru_ Unmet I return - _Moto no sumika ni._ To my old nest. - - - Thus first the nightingale, - And many birds and beasts thereto, - Sing "uta," like the songs of men. - And instances are many; - Many as the myriad pebbles that lie - On the shore of the sea of Ariso. - "For among things that live - There is none that has not the gift of song." - -Truly the fisherman has the ways of Yamato in his heart. Truly, this -custom is excellent. - - -FISHERMAN. - -If we speak of the sports of Yamato and sing its songs, we should show -too what dances we use; for there are many kinds. - - -CHORUS. - -Yes, there are the dances; but there is no one to dance. - - -FISHERMAN. - -Though there be no dancer, yet even I-- - - -CHORUS. - - For drums--the beating of the waves. - For flutes--the song of the sea-dragon. - For dancer--this ancient man - Despite his furrowed brow - Standing on the furrowed sea - Floating on the green waves - Shall dance the Sea Green Dance. - - -FISHERMAN. - -And the land of Reeds and Rushes.... - - -CHORUS. - -Ten thousand years our land inviolate! - - [_The rest of the play is a kind of "ballet"_; the words are merely - a commentary on the dances.] - -FOOTNOTES: - -[188] The fact that Haku is a foreigner is conventionally emphasized by -his pronunciation of this word. The fishermen, when using the same word -later on, called it "Nihon." - -[189] The Chinese call him Fan Li. He lived in China in the fifth -century B.C. Having rendered important services to the country -of Yueeh (Etsu), he went off with his mistress in a skiff, knowing that -if he remained in public life his popularity was bound to decline. The -Fishermen are vaguely groping towards the idea of "a Chinaman" and a -"boat." They are not yet consciously aware of the arrival of Rakuten. - -[190] Haku throughout omits the honorific turns of speech which -civility demands. The Fishermen speak in elaborately deferential and -honorific language. The writer wishes to portray Haku as an ill-bred -foreigner. - -[191] "Uta," i. e. the thirty-one syllable Japanese stanza. - -[192] Quotation from the Preface to the _Kokinshu_ ("Collection of -Songs Ancient and Modern"). The fact that Haku continues the quotation -shows that he is under a sort of spell and makes it clear for the first -time that his interlocutor is not an ordinary mortal. From this point -onwards, in fact, the Fisherman gradually becomes a God. - -[193] The priest's acolyte had died. The nightingale was the boy's soul. - - - - -ACT II. - - -FISHERMAN (_transformed into_ SUMIYOSHI NO KAMI, _the God of Poetry_). - - Sea that is green with the shadow of the hills in the water! - Sea Green Dance, danced to the beating of the waves. - - (_He dances the Sea Green Dance._) - - Out of the wave-lands, - Out of the fields of the Western Sea - - -CHORUS. - - He rises before us, - The God of Sumiyoshi, - The God of Sumiyoshi! - - -THE GOD. - - I rise before you - The god-- - - -CHORUS. - - The God of Sumiyoshi whose strength is such - That he will not let you subdue us, O Rakuten! - So we bid you return to your home, - Swiftly over the waves of the shore! - First the God of Sumiyoshi came. - Now other gods[194] have come-- - Of Ise and Iwa-shimizu, - Of Kamo and Kasuga, - Of Ka-shima and Mi-shima, - Of Suwa and Atsuta. - And the goddess of the Beautiful Island, - The daughter of Shakara - King of the Dragons of the Sea-- - Skimming the face of the waves - They have danced the Sea Green Dance. - And the King of the Eight Dragons-- - With his Symphony of Eight Musics. - As they hovered over the void of the sea, - Moved in the dance, the sleeves of their dancing-dress - Stirred up a wind, a magic wind - That blew on the Chinese boat - And filled its sails - And sent it back again to the land of Han. - Truly, the God is wondrous; - The God is wondrous, and thou, our Prince, - Mayest thou rule for many, many years - Our Land Inviolate! - -FOOTNOTE: - -[194] They do not appear on the stage. - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -SUMMARIES - - - IZUTSU - KAKITSUBATA - HANAKATAMI - OMINAMESHI - MATSUKAZE - SHUNKWAN - AMA - TAKE NO YUKI - TORI-OI - YUYA - TANGO-MONOGURUI - IKKAKU SENNIN - YAMAUBA - HOTOKE NO HARA - MARI - TORU - MAI-GURUMA - - - - -Of the plays which are founded on the _Ise Monogatari_[195] the best -known are _Izutsu_ and _Kakitsubata_, both by Seami. _Izutsu_ is -founded on the episode which runs as follows: - -Once upon a time a boy and a girl, children of country people, used to -meet at a well and play there together. When they grew up they became a -little shame-faced towards one another, but he could think of no other -woman, nor she of any other man. He would not take the wife his parents -had found for him, nor she the husband that her parents had found for -her. - -Then he sent her a poem which said: - - "Oh, the well, the well! - I who scarce topped the well-frame - Am grown to manhood since we met." - -And she to him: - - "The two strands of my hair - That once with yours I measured, - Have passed my shoulder; - Who but you should put them up?"[196] - -So they wrote, and at last their desire was fulfilled. Now after a year -or more had passed the girl's parents died, and they were left without -sustenance. They could not go on living together; the man went to and -fro between her house and the town of Takayasu in Kawachi, while she -stayed at home. - -Now when he saw that she let him go gladly and showed no grief in her -face, he thought it was because her heart had changed. And one day, -instead of going to Kawachi, he hid behind the hedge and watched. Then -he heard the girl singing: - - "The mountain of Tatsuta that rises - Steep as a wave of the sea when the wind blows - To-night my lord will be crossing all alone!" - -And he was moved by her song, and went no more to Takayasu in Kawachi. - -In the play a wandering priest meets with a village girl, who turns -out to be the ghost of the girl in this story. The text is woven out of -the words of the _Ise Monogatari_. - -[Illustration: IZUTSU] - -_Kakitsubata_ is based on the eighth episode. Narihira and his -companions come to a place called Yatsuhashi, where, across an -iris-covered swamp, zigzags a low footpath of planks. - -Narihira bids them compose an anagram on the word _Kakitsubata_, -"iris," and some one sings: - - "_Ka_ra-goromo - _Ki_-tsutsu nare-ni-shi - _Tsu_ma shi areba - _Ba_ru-baru ki-nuru - _Ta_bi wo shi zo omou." - -The first syllables of each line make, when read consecutively, the -word _Kakitsubata_, and the poem, which is a riddle with many meanings, -may be translated: - - "My lady's love - Sat close upon me like a coat well worn; - And surely now - Her thoughts go after me down this long road!" - -"When he had done singing, they all wept over their dried-rice till it -grew soppy." - -In the play, a priest comes to this place and learns its story from a -village-girl, who turns out to be the "soul of the iris-flower." At -the end she disappears into the Western Paradise. "Even the souls of -flowers can attain to Buddhahood." - -FOOTNOTES: - -[195] The love-adventures of Narihira (825-880 A.D.) in 125 -episodes, supposed to have been written by Narihira himself. - -[196] The husband puts up the bride's hair. - - - - -HANAKATAMI - -(THE FLOWER BASKET) - -By KWANAMI; REVISED BY SEAMI - - -Before he came to the throne, the Emperor Keitai[197] loved the Lady -Teruhi. On his accession he sent her a letter of farewell and a basket -of flowers. In the play the messenger meets her on the road to her -home; she reads the letter, which in elaborately ceremonial language -announces the Emperor's accession and departure to the Capital. - - -TERUHI. - - The Spring of our love is passed! Like a moon left lonely - In the sky of dawn, back to the hills I go, - To the home where once we dwelt. - - (_She slips quietly from the stage, carrying the basket and letter. - In the next scene the_ EMPEROR[198] _is carried on to the stage in - a litter borne by two attendants. It is the coronation procession. - Suddenly_ TERUHI, _who has left her home distraught, wanders on to - the stage followed by her maid, who carries the flower-basket and - letter_.) - - -TERUHI (_speaking wildly_). - - Ho, you travellers! Show me the road to the Capital! I am mad, - you say? - Mad I may be; but love bids me ask. O heartless ones! why will they - not answer me? - - -MAID. - -Madam, from these creatures we shall get no answer. Yet there is a sign -that will guide our steps to the City. Look, yonder the wild-geese are -passing! - - -TERUHI. - - Oh well-remembered! For southward ever - The wild-geese pass - Through the empty autumn sky; and southward lies - The city of my lord. - -Then follows the "song of travel," during which Teruhi and her -companion are supposed to be journeying from their home in Echizen -to the Capital in Yamato. They halt at last on the _hashigakari_, -announcing that they have "arrived at the City." Just as a courtier -(who together with the boy-Emperor and the two litter-bearers -represents the whole coronation procession) is calling: "Clear the -way, clear the way! The Imperial procession is approaching," Teruhi's -maid advances on to the stage and crosses the path of the procession. -The courtier pushes her roughly back, and in doing so knocks the -flower-basket to the ground. - - -MAID. - -Oh, look what he has done! O madam, he has dashed your basket to the -ground, the Prince's flower-basket! - - -TERUHI. - -What! My lord's basket? He has dashed it to the ground? Oh hateful deed! - - -COURTIER. - -Come, mad-woman! Why all this fuss about a basket? You call it your -lord's basket; what lord can you mean? - - -TERUHI. - -What lord should I mean but the lord of this land of Sunrise? Is there -another? - -Then follow a "mad dance" and song. The courtier orders her to come -nearer the Imperial litter and dance again, that her follies may divert -the Emperor. - -She comes forward and dances the story of Wu Ti and Li Fu-jen.[199] -Nothing could console him for her death. He ordered her portrait to -be painted on the walls of his palace. But, because the face neither -laughed nor grieved, the sight of it increased his sorrow. Many -wizards laboured at his command to summon her soul before him. At last -one of them projected upon a screen some dim semblance of her face and -form. But when the Emperor would have touched it, it vanished, and he -stood in the palace alone. - - -COURTIER. - -His Majesty commands you to show him your flower-basket. - - (_She holds the basket before the_ EMPEROR.) - - -COURTIER. - -His Majesty has deigned to look at this basket. He says that without -doubt it was a possession of his rural days.[200] He bids you forget -the hateful letter that is with it and be mad no more. He will take you -back with him to the palace. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[197] Reigned 507-531. - -[198] In this play as in all the part of Emperor is played by a young -boy or "child-actor." - -[199] A Chinese Emperor of the Han dynasty and his concubine. - -[200] The time before his accession. - - - - -OMINAMESHI - -By SEAMI - - -The play is written round a story and a poem. A man came to the capital -and was the lover of a woman there. Suddenly he vanished, and she, in -great distress, set out to look for him in the country he came from. -She found his house, and asked his servants where he was. They told her -he had just married and was with his wife. When she heard this she ran -out of the house and leapt into the Hojo River. - - -GHOST OF THE LOVER. - - When this was told him, - Startled, perturbed, he went to the place; - But when he looked, - Pitiful she lay, - Limp-limbed on the ground. - Then weeping, weeping-- - - -GHOST OF GIRL. - - He took up the body in his arms, - And at the foot of this mountain - Laid it to rest in earth. - - -GHOST OF LOVER. - - And from that earth sprang up - A lady-flower[201] and blossomed - Alone upon her grave. - Then he: - "This flower is her soul." - And still he lingered, tenderly - Touched with his hand the petals' hem, - Till in the flower's dress and on his own - The same dew fell. - But the flower, he thought, - Was angry with him, for often when he touched it - It drooped and turned aside. - -Such is the story upon which the play is founded. The poem is one by -Bishop Henjo (816-890): - - O lady-flowers - That preen yourselves upon the autumn hill, - Even you that make so brave a show, - Last but "one while." - -_Hito toki_, "one while," is the refrain of the play. It was for "one -while" that they lived together in the Capital; it is for "one while" -that men are young, that flowers blossom, that love lasts. In the first -part of the play an aged man hovering round a clump of lady-flowers -begs the priest not to pluck them. In the second part this aged man -turns into the soul of the lover. The soul of the girl also appears, -and both are saved by the priest's prayers from that limbo (half death, -half life) where all must linger who die in the coils of _shushin_, -"heart-attachment." - -FOOTNOTE: - -[201] _Ominabeshi_ (or _ominameshi_, _ominayeshi_), "Ladies' Meal," but -written with Chinese characters meaning "ladies' flower," a kind of -patrinia. - - - - -MATSUKAZE - -By KWANAMI; REVISED BY SEAMI - - -Lord Yukihira, brother of Narihira, was banished to the lonely shore -of Suma. While he lived there he amused himself by helping two -fisher-girls to carry salt water from the sea to the salt-kilns on the -shore. Their names were Matsukaze and Murasame. - -At this time he wrote two famous poems; the first, while he was -crossing the mountains on his way to Suma: - - "Through the traveller's dress - The autumn wind blows with sudden chill. - It is the shore-wind of Suma - Blowing through the pass." - -When he had lived a little while at Suma, he sent to the Capital a poem -which said: - - "If any should ask news, - Tell him that upon the shore of Suma - I drag the water-pails." - -Long afterwards Prince Genji was banished to the same place. The -chapter of the _Genji Monogatari_ called "Suma" says: - - Although the sea was some way off, yet when the melancholy autumn - wind came "blowing through the pass" (the very wind of Yukihira's - poem), the beating of the waves on the shore seemed near indeed. - -It is round these two poems and the prose passage quoted above that the -play is written. - -A wandering priest comes to the shore of Suma and sees a strange -pine-tree standing alone. A "person of the place" (in an interlude not -printed in the usual texts) tells him that the tree was planted in -memory of two fisher-girls, Matsukaze, and Murasame, and asks him to -pray for them. While the priest prays it grows late and he announces -that he intends to ask for shelter "in that salt-kiln." He goes to the -"waki's pillar" and waits there as if waiting for the master of the -kiln to return. - -Meanwhile Matsukaze and Murasame come on to the stage and perform the -"water-carrying" dance which culminates in the famous passage known as -"The moon in the water-pails." - - -CHORUS (_speaking for_ MURASAME). - -There is a moon in my pail! - - -MATSUKAZE. - -Why, into my pail too a moon has crept! - - (_Looking up at the sky._) - -One moon above ... - - -CHORUS. - - Two imaged moons below, - So through the night each carries - A moon on her water-truck, - Drowned at the bucket's brim. - Forgotten, in toil on this salt sea-road, - The sadness of this world where souls cling! - -Their work is over and they approach their huts, i. e., the "_waki's_ -pillar," where the priest is sitting waiting. After refusing for a long -while to admit him "because their hovel is too mean to receive him," -they give him shelter, and after the usual questioning, reveal their -identities. - -In the final ballet Matsukaze dresses in the "court-hat and hunting -cloak given her by Lord Yukihira" and dances, among other dances, the -"Broken Dance," which also figures in Hagoromo. - -The "motif" of this part of the play is another famous poem by -Yukihira, that by which he is represented in the _Hyakuninisshu_ or -"Hundred Poems by a Hundred Poets": - - "When I am gone away, - If I hear that like the pine-tree on Mount Inaba - You are waiting for me, - Even then I will come back to you." - -There is a play of words between _matsu_, "wait," and _matsu_, -"pine-tree"; Inaba, the name of a mountain, and _inaba_, "if I go away." - -The play ends with the release of the girls' souls from the _shushin_, -"heart-attachment," which holds them to the earth. - - - - -SHUNKWAN - -By SEAMI - - -The priest Shunkwan, together with Naritsune and Yasuyori, had plotted -the overthrow of the Tairas. They were arrested and banished to Devil's -Island on the shore of Satsuma. - -Naritsune and Yasuyori were worshippers of the Gods of Kumano. -They brought this worship with them to the place of their exile, -constructing on the island an imitation of the road from Kyoto to -Kumano with its ninety-nine roadside shrines. This "holy way" they -decked with _nusa_, "paper-festoons," and carried out, as best they -might, the Shinto ceremonies of the three shrines of Kumano. - -When the play begins the two exiles are carrying out these rites. -Having no albs[202] to wear, they put on the tattered hemp-smocks which -they wore on their journey; having no rice to offer, they pour out a -libation of sand. - -Shunkwan, who had been abbot of the Zen[203] temple Hosshoji, holds -aloof from these ceremonies. But when the worshippers return he comes -to meet them carrying a bucket of water, which he tells them is the -wine for their final libation. They look into the bucket and cry in -disgust: _Ya! Kore wa mizu nari!_ "Why, it is water!" - -In a long lyrical dialogue which follows, Shunkwan, with the aid -of many classical allusions, justifies the identification of -chrysanthemum-water and wine. - - -CHORUS (_speaking for_ SHUNKWAN.) - - Oh, endless days of banishment! - How long shall I languish in this place, - Where the time while a mountain dewdrop dries - Seems longer than a thousand years? - A spring has gone; summer grown to age; - An autumn closed; a winter come again, - Marked only by the changing forms - Of flowers and trees. - Oh, longed-for time of old! - Oh, recollection sweet whithersoever - The mind travels; City streets and cloisters now - Seem Edens[204] garlanded - With every flower of Spring. - -Suddenly a boat appears carrying a stranger to the shore. This is -represented on the stage by an attendant carrying the conventionalized -No play "boat" on to the _hashi gakari_. The envoy, whose departure -from the Capital forms the opening scene of the play--I have omitted -it in my summary--has been standing by the "Waki's pillar." He now -steps into the boat and announces that a following wind is carrying him -swiftly over the sea. He leaves the boat, carrying a Proclamation in -his hand. - - -ENVOY. - - I bring an Act of Amnesty from the City. - Here, read it for yourselves. - - -SHUNKWAN (_snatching the scroll_). - -Look, Yasuyori! Look! At last! - - -YASUYORI (_reading the scroll_). - -What is this? What is this? - - "Because of the pregnancy of Her Majesty the Empress, an amnesty - is proclaimed throughout the land. All exiles are recalled from - banishment, and, of those exiled on Devil's Island, to these two - Naritsune, Lieutenant of Tamba and Yasuyori of the Taira clan, free - pardon is granted." - - -SHUNKWAN. - -Why, you have forgotten to read Shunkwan's name! - - -YASUYORI. - -Your name, alas, is not there. Read the scroll. - - -SHUNKWAN (_scanning the scroll_). - -This must be some scribe's mistake. - - -ENVOY. - -No; they told me at the Capital to bring back Yasuyori and Naritsune, -but to leave Shunkwan upon the island. - - -SHUNKWAN. - - How can that be? - One crime, one banishment; - Yet I alone, when pardon - Like a mighty net is spread - To catch the drowning multitude, slip back - Into the vengeful deep! - When three dwelt here together, - How terrible the loneliness of these wild rocks! - Now one is left, to wither - Like a flower dropped on the shore. - Like a broken sea-weed branch - That no wave carries home. - - Is not this island named - The Realm of Fiends, where I, - Damned but not dead walk the Black Road of Death? - Yet shall the foulest fiend of Hell - Now weep for me whose wrong - Must needs move heaven and earth, - Wake angels' pity, rend - The hearts of men, turn even the hungry cries - Of the wild beasts and birds that haunt these rocks - To tender lamentation. - -(_He buries his face in his hands; then after a while begins reading -the scroll again._) - - -CHORUS. - - He took the scroll that he had read before. - He opened it and looked. - His eyes, like a shuttle, travelled - To and fro, to and fro. - Yet, though he looked and looked, - No other names he saw - But Yasuyori's name and Naritsune's name - Then thinking "There is a codicil, perhaps," - Again he opens the scroll and looks. - Nowhere is the word Sozu,[205] nowhere the word Shunkwan. - - (_The_ ENVOY _then calls upon_ NARITSUNE _and_ YASUYORI _to board - the boat_. SHUNKWAN _clutches at_ YASUYORI'S _sleeve and tries to - follow him on board. The_ ENVOY _pushes him back, calling to him to - keep clear of the boat_.) - - -SHUNKWAN. - - Wretch, have you not heard the saying: - "Be law, but not her servants, pitiless." - Bring me at least to the mainland. Have so much charity! - - -ENVOY. - - But the sailor[206] knew no pity; - He took his oar and struck ... - - -SHUNKWAN (_retreating a step_). - - Nevertheless, leave me my life.... - Then he stood back and caught in both his hands - The anchor-rope and dragged ... - - -ENVOY. - -But the sailor cut the rope and pushed the boat to sea. - - -SHUNKWAN. - -He clasped his hands. He called, besought them-- - - -ENVOY. - -But though they heard him calling, they would not carry him. - - -SHUNKWAN. - -It was over; he struggled no more. - - -CHORUS. - - But left upon the beach, wildly he waved his sleeves, - Stricken as she[207] who on the shore - Of Matsura waved till she froze to stone. - - -ENVOYS, NANITSUNE and YASUYORI (_together_). - -Unhappy man, our hearts are not cold. When we reach the City, we will -plead unceasingly for your recall. In a little while you shall return. -Wait with a good heart. - - (_Their voices grow fainter and fainter, as though the ship were - moving away from the shore._) - - -SHUNKWAN. - - "Wait, wait," they cried, "Hope, wait!" - But distance dimmed their cry, - And hope with their faint voices faded. - He checked his sobs, stood still and listened, listened-- - - (SHUNKWAN _puts his hand to his ear and bends forward in the - attitude of one straining to catch a distant sound_.) - - -THE THREE. - -Shunkwan, Shunkwan, do you hear us? - - -SHUNKWAN. - -You will plead for me? - - -THE THREE. - -Yes, yes. And then surely you will be summoned.... - - -SHUNKWAN. - -Back to the City? Can you mean it? - - -THE THREE. - -Why, surely! - - -SHUNKWAN. - -I hope; yet while I hope ... - - -CHORUS. - - "Wait, wait, wait!" - Dimmer grow the voices; dimmer the ship, the wide waves - Pile up behind it. - The voices stop. The ship, the men - Have vanished. All is gone - - _There is an ancient Kowaka dance called Io go Shima, "Sulphur - Island," another name for Devil's Island. It represents the piety - of Naritsune and Yasuyori, and the amoral mysticism of the Zen - abbot Shunkwan. Part of the text is as follows_: - - -NARITSUNE. - - This is the vow of the Holy One, - The God of Kumano: - "Whosoever of all mortal men - Shall turn his heart to me, - Though he be come to the utmost end of the desert, - To the furthest fold of the hills, - I will send a light to lead him; - I will guide him on his way." - And we exiled on this far rock, - By daily honour to the Triple Shrine, - By supplication to Kumano's God, - Shall compass our return. - Shunkwan, how think you? - - -SHUNKWAN. - -Were it the Hill King of Hiyei,[208] I would not say no. But as for -this God of Kumano, I have no faith in him. (_Describing the actions -of_ NARITSUNE _and_ YASUYORI.) - - Then lonely, lonely these two to worship went; - On the wide sea they gazed, - Roamed on the rugged shore; - Searching ever for a semblance - Of the Three Holy Hills. - Now, where between high rocks - A long, clear river flowed; - Now where tree-tops soar - Summit on summit upward to the sky. - And there they planned to set - The Mother-Temple, Hall of Proven Truth; - And here the Daughter-Shrine, - The Treasury of Kan. - Then far to northward aiming - To a white cliff they came, where from the clouds - Swift waters tumbled down. - Then straightway they remembered - The Hill of Nachi, where the Dragon God, - Winged water-spirit, pants with stormy breath - And fills the woods with awe. - Here reverently they their Nachi set. - - The Bonze Shunkwan mounted to a high place; - His eye wandered north, south, east and west. - A thousand, thousand concepts filled his heart. - Suddenly a black cloud rose before him, - A heavy cloak of cloud; - And a great rock crashed and fell into the sea. - Then the great Bonze in his meditation remembered - An ancient song: - "The wind scattered a flower at Buddha's feet; - A boulder fell and crushed the fish of the pool. - Neither has the wind merit, nor the boulder blame; - They know not what they do." - "The Five Limbs are a loan," he cried, "that must be repaid; - A mess of earth, water, air, fire. - And the heart--void, as the sky; shapeless, substanceless! - Being and non-being - Are but twin aspects of all component things. - And that which seems to be, soon is not. - But only contemplation is eternal." - So the priest: proudly pillowed - On unrepentance and commandments broke. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[202] Ceremonial white vestments, _hakuye_. - -[203] For "Zen" see Introduction, p. 32. - -[204] Lit, Kikenjo, one of the Buddhist paradises. - -[205] Priest. - -[206] Acted by a _kyogen_ or farce-character. - -[207] Sayohime who, when her husband sailed to Korea, stood waving on -the cliff till she turned into stone. - -[208] The headquarters of the Tendai sect of Buddhism. - - - - -AMA - -(THE FISHER-GIRL) - -By SEAMI - - -Fujiwara no Fusazaki was the child of a fisher-girl. He was taken from -her in infancy and reared at the Capital. When he grew to be a man he -went to Shido to look for her. On the shore he met with a fisher-girl -who, after speaking for some while with him, gave him a letter, and at -once vanished with the words: "I am the ghost of the fisher-girl that -was your mother." The letter said: - - Ten years and three have passed since my soul fled to the Yellow - Clod. Many days and months has the abacus told since the white sand - covered my bones. The Road of Death is dark, dark; and none has - prayed for me. - - I am your mother. Lighten, oh lighten, dear son, the great darkness - that has lain round me for thirteen years! - -Then Fusazaki prayed for his mother's soul and she appeared before him -born again as a Blessed Dragon Lady of Paradise, carrying in her hand -the scroll of the _Hokkekyo_ (see Plate II), and danced the _Hayamai_, -the "swift dance," of thirteen movements. On the Kongo stage the Dragon -Lady is dressed as a man; for women have no place in Paradise. - -[Illustration: THE DRAGON LADY IN _AMA_ HOLDING ALOFT THE SCROLL OF THE -_HOKKEKYO_ - -(BEHIND HER IS SEEN THE _HASHIGAKARI_)] - - - - -TAKE NO YUKI - -(SNOW ON THE BAMBOOS) - -By SEAMI - - -PERSONS - - - _TONO-I._ - _HIS FIRST WIFE._ - _HIS SECOND WIFE._ - _TSUKIWAKA (his son by the first wife)._ - _TSUKIWAKA'S SISTER._ - _A SERVANT._ - _CHORUS._ - - -TONO-I. - -My name is Tono-i. I live in the land of Echigo. I had a wife; but for -a trifling reason I parted from her and put her to live in the House -of the Tall Pines, which is not far distant from here. We had two -children; and the girl I sent to live with her mother at the House of -the Tall Pines, but the boy, Tsukiwaka, I have here with me, to be the -heir of all my fortune. - -And this being done, I brought a new wife to my home. Now it happens -that in pursuance of a binding vow I must be absent for a while on -pilgrimage to a place not far away. I will now give orders for the care -of Tsukiwaka, my son. Is my wife there? - - -SECOND WIFE. - -What is it? - - -TONO-I. - -I called you to tell you this: in pursuance of a vow I must be absent -on pilgrimage for two or three days. While I am away, I beg you to tend -my child Tsukiwaka with loving care. Moreover I must tell you that the -snow falls very thick in these parts, and when it piles up upon the -bamboos that grow along the four walls of the yard, it weighs them down -and breaks them to bits. - -I don't know how it will be, but I fancy there is snow in the air now. -If it should chance to fall, pray order my servants to brush it from -the leaves of the bamboos. - - -SECOND WIFE. - -What? A pilgrimage, is it? Why then go in peace, and a blessing on your -journey. I will not forget about the snow on the bamboos. But as for -Tsukiwaka, there was no need for you to speak. Do you suppose I would -neglect him, however far away you went? - - -TONO-I. - -No, indeed. I spoke of it, because he is so very young.... - -But now I must be starting on my journey. (_He goes._) - - -SECOND WIFE. - -Listen, Tsukiwaka! Your father has gone off on a pilgrimage. Before he -went, he said something to me about you. "Tend Tsukiwaka with care," he -said. There was no need for him to speak. You must have been telling -him tales about me, saying I was not kind to you or the like of that. -You are a bad boy. I am angry with you, very angry! (_She turns away._) - - TSUKIWAKA _then runs to his mother at the House of the Tall Pines. - A lyric scene follows in which_ TSUKIWAKA _and his mother_ (_the_ - CHORUS _aiding_) _bewail their lot_. - - _Meanwhile the_ SECOND WIFE _misses_ TSUKIWAKA. - - -SECOND WIFE. - -Where is Tsukiwaka? What can have become of him? (_She calls for a -servant._) Where has Tsukiwaka gone off to? - - -SERVANT. - -I have not the least idea. - - -SECOND WIFE. - -Why, of course! I have guessed. He took offence at what I said to him -just now and has gone off as usual to the Tall Pines to blab to his -mother. How tiresome! Go and tell him that his father has come home and -has sent for him; bring him back with you. - - -SERVANT. - -I tremble and obey. (_He goes to the "hashigakari" and speaks to_ -TSUKIWAKA _and the_ FIRST WIFE.) The master has come back and sent for -you, Master Tsukiwaka! Come back quickly! - - -FIRST WIFE. - -What? His father has sent for him? What a pity; he comes here so -seldom. But if your father has sent for you, you must go to him. Come -soon again to give your mother comfort! - - (_The_ SERVANT _takes_ TSUKIWAKA _back to the_ SECOND WIFE.) - - -SERVANT. - -Madam, I have brought back Master Tsukiwaka. - - -SECOND WIFE. - -What does this mean, Tsukiwaka? Have you been blabbing again at the -House of the Tall Pines? Listen! Your father told me before he went -away that if it came on to snow, I was to tell some one to brush the -snow off the bamboos round the four walls of the yard. - -It is snowing very heavily now. So be quick and brush the snow off the -bamboos. Come now, take off your coat and do it in your shirt-sleeves. - - (_The boy obeys. The_ CHORUS _describes the "sweeping of the - bamboos." It grows colder and colder._) - - -CHORUS. - - The wind stabbed him, and as the night wore on, - The snow grew hard with frost; he could not brush it away. - "I will go back," he thought, and pushed at the barred gate. - "Open!" he cried, and hammered with his frozen hands. - None heard him; his blows made no sound. - "Oh the cold, the cold! I cannot bear it. - Help, help for Tsukiwaka!" - Never blew wind more wildly! - - (TSUKIWAKA _falls dead upon the snow_.) - - _The servant finds him there and goes to the House of the Tall - Pines to inform the mother. A scene of lament follows in which - mother, sister and chorus join. The father comes home and hears the - sound of weeping. When he discovers the cause, he is reconciled - with the first wife (the second wife is not mentioned again), and - owing to their pious attitude, the child returns to life._ - - - - -TORI-OI - -BY KONGO YAGORO - -Bears a strong resemblance to _Take no Yuki_. - -The date of the author is unknown. - - -A certain lord goes up to the city to settle a lawsuit, leaving his -steward in charge of his estate. In his absence the steward grows -overbearing in his manner towards his mistress and her little son, -Hanawaka, finally compelling them to take part in the arduous labour -of "bird-scaring," rowing up and down the river among the rice-fields, -driving away the birds that attack the crop. - - - - -YUYA - - -Taira no Munemori had long detained at the Capital his mistress Yuya, -whose aged mother continually besought him to send back her daughter to -her for a little while, that she might see her before she died. In the -illustration she is shown reading a letter in which her mother begs her -to return. - -Munemori insisted that Yuya should stay with him till the Spring -pageants were over; but all their feasting and flower-viewing turned to -sadness, and in the end he let Yuya go home. - -[Illustration: YUYA READING THE LETTER] - - - - -TANGO-MONOGURUI - -By I-AMI - - -There are several plays which describe the fatal anger of a father -on discovering that his child has no aptitude for learning. One of -these, _Nakamitsu or Manju_, has been translated by Chamberlain. The -_Tango-Monogurui_, a similar play, has usually been ascribed to Seami, -but Seami in his _Works_ says that it is by a certain I-ami. The father -comes on to the stage and, after the usual opening, announces that he -has sent a messenger to fetch his son, whom he has put to school at a -neighbouring temple. He wishes to see what progress the boy is making. - - -FATHER (_to his_ SERVANT). - -I sent some one to bring Master Hanamatsu back from the temple. Has he -come yet? - - -SERVANT. - -Yes, sir. He was here last night. - - -FATHER. - -What? He came home last night, and I heard nothing about it? - - -SERVANT. - -Last night he had drunk a little too much, so we thought it better not -to say that he was here. - - -FATHER. - -Oho! Last night he was tipsy, was he? Send him to me. - - (_The_ SERVANT _brings_ HANAMATSU.) - -Well, you have grown up mightily since I saw you last. - -I sent for you to find out how your studies are progressing. How far -have you got? - - -HANAMATSU. - -I have not learnt much of the difficult subjects. Nothing worth -mentioning of the Sutras or Shastras or moral books. I know a little -of the graduses and Eight Collections of Poetry; but in the Hokke -Scripture I have not got to the Law-Master Chapter, and in the -Gusha-shastra I have not got as far as the Seventh Book. - - -FATHER. - -This is unthinkable! He says he has not learnt anything worth -mentioning. Pray, have you talents in any direction? - - -SERVANT (_wishing to put in a good word for the boy_). - -He's reckoned a wonderful hand at the chop-sticks and drum.[209] - - -FATHER (_angrily_). - -Be quiet! Is it your child I was talking of? - - -SERVANT. - -No, sir, you were speaking of Master Hanamatsu. - - -FATHER. - -Now then, Hanamatsu. Is this true? Very well then; just listen quietly -to me. These childish tricks--writing odes, capping verses and the like -are not worth anything. They're no more important than playing ball -or shooting toy darts. And as for the chop-sticks and drum--they are -the sort of instruments street urchins play on under the Spear[210] -at festival-time. But when I ask about your studies, you tell me that -in the Hokke you have not got to the Law-Master Chapter, and in the -Gusha-shastra you have not reached the Seventh Book. Might not the time -you spent on the chop-sticks have been better employed in studying the -Seventh Book? Now then, don't excuse yourself! Those who talk most do -least. But henceforth you are no son of mine. Be off with you now! - - (_The boy hesitates, bewildered._) - -Well, if you can't get started by yourself I must help you. - - (_Seizes him by the arm and thrusts him off the stage._) - -In the next scene Hanamatsu enters accompanied by a pious ship's -captain, who relates that he found the lad on the point of drowning -himself, but rescued him, and, taking him home, instructed him in the -most recondite branches of knowledge, for which he showed uncommon -aptitude; now he is taking him back to Tango to reconcile him with his -father. - -At Tango they learn that the father, stricken with remorse, has become -demented and is wandering over the country in search of his son. - -Coming to a chapel of Manjushri, the captain persuades the lad to -read a service there, and announces to the people that an eminent -and learned divine is about to expound the scriptures. Among the -worshippers comes an eccentric character whom the captain is at first -unwilling to admit. - - -MADMAN. - -Even madmen can school themselves for a while. I will not rave while -the service is being read. - - -CAPTAIN. - -So be it. Then sit down here and listen quietly. (_To_ HANAMATSU.) All -the worshippers have come. You had better begin the service at once. - - -HANAMATSU (_describing his own actions_). - - Then because the hour of worship had come - The Doctor mounted the pulpit and struck the silence-bell; - Then reverently prayed: - Let us call on the Sacred Name of Shakyamuni, once incarnate; - On the Buddhas of the Past, the Present and the Time to Come. - To thee we pray, Avalokita, Lord of the Ten Worlds; - And all Spirits of Heaven and Earth we invoke. - Praised be the name of Amida Buddha! - - -MADMAN (_shouting excitedly_). - -Amida! Praise to Amida! - - -CAPTAIN. - -There you go! You promised to behave properly, but now are -disturbing[211] the whole congregation by your ravings. I never heard -such senseless shouting. - - (_A lyrical dialogue follows full of poetical allusions, from which - it is apparent that the_ MADMAN _is crying to Amida to save a - child's soul_.) - - -CAPTAIN. - -Listen, Madman! The Doctor heard you praying for a child's soul. He -wishes you to tell him your story. - - _The father and son recognize one another. The son flings - himself down from the pulpit and embraces his father. They go - home together, attributing their reunion to the intervention of - Manjushri, the God of Wisdom._ - -FOOTNOTES: - -[209] The _sasara_ (split bamboos rubbed together) and _yatsubachi_, -"eight-sticks," a kind of vulgar drum. - -[210] A sort of maypole set up at the Gion Festival. - -[211] Literally "waking." - - - - -IKKAKU SENNIN - -(THE ONE-HORNED RISHI) - - -A Rishi lived in the hills near Benares. Under strange -circumstances[212] a roe bore him a son whose form was human, save -that a single horn grew on his forehead, and that he had stag's hoofs -instead of feet. He was given the name _Ekashringa_, "One-horn." - -One day it was raining in the hills. Ekashringa slipped and hurt -himself, for his hoofs were ill-suited to his human frame. He cursed -the rain, and owing to his great merit and piety his prayer was -answered. No rain fell for many months. - -The King of Benares saw that the drought would soon bring famine. He -called together his counsellors, and one of them told him the cause -of the disaster. The King published a proclamation promising half of -his kingdom to any who could break the Rishi's spell. Then the harlot -Shanta came to the King and said, "I will bring you this Rishi riding -him pickaback!" - -She set out for the mountains, carrying fruit and wine. Having seduced -the Rishi, she persuaded him to follow her to Benares. Just outside the -town she lay down, saying that she was too tired to go a step further. -"Then I will carry you pickaback," said the Rishi. - -And so Shanta fulfilled her promise. - - * * * * * - -In the No play (which is by Komparu Zembo Motoyasu 1453-1532) the Rishi -has overpowered the Rain-dragons, and shut them up in a cave. Shanta, -a noble lady of Benares, is sent to tempt him. The Rishi yields to her -and loses his magic power. There comes a mighty rumbling from the cave. - - -CHORUS. - - Down blows the mountain wind with a wild gust, - The sky grows dark, - The rock-cave quakes, - Huge boulders crash on every side; - The dragons' forms appear. - - -IKKAKU. - -Then the Rishi in great alarm-- - - -CHORUS. - - Then the Rishi in great alarm - Pursued them with a sharp sword. - And the Dragon King - Girt with the armour of wrath, - Waving a demon blade, - Fought with him for a little while. - But the Rishi had lost his magic. - Weaker and weaker he grew, till at last he lay upon the ground. - Then the Dragon King joyfully - Pierced the dark clouds. - Thunder and lightning filled - The pools of Heaven, and fast - The great rain fell; the wide floods were loosed. - Over the white waves flying, - The white waves that rise, - Homeward he hastens - To the Dragon City of the sea. - -FOOTNOTE: - -[212] "Il apercut un cerf et une biche qui s'accouplaient. La passion -impure s'excita en lui.... La biche ... se trouva grosse." Peri, _Les -Femmes de Cakyamouni_, p. 24. - - - - -YAMAUBA - -(THE DAME OF THE MOUNTAINS) - -REVISED BY KOMPARU ZENCHIKU UJINOBU FROM AN ORIGINAL BY SEAMI - - -Yamauba is the fairy of the mountains, which have been under her -care since the world began. She decks them with snow in winter, with -blossoms in spring; her task carrying her eternally from hill to valley -and valley to hill. She has grown very old. Wild white hair hangs down -her shoulders; her face is very thin. - -There was a courtesan of the Capital who made a dance representing the -wanderings of Yamauba. It had such success that people called this -courtesan "Yamauba" though her real name was Hyakuma. - -Once when Hyakuma was travelling across the hills to Shinano to visit -the Zenko Temple, she lost her way, and took refuge in the hut of a -"mountain-girl," who was none other than the real Yamauba. - -In the second part of the play the aged fairy appears in her true form -and tells the story of her eternal wanderings--"round and round, on and -on, from hill to hill, from valley to valley." In spring decking the -twigs with blossom, in autumn clothing the hills with moonlight, in -winter shaking snow from the heavy clouds. "On and on, round and round, -caught in the Wheel of Fate.... Striding to the hill-tops, sweeping -through the valleys...." - - -CHORUS. - - On and on, from hill to hill. - Awhile our eyes behold her, but now - She is vanished over the hills, - Vanished we know not where. - -The hill, says a commentator, is the Hill of Life, where men wander -from incarnation to incarnation, never escaping from the Wheel of Life -and Death. - -[Illustration: YAMAUBA - -(THE LADY OF THE MOUNTAINS)] - - - - -HOTOKE NO HARA - -By SEAMI - - -Gio was the mistress of Kiyomori (1118-1181), the greatest of the -Tairas. One day there arrived at his camp a famous dancing-girl called -Hotoke. Kiyomori was for sending her away; but Gio, who had heard -wonderful stories of Hotoke's beauty, was anxious to see her, and -persuaded Kiyomori to let Hotoke dance before him. - -Kiyomori fell in love with the dancer, and after a while Gio was -dismissed. She became a nun, and with her mother and sister lived in a -hut in the wilds of Sagano. - -Hotoke, full of remorse at her rival's dismissal, found no pleasure -in her new honours, and saying "It was I who brought her to this," -fled in nun's clothing to the hut at Sagano. Here the four women lived -together, singing ceaseless prayers to Buddha. - -In the play the ghost of Hotoke appears to a "travelling priest" and -tells the story, which is indeed a curious and arresting one. - - - - -MARI - -(THE FOOTBALL) - - -A footballer died at the Capital. When the news was brought to his -wife, she became demented and performed a sort of football-mass for -his soul. "The eight players in a game of football," she declared, -"represent the eight chapters in the Hokke Scripture. If the four -goal-posts are added the number obtained is twelve, which is the number -of the Causes and Effects which govern life. Do not think of football -as a secular game." - -The play ends with a "football ballet." - -The _Journal_ of the great twelfth century footballer, Fujiwara no -Narimichi, contains the following story: "I had brought together the -best players of the time to assist me in celebrating the completion of -my thousandth game. We set up two altars, and upon the one we placed -our footballs, while on the other we arranged all kinds of offerings. -Then, holding on to prayer-ribbons which we had tied to them, we -worshipped the footballs. - -That night I was sitting at home near the lamp, grinding my ink with -the intention of recording the day's proceedings in my journal, when -suddenly the football which I had dedicated came bouncing into the room -followed by three children of about four years old. Their faces were -human, but otherwise they looked like monkeys. "What horrid creatures," -I thought, and asked them roughly who they were. - -"We are the Football Sprites," they said. "And if you want to know our -names--" So saying they lifted their hanging locks, and I saw that -each of them had his name written on his forehead, as follows: Spring -Willow Flower, Quiet Summer Wood, and Autumn Garden. Then they said, -"Pray remember our names and deign to become our _Mi-mori_, 'Honourable -Guardian.' Your success at _Mi-mari_, 'Honourable Football,' will then -continually increase." - -And so saying they disappeared." - - - - -TORU - -By KWANAMI OR SEAMI - - -Toru was a prince who built a great palace at Rokujo-kawara, near -Kyoto. In its grounds was a counterfeit of the bay of Naniwa, which was -filled and emptied twice a day in imitation of the tides. Labourers -toiled up from the sea-shore, which was many miles distant, carrying -pails of salt water. - -In the play a priest passing through Rokujo-kawara meets an old man -carrying salt-water pails. It is the ghost of Toru. In the second part -he rehearses the luxury and splendour of his life at the great palace -Rokujo-kawara no In. - - - - -MAI-GURUMA[213] - -(THE DANCE WAGGONS) - -By MIYAMASU (DATE UNKNOWN) - - -A man of Kamakura went for a year to the Capital and fell in love with -a girl there. When it was time for him to return to Kamakura he took -her with him. But his parents did not like her, and one day when he was -not at home, they turned her out of the house. - -Thinking that she would have gone towards the Capital, the man set out -in pursuit of her. At dusk he came to a village. He was told that if he -lodged there he must take part next day in the waggon-dancing, which -was held in the sixth month of each year in honour of the god Gion. He -told them that he was heart-sore and foot-sore, and could not dance. - -Next day the villagers formed into two parties. The first party mounted -the waggon and danced the _Bijinzoroye_, a ballad about the twelve -ladies whom Narihira loved. The second party danced the ballad called -_Tsumado_, the story of which is: - -Hossho, Abbot of the Hiyeizan, was sitting late one summer night by the -Window of the Nine Perceptions, near the Couch of the Ten Vehicles, in -a room sprinkled with the holy water of Yoga, washed by the moonlight -of the Three Mysteries. Suddenly there was a sound of hammering on the -double-doors. And when he opened the doors and looked--why, there stood -the Chancellor Kwan, who had died on the twenty-fifth day of the second -month. - -"Why have you come so late in the night, Chancellor Kwan?" - -"When I lived in the world foul tongues slandered me. I am come to -destroy my enemies with thunder. Only the Home of Meditation[214] shall -be spared. But if you will make me one promise, I will not harm you. -Swear that you will go no more to Court!" - -"I would not go, though they sent twice to fetch me. But if they sent a -third time ..." - -Then Chancellor Kwan, with a strange look on his face, drew a -pomegranate from his sleeve, put it between his lips, crunched it with -his teeth, and spat it at the double-doors. - -Suddenly the red pomegranate turned into fire; a great flame flickered -over the double-doors. - -When the Abbot saw it, he twisted his fingers into the Gesture of -Libation; he recited the Water-Spell of the Letter Vam, and the flames -died down. - -And the double-doors still stand before the Abbot's cell, on the Hill -of Hiyei. - -When the two dances were over, the master of ceremonies called for a -dance from one of those who had been watching. A girl stepped forward -and said she would dance the "Dance of Tora Parting from Sukenari." -Then they called across to the man who had lost his wife (he was over -by the other waggon). "Come, you must dance now." "Forgive me, I cannot -dance." "Indeed you must dance." "Then I will dance the 'Dance of Tora -Parting from Sukenari.'" - -"But this dance," said the master of ceremonies, "is to be danced by a -girl on the other side. You must think of another dance." - - -MAN. - -I know no other dance. - - -MASTER OF CEREMONIES. - -Here's a pretty fix! Ha, I have it! Let's set the waggons side by side, -and the two of them shall dance their dance together. - -When they step up on to the waggons, the man finds that his partner is -the wife he was seeking for. They begin to dance the "Dance of Tora," -but soon break off to exchange happy greetings. The plays ends with a -great ballet of rejoicing. - - * * * * * - -There is one whole group of plays to which I have hitherto made no -reference: those in which a mother seeks for her lost child. Mrs. -Stopes has translated _Sumidagawa_, and Mr. Sansom, _Sakuragawa_. -Another well-known play of this kind is _Miidera_, a description of -which will be found in an appendix at the end of this book (p. 267). - - * * * * * - -A few other plays, such as _Nishikigi_, _Motomezuka_, and _Kinuta_, I -have omitted for lack of space and because it did not seem to me that I -could in any important way improve on existing versions of them. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[213] Sometimes called _Bijin-zoroye_ or _Bijin-zoroi_. - -[214] The cell of the Zen priest. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -KYOGEN - - - - -KYOGEN - -(FARCICAL INTERLUDE) - -THE BIRD-CATCHER IN HELL[215] - -(ESASHI JUO) - - -PERSONS - - _YAMA, KING OF HELL._ - _KIYOYORI, THE BIRD-CATCHER._ - _DEMONS._ - _CHORUS._ - - -YAMA. - - Yama the King of Hell comes forth to stand - At the Meeting of the Ways.[216] - - (_Shouting._) - -Yai, yai. Where are my minions? - - -DEMONS. - -Haa! Here we are. - - -YAMA. - -If any sinners come along, set upon them and drive them off to Hell. - - -DEMONS. - -We tremble and obey. - - (_Enter the bird-catcher_, KIYOYORI). - - -KIYOYORI. - - "All men are sinners." What have I to fear - More than the rest? - -My name is Kiyoyori the Bird-Catcher. I was very well known on the -Terrestrial Plane. But the span of my years came to its appointed -close; I was caught in the Wind of Impermanence; and here I am, -marching to the Sunless Land. - - Without a pang - I leave the world where I was wont to dwell, - The Temporal World. - Whither, oh whither have my feet carried me? - To the Six Ways already I have come. - -Why, here I am already at the meeting of the Six Ways of Existence. I -think on the whole I'll go to Heaven. - - -DEMON. - -Haha! That smells like a man. Why, sure enough here's a sinner coming. -We must report him. (_To_ YAMA.) Please, sir, here's the first sinner -arrived already! - - -YAMA. - -Then bustle him to Hell at once. - - -DEMON. - - "Hell is ever at hand,"[217] which is more than - Can be said of Heaven. (_Seizing_ KIYOYORI.) - Come on, now, come on! (KIYOYORI _resists_.) - Yai, yai! - Let me tell you, you're showing a great - Deal more spirit than most sinners do. - What was your job when you were on the - Terrestrial Plane? - - -KIYOYORI. - -I was Kiyoyori, the famous bird-catcher. - - -DEMON. - -Bird-catcher? That's bad. Taking life from morning to night. That's -very serious, you know. I am afraid you will have to go to Hell. - - -KIYOYORI. - -Really, I don't consider I'm as bad as all that. I should be very much -obliged if you would let me go to Heaven. - - -DEMON. - -We must ask King Yama about this. (_To_ YAMA.) Please sir--! - - -YAMA. - -Well, what is it? - - -DEMON. - -It's like this. The sinner says that on the Terrestrial Plane he was a -well-known bird-catcher. Now that means taking life all the time; it's -a serious matter, and he certainly ought to go to Hell. But when we -told him so, he said we'd entirely misjudged him. - -What had we better do about it? - - -YAMA. - -You'd better send him to me. - - -DEMON. - -Very well. (_To_ KIYOYORI.) Come along, King Yama says he'll see you -himself. - - -KIYOYORI. - -I'm coming. - - -DEMON. - -Here's that sinner you sent for. - - -YAMA. - -Listen to me, you sinner. I understand that when you were in the world -you spent your whole time snaring birds. You are a very bad man and -must go to Hell at once. - - -KIYOYORI. - -That's all very well. But the birds I caught were sold to gentlemen to -feed their falcons on; so there was really no harm in it. - - -YAMA. - -"Falcon" is another kind of bird, isn't it? - - -KIYOYORI. - -Yes, that's right. - - -YAMA. - -Well then, I really don't see that there _was_ much harm in it. - - -KIYOYORI. - -I see you take my view. It was the falcons who were to blame, not I. -That being so, I should be very much obliged if you would allow me to -go straight to Heaven. - - -YAMA (_reciting in the No style._) - - Then the great King of Hell-- - Because, though on the Hill of Death - Many birds flew, he had not tasted one, - "Come, take your pole," he cried, and here and now - Give us a demonstration of your art. - Then go in peace. - - -KIYOYORI. - - Nothing could be simpler. - I will catch a few birds and present them to you. - Then he took his pole, and crying - "To the hunt, to the hunt! ..." - - -CHORUS. - - "To the bird-hunt," he cried, - And suddenly from the steep paths of the southern side of the - Hill of Death - Many birds came flying. - Then swifter than sight his pole - Darted among them. - "I will roast them," he cried. - And when they were cooked, - "Please try one," and he offered them to the King. - - -YAMA (_greedily_). - -Let me eat it, let me eat it. - - (_Eats, smacking his lips_.) - -Well! I must say they taste uncommonly good! - - -KIYOYORI (_to the_ DEMONS). - -Perhaps you would like to try some? - - -DEMONS. - -Oh, thank you! (_They eat greedily and snatch._) I want that bit! No, -it's mine! What a flavour! - - -YAMA. - -I never tasted anything so nice. You have given us such a treat that -I am going to send you back to the world to go on bird-catching for -another three years. - - -KIYOYORI. - -I am very much obliged to you, I'm sure. - - -CHORUS. - - You shall catch many birds, - Pheasant, pigeon, heron and stork. - They shall not elude you, but fall - Fast into the fatal snare. - So he, reprieved, turned back towards the World; - But Yama, loth to see him go, bestowed - A jewelled crown, which Kiyoyori bore - Respectfully to the Terrestrial Plane, - There to begin his second span of life. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[215] _Kyogen Zenshu_, p. 541. This farce is a parody of such No-plays -as _Ukai_. - -[216] The Buddhist "Six Ways," _Rokudo_. - -[217] See _Ukai_, p. 127. - - - - -SHORT BIBLIOGRAPHY - - -EUROPEAN - - B. H. Chamberlain: _The Classical Poetry of the Japanese_, 1880 - (Rhymed paraphrases of _Sesshoseki_, _Kantan_, _Nakamitsu_ and part - of _Hagoromo_; translations of the farces _Honekawa_ and _Zazen_). - - The _Chrysanthemum_, 1882, Translation of _Hachi no Ki_. - - F. W. K. Mueller in _Festschrift f. Adolf Bastian_, pp. 513-537, - _Ikkaku Sennin, eine mittelalterliche--Oper_, 1896. - - Aston, _History of Japanese Literature_, 1899. Osman Edwards: - _Japanese Plays and Playfellows_, 1901. (Refers to performances of - _Shunkwan_, _Koi no Omoni_, _Aoi no Uye_, _Benkei in the Boat_ and - _Tsuchigumo_.) - - F. Brinkley, _Japan_, III. 21-60, 1901-2. (Translates _Ataka_ and - the farce _Sannin Katawa_.) - - F. Victor Dickins, _Japanese Texts_, 1906. (Text and Translation of - _Takasago_). - - K. Florenz, _Geschichte d. Japanischen Literatur_, 1906. - (Translations of _Takasago_ and _Benkei in the Boat_; summaries - of _Ataka_, _Mochizuki_ and _Hanjo_. Translation of the farce - _Hagi-Daimyo_.) - - N. Peri: _Etudes sur le drame lyrique japonais, in Bulletin de - l'Ecole d'Extreme-Orient_, 1909-1913. (Includes translations of - _Oimatsu_, _Atsumori_, _Ohara Goko_, _Sotoba Komachi_ and _The - Damask Drum_.) - - G. B. Sansom: Translations of _Ataka_, _Benkei in the Boat_ and - _Sakuragawa_. - - H. L. Joly: Notes on masks, dances, etc., in _Transactions of Japan - Society_, 1912. - - M. Stopes: _Plays of Old Japan_, 1913. (Translations of - _Motomezuka_, _Kagekiyo_ and _Sumidagawa_; summary of _Tamura_.) - - E. Fenollosa and Ezra Pound: _Noh or Accomplishment_, 1916. - (Translations by E. F., adapted by E. P. Gives some account of - about twenty plays. The versions of E. F. seem to have been - fragmentary and inaccurate; but wherever Mr. Pound had adequate - material to work upon he has used it admirably.) - - See also general articles on the Japanese drama, such as A. Lloyd's - in _Trans._ of _Asiatic Society of Japan_, 1908. - - Yone Noguchi: _Twelve Kyogen_ (text and translation), 1911. - - M. A. Hincks: _The Japanese Dance_, 32 pp., 1910. - - -JAPANESE - -(_Only a few important works are selected_) - - _Kwadensho_: the _Later Kwadensho_ in 8 vols., first published c. - 1600. (The British Museum possesses what is apparently an early - eighteenth century reprint.) - - _No no Shiori_: by Owada Tateki, 6 vols. (Description of the _modus - operandi_ of 91 plays), 1903. - - _Yokyoku Hyoshaku_: edited by Owada Tateki, 9 vols., 1907-8. Texts - of about 270 plays, with commentary. Referred to by me as "Owada." - - _Nogaku Daijiten_: by Masada and Amaya, 2 vols. (Dictionary of No.) - - _Seami Juroku-bu Shu_: _Works_ of Seami, 1909. - - _Yokyoku Sosho_: edited by Y. Haga and N. Sasaki, 3 vols. (Texts of - about 500 plays with short notes. Referred to by me as "Haga.") - - _Zenchiku Shu_: _Works_ of Seami's son-in-law, 1917. - - _Kyogen Zenshu_: Complete Collection of Farces, 1910. - - _Jibyoshi Seigi_: Yamazaki Gakudo, 1915. (A study of No-rhythm.) - - _Yokyoku Kaisetsu_: No-plays explained in colloquial, by K. - Kawashima, 1913. - - Magazines such as _Nogaku Gwaho_, _Yokyokukai_, etc.; picture - postcards and albums of photographs such as _Nogaku Mandai Kagami_, - 1916. - - _Ryojin Hissho_: Folk-songs collected in 12th century and - rediscovered in 1911. - - - - -APPENDIX I - -MODERN NO LETTERS FROM JAPAN - - -The fact that No did not disappear with the overthrow of the Shogun -in 1863 was almost solely due to the efforts of Umewaka Minoru -(1828-1909), whose ancestors had for generations played _tsure_ parts -in the Kwanze theatre. When the Mikado was restored in 1868 Kiyotaka, -head of the Kwanze line, was convinced that an art so intimately -connected with the Shogunate must perish with it, and fled to Shizuoka -where the fallen Shogun was living in retreat. - -Minoru alone remained behind, built himself a theatre[218] (1869-70) -and "manned his lonely rampart." When confidence was re-established -the other "troupes" soon returned, so that henceforward five theatres -existed, the four of earlier days and that of Umewaka as a fifth. -Minoru was succeeded by his brilliant sons, Mansaburo and Rokuro, who -in 1919 opened a new Umewaka theatre. As a compliment to the Umewaka -family and a tribute to its services, actors of the three other -"schools" took part in the opening ceremony, but the Kwanzes refused -to do so. The dispute turns on the right to grant certificates of -efficiency (_menjo_) which, according to the Kwanzes' claim, belongs -only to Motoshige, the head of their school. Such certificates have, in -fact, been issued successively by Minoru, his sons and the "renegade" -Kwanze Tetsunojo, who sides with the Umewaka. The validity of Minoru's -certificates was, I believe, never disputed during his lifetime. - -To complete this note on modern No I include the following extracts -from letters written in 1916 by Mr. Oswald Sickert to Mr. Charles -Ricketts. The sender and recipient of the letters both authorized me -to use them, and for this permission I am deeply grateful. But I wish -that Mr. Sickert, whose memories of No must already be a little dimmed, -had had the leisure to write a book of his own on the two dramatic arts -that so deeply interested him in Japan, the No and the Kabuki. - - "It's odd if people describe the No performance as a thing that - is simple or unsophisticated or unelaborated. The poem, to begin - with, is not simple, but it has a lyrical slenderness which - wouldn't one would say, lead anybody to think of going such lengths - as to distribute its recitation among a chorus and actors, thus - requiring perhaps eleven men to say the words, with two or three - drums and a flute added, and masks and costumes fit for a museum - and angelic properties, and special stages, and attendants to wipe, - in this hot weather, the sweat from immovable hands and from under - chins. The volume of what goes to a performance is large, but it's - all cut down outwardly and bent inwards. As for the recitation, the - first necessity is to eliminate direct expressiveness in the saying - of the words. This seems obvious in the saying of any good poetry. - The chorus chants (it's rather like a Gregorian chant), the actors - intone. Both may come to singing, only not with any tune that might - carry you off by itself. Yet, within the limitations of intoning, - with some turns, the actor taking the women's parts will achieve a - pitch of pathetic intensity beyond the reach of one who sings words - to an air that has an existence of its own, or who recites with - meaning. The No actor is not directly expressive, it's always the - poem he is doing and throwing you back on. - - "I suppose the mask may have originated in a priest's needing - to impersonate an angel or a beautiful girl, or an evil spirit; - but its justification, as against make-up, is absolute for the - No purpose. I saw in the same week _Funa Benkei_, adapted for - the theatre, at the Imperial and on a No stage. At the theatre, - the part of Shizuka, the mistress whom Yoshitsune the pursued - young lord is persuaded to send away, was taken by Baiko. It was - one of his nights, and all the evening, as three different women - and a ghost, he was so that I shall not again ever so much care - about a beautiful woman taken by a beautiful woman. But in the - theatre version of _Funa Benkei_, Shizuka wore no mask, and when - she pleaded, Baiko, of course, acted; it was charming; but Heaven - knows what _words_ he was saying--certainly he was not turning the - mind of his audience in upon any masterpiece of words, rhythm and - poetical fancy. He was acting the situation. The No performer, on - the other hand, is intensifying the poet's fancy. From sight of the - masks hung up alone, I had not imagined how well their mixture of - vacancy and realism would do the trick. The masks are not wayward, - not extravagant (even the devil's masks are realistic); but they - are undoubtedly masks tied on with a band, and they effect the - purpose of achieving an impassive countenance of a cast suited to - the character--impassive save that, with a good actor and a mask of - a beautiful woman that just hits off the balance between too much - and too little physiognomy, I'd swear that at the right moments - the mask is affected, its expression intensifies, it lives. - - "The costumes are tremendous, elaborate, often priceless heirlooms; - but again they are not extravagant, 'on their own,' being all - distinctly hieratic (as indeed is the whole performance, a feature - historically deriving, maybe, from its original source among - priests, but just what one would desiderate if one were creating - a No performance out of the blue), because the hieratic helps to - create and maintain a host of restrictions and conventions which - good taste alone, even in Japan, could scarcely have preserved - against the fatal erosion of reason. - - "The masked actors of beautiful women are stuffed out and by some - device increase the appearance of height, though all go in socks - and apparently with bent knees. The great masked figure, gliding - without lifting the heels, but with all the more appearance of - swiftness, to the front of the stage, is the most ecstatic thing - to sit under, and the most that a man can do to act what people - mean by 'poetical,' something removed from reality but not remote, - fascinating so that you fall in love with it, but more than you - would care to trifle with. This movement occurs in the dances - which come in some plays--I think always as dances by characters - invited to dance--and which are the best moments for the stranger, - since then alone does the rhythm of the drums become regular - enough for him to recognize it. For that is really, I am sure, - the bottom essential of the No representation--the rhythm marked - by two drums. For quite long intervals nothing else occurs. No - actor is on the stage, no word is uttered, but the sharp rap - sounds with the thimbled finger as on a box and the stumpy little - thud of the bare hands follows, or coincides, from the second - drum and both players give a crooning whoop. In some way, which - I can't catch, that rhythm surely plays into the measure of the - recitation when it comes and into the movements of the actors - when they come. You know how people everywhere will persist in - justifying the admirable in an art on the ground of the beautiful - ideas it presents. So my friends tell me the drum beats suggest - the travelling of the pilgrim who is often the hinge of the - episode. I feel like a Japanese who wants to know whether a sonnet - has any particular number of lines, and any order for its rhymes - and repeats, and gets disquisitions on Shakespeare's fancy which - might also apply to a speech in blank verse. Anyway, it is ever - so evident that the musicians do something extremely difficult - and tricky. The same musicians don't seem to play on through the - three pieces which make a programme. As they have no book (and - don't even look at each other), they must know the performance by - heart, and the stranger's attention is often called by a friend - to one or the other who is specially famous for his skill. Some - one tried to explain the relation between the musicians and the - actors by saying that a perpetual sort of contest went on between - them. Certainly there seems to be in a No performance some common - goal which has to be strained for every time, immensely practised - though the performers are. During the dance this drum rhythm speeds - up to a felt time, and at moments of great stress, as when an - avenging ghost swims on with a spear, a third drum, played with - sticks, comes in with rapid regular beats, louder and softer. - Sometimes when the beats are not so followable, but anyway quicker - in succession, I seem to make out that they must be involving - themselves in some business of syncopation, or the catching up and - outstripping of a slow beat by a quicker one. But the ordinary - beats are too far apart for me to feel any rhythm yet. - - "The best single moment I have seen was the dance of thanks to the - fisherman who returns to the divine lady the Hagoromo, the robe - without which even an angel cannot fly. It seemed to me an example - of the excellent rule in art that, if a right thing is perhaps - rather dull or monotonous lasting five minutes, you will not cure - the defect by cutting the performance to two and a half minutes; - rather give it ten minutes. If it's still perhaps rather dull, try - twenty minutes or an hour. This presupposes that your limitations - are right and that you _are_ exploiting them. The thing may seem - dull at first because at first it is the limitations the spectator - feels; but the more these are exploited the less they are felt to - be limitations, and the more they become a medium. The divine lady - returned on her steps at great length and fully six times after - I had thought I could not bear it another moment. She went on for - twenty minutes, perhaps, or an hour or a night; I lost count of - time; but I shall not recover from the longing she left when at - last she floated backwards and under the fatal uplifted curtain. - The movements, even in the dance, are very restricted if one tries - to describe or relate them, but it may be true, as they say, that - the No actor works at an intense and concentrated pitch of all his - thoughts and energies, and this tells through his impassive face - or mask and all his clothes and his slow movements. Certainly the - longer I looked at the divine lady, the more she seemed to me to - be in action, though sometimes the action, if indeed there, was - so slight that it could be that she had worked us up to the fine - edge of noticing her breathing. There was only one memorable quick - motion in the dance, the throwing of the stiff deep gauze sleeve - over the head, over the crown with its lotus and bell tassels. My - wife has no inclination to deceive herself with the fascination - of what she can't explain, and she agreed that this was the most - beautiful thing that had ever been seen. - - "You will see the two drum players in many of the cards. With them - sits the player on the fue, a transverse flute, who joins in at - moments with what often is, if you take it down, the same phrase, - though it sounds varied as the player is not often exactly on any - note that you _can_ take down. The dropping of the flute's note at - the end of the phrase, which before always went up, is the nearest - approach to the 'curtain' of the theatre. It is very touching. The - poem has come to an end. The figures turn and walk off.... - - "I have been to more No performances, always with increasing - recognition of the importance attaching to the beat, a subject on - which I have got some assurance from an expert kindly directed to - me by a friend. From beginning to end, all the words of every No - play fit into an 8-beat measure, and a performer who sat in the - dark, tapping the measure while skilfully weaving in the words, - would give a No audience the essential ground of its pleasure. If - they are not actually being followed on books, in which they are - printed as ticks alongside the text, the beats are going on inside - (often to the finger tips of) all the people whom I notice to be - regular attendants at No performances. I saw a play (not a good - one) at the Kabukiza in which a No master refuses a pupil a secret - in his art. For some reason the pupil attaches importance to being - shown the way in this difficult point. The master's daughter takes - poison and, in fulfilment of her dying request, the master consents - to show the pupil. It was no subtlety of gesture, no matter of - voice or mask, that brought things to such straits. The master - knelt at his desk, and, beating with his fan, began reciting a - passage, showing how the words were distributed in the beat. - - "It is very seldom that every beat in the eight is marked by a - drum. I don't think this happens save in those plays where the - taiko (the real drum played with sticks) takes part, generally - in an important or agitated dance. In the ordinary course, only - certain of the eight beats are marked by the two players on the - tsuzumi (one held on the knee, the other over the shoulder). The - Japanese get much more out of subtleties of rhythm (or, rather, out - of playing hide-and-seek with one simple rhythm) than we do and - are correspondingly lax about the interval between one note and - another. I don't believe a European would have thought of dividing - the drum beats between two instruments. It must be horribly tricky - to do. This division gives variety, for the big tsuzumi yields a - clack and the small yields something between a whop and a thud. - - "As for masks, one would have to see very many performances, I - fancy, and think a lot, before one got on to any philosophy of - their fascination and effectiveness. I am always impressed by the - realism, the naturalness of the No mask. It is not fanciful in - any obvious sense. After a few performances, I found I knew when - a mask was a particularly good one. My preferences turned out to - be precious heirlooms two hundred years old. In one instance when, - for a reason I don't yet understand, Rokuro changed his mask after - death for another of the same cast, I could not say why the first - was better than the second--certainly not for a pleasanter surface, - for it was shining like lacquer; I noticed the features were more - pronounced. We were allowed the thrill of being let into the room - of the mirror, immediately behind the curtain, and saw Rokuro - have his mask fitted and make his entry after a last touch by his - brother Mansaburo. These brothers are Umewaka, belong to the Kwanze - School, and have a stage of their own. I am told that my preference - for them is natural to a beginner and that later one likes as - much, or better, the more masculine style of the Hosho. At present - Nagashi (Matsumoto), the chief performer of this school (which has - a lovely stage and a very aristocratic clientele), seems to me - like an upright gentleman who has learned his lesson, while Rokuro - and Mansaburo are actors. Both brothers have beautiful voices. The - Hosho people speak with a thickness in the throat. But I know it is - absurd for me to feel critical about anything. Moreover, Rokuro and - Nagashi would not take the same parts. - - "MIIDERA. A mother, crazed by the straying away of her little boy, - is advised by a neighbour any way to go to Otsu, for there stands - the temple of Mii which she had seen in a dream. - - "The priests of Miidera, with the little boy among them, are out in - the temple yard viewing the full autumn moon. The attendant tolls - the great bell, whose lovely note wavers long over the lake below. - The mad mother appears on the scene, and, drawn to the bell, makes - to toll it. The head priest forbids her. There follows an argument - full of bell lore, and its effect on troubled hearts. She tolls the - bell, and mother and son recognize each other. - - "One of the cards I sent shows the mother tolling the bell. She - comes on first in a red flowered robe, is advised by the neighbour - and goes off. The priests come on. The sounding of the bell is - the hinge of everything, a thing of great sentiment. As it is, in - reality, one of the most touching things in the world, it seemed - to me clever that there was no attempt to represent it. On the - contrary, the action centred in the toller, a cheery old gossiper - used to the job, who more or less spat on his hands and said Heave - ho as he swung the imaginary horizontal beam. Only when he had - done so, he continued his Heave ho in a kind of long echoing hum. - Then he danced. The mad mother came on in another dress, very - strange, light mauve gauze over white, no pattern, and the bough - in her hand. Why, when the old man had already tolled, for one's - imagination, a non-existent bell in the real way with a heavy - beam, the mother should actually pull a coloured ribbon tied to an - elaborate toy, it is hard to say. But it is right. - - "I saw this taken by Mansaburo, who, like his brother Rokuro, has - a beautiful voice. The singing is so unlike ours, that at first - one feels nothing about it. But after three or four performances - one notices, and I recognized the beauty of both these brothers' - voices before I knew they were brothers, or, indeed, that they were - noted in any way. In fact I was still in the state when I had not - yet realized that one might come to discussing the merits of these - players hidden in robes and masks as hotly as one discusses the - qualities of the favourites on the ordinary theatre. - - "I don't know if you know about the curtain. Every subsidiary - detail of the performance possesses, I don't know how to say, but - a solidity. It's there. God knows how it came there; but there it - is, and it's not a contrivance, not an 'idea.' The entry to the - stage, as you know, is by a narrow gallery, beside which three - little pine-trees rise like mile-stones. This gallery ends with a - single heavy curtain, which does not rise as ours do, or draw aside - or fall as in the Japanese theatre. It sweeps back, only bellying a - little. It is, in fact, as I saw when I was allowed behind, lifted - by poles fixed to the bottom corners. - - "The poles are raised rapidly by two men kneeling a good way - behind. Suddenly the curtain blows back as by a wind, and the - expected figure, whom you know must be coming or something, i. e. - suspense is prepared by what has already happened, is framed in the - opening, and there pauses an instant. I am speaking, not of the - first entry, but of the second one, when the person who aroused the - pilgrim-visitor's curiosity as a temple-sweeper or a water-carrier, - and vanished, reappears as the great General or princely Prime - Minister he once was. The stage-wait necessitated by the change of - costume and mask is filled in by an interminable sayer of short - lines, with the same number of feet, each line detached from the - next as if the speaker were going from one afterthought to another. - He is a bystander--perhaps a shepherd in one play and a fisherman - in another--who knows something, and dilates on it to fill in time. - The musicians lay aside their drums. Everybody just waits. Up - sweeps the curtain, and with the re-entry of the revealed personage - comes the intenser and quicker second part for which the slow first - part was a preparation." - -FOOTNOTE: - -[218] Or, according to Fenollosa, bought a stage belonging to an -ex-daimyo. - - - - -APPENDIX II - - -Some of the facts brought to light by the discovery of Seami's -_Works_:-- - - (1) It had long been suspected that the current _Kwadensho_ was not - the work of Seami. The discovery of the real _Kwadensho_ has made - this certain. - - (2) Traditional dates of Kwanami and Seami corrected. - - (3) It was supposed that only the music of the plays was written by - their nominal authors. The words were vaguely attributed to "Zen - Priests." We now know that in most cases Kwanami and Seami played - the triple part of author,[219] musical composer and actor. - - (4) It was doubted whether in the fourteenth century Sarugaku had - already become a serious dramatic performance. We now know that it - then differed little (and in respect of seriousness not at all) - from No as it exists to-day. - - (5) It was supposed that the Chorus existed from the beginning. We - now learn from Seami that it was a novelty in 1430. Its absence - must have been the chief feature which distinguished the Sarugaku - of the fourteenth century from the No of to-day. - - (6) Numerous passages prove that No at its zenith was not an - exclusively aristocratic art. The audiences were very varied. - - (7) Seami gives details about the musical side of the plays - as performed in the fourteenth century. These passages, as is - confessed even by the great No-scholar, Suzuki Choko, could be - discussed only by one trained in No-music. - -FOOTNOTE: - -[219] Or rather "arranger," for in many instances he adapted already -existing Dengaku or Kowaka. - - - * * * * * - - -Transcriber's Note - - -The play "Haku Rakuten" has an Act II, but no Act I. - -Illustrations have been moved next to the text which they illustrate. -and may not match the locations in the List of Illustrations. - -All instances of "i.e." have been regularised to "i. e.". - - -p. 2 "_New York Herald_" changed to "_New York Herald_." - -p. 14 "_kyogen's seat_." changed to "_kyogen's_ seat." - -p. 19 "translated on p. 134" changed to "translated on p. 100" - -p. 22 (note) "p. 268" changed to "p. 32" - -p. 24 "may mimed" changed to "may be mimed" - -p. 32 "Myoho" changed to ""Myoho" - -p. 32 "p. 227" changed to "p. 229" - -p. 35 "p. 224" changed to "p. 226" - -p. 37 "p. 224" changed to "p. 226" - -p. 37 "p. 225" changed to "p. 227" - -p. 38 The lines "REAPER. / And music of many instruments ..." were -printed in reverse order. - -p. 74 The lines "from Heaven. And here you are shedding tears over it! -What is the / matter?" were printed in reverse order. - -p. 79 "assauit" changed to "assault" - -p. 79 The lines "Roll, The Blade Drop, The Gnashing Lion, The -Maple-Leaf Double, / The Flower Double." were printed in reverse order. - -p. 83 "p. 142" changed to "p. 142)" - -p. 91 "loking" changed to "looking" - -p. 97 "chiefly!" changed to "chiefly!"" - -p. 106 (note) "p. 246" changed to "p. 148)" - -p. 110 "warriers" changed to "warriors" - -p. 119 ""without" changed to ""without"" - -p. 127 "comorant-fisher" changed to "cormorant-fisher" - -p. 145 "Rukujo" changed to "Rokujo" - -p. 163 "Pillow of Kantan." changed to "Pillow of Kantan."" - -p. 167 "intent." changed to "intent."" - -p. 190 "City" changed to "City." - -p. 197 "_Enter the_ ACOLYTE" changed to "_Enter the_ ACOLYTE." - -p. 201 "speak-" changed to "speaking" - -p. 220 "work" changed to "word" - -p. 230 "it is my" changed to "it in my" - -p. 237 "HIS SECOND WIFE." changed to "_HIS SECOND WIFE._" - -p. 240 "litttle" changed to "little" - -p. 248 "footbball ballet" changed to "football ballet" - -p. 249 "disappeared." changed to "disappeared."" - -p. 251 "Mr Sansom" changed to "Mr. Sansom" - -p. 251 "(p. 265)" changed to "(p. 267)" - -p. 256 (note) "p. 169" changed to "p. 127" - -p. 260 "History of _Japanese Literature_" changed to "_History of -Japanese Literature_" - -p. 268 "The poles" changed to ""The poles" - - -The following possible errors have not been changed: - -p. 137 upon him - -p. 137 turned, - -p. 161 chrysanthem-dew - - -The following are used inconsistently in the text: - -Bijinzoroye and Bijin-zoroye - -bowstring and bow-string - -framework and frame-work - -Ise and Ise - -Kantan and Kantan - -reborn and re-born - -seagulls and sea-gulls - -seaweed and sea-weed - -springtime and spring-time - -Yuya and Yuya - - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The No Plays Of Japan, by -Arthur Waley and Motokiyo Seami - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NO PLAYS OF JAPAN *** - -***** This file should be named 43304.txt or 43304.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/3/3/0/43304/ - -Produced by Henry Flower and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries and HathiTrust) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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