Japanese Plays

by A. L. Sadler

  We owe him thanks indeed.

  The meeting of two travelers ’neath a tree

  Has been predestined by their former lives,

  So do you spend the night under this pine,

  And read aloud the holy Buddhist texts

  That so may be relieved the Five Defects

  That even the highest suffer.

  How fortunate the chance that brings you here.

  Behind the hills the setting sun sinks low,

  Over the lake the evening bell resounds,

  And all around is silent mystery.

  Should the departed come,

  ’Twere well to ask this village girl

  Who it may be.

  (With this she vanishes.) (Exit.)

  ACT II

  PRIEST:

  My pillow is the dewy grass.

  The sun has set and it is dusk

  And on Awazu’s dreary shore

  I pray for his enlightenment.

  TOMOE’S SPIRIT:

  The falling flowers confess the vanity of things,

  The water flows indifferent to our fate,

  Yet is a symbol of the lucid mind.

  CHORUS:

  Misdeed and retribution are the fruit

  Of Karma-action in a former life,

  But by the wondrous power of the law

  Shall trees and grass, and even the earth itself,

  Transform themselves at last into the Buddha-mind.

  Much more then shall we men for whom are said

  These efficacious texts of mighty power,

  Sit soon upon the Lotus terraces.

  PRIEST:

  What’s this I see? The woman who just now

  Spoke with me, but arrayed in warrior’s mail.

  Awazu is an eerie place to sleep,

  Haunted it seems by some uneasy ghost.

  TOMOE’S SPIRIT:

  I am Tomoe the woman-warrior,

  But since I am a woman I was not allowed

  To die here with my lord,

  And so my smoldering anger keeps me here.

  PRIEST: A rancor so long cherished?

  TOMOE’S SPIRIT: For long I served my lord.

  PRIEST: Yet still this memory rankles.

  TOMOE’S SPIRIT:

  To this strand of Awazu I would have followed him

  That we might die together. To my lasting shame

  He would not have it, since I was a woman.

  For is there anyone who is a warrior who would not resent

  Denial of his right to win a glorious name

  By dying for his lord as love and duty bid?

  CHORUS:

  Now Yoshinaka had gone forth from Shinano

  With fifty thousand horsemen in his train.

  At Kurikara, Shio, and Tonami-yama

  He won undying fame by mighty victories,

  Surpassed by none, acclaimed by all his peers.

  TOMOE’S SPIRIT: Yet when his hour arrived—

  CHORUS:

  For even the bravest at the appointed time,

  Must vanish like the dew upon the grass,

  Or fade out like the foam on Awazu’s shore.

  And, priest, you were a countryman of his,

  So prithee aid him by your prayers.

  But let us hear how Yoshinaka came to meet his end.

  TOMOE’S SPIRIT:

  ’Twas in the snowy first month of the year,

  Though here and there the snow had melted,

  When slowly he rode down beside the lake

  Trusting to his good steed to pick his way.

  But on the deep rice-fields the ice was thin,

  And horse and rider plunged in and stuck fast,

  And neither voice nor rein nor whip availed

  To extricate the pair from the morass.

  But when I saw him in this wretched plight,

  I rode up quickly, put my horse right close

  Beside him, and when I saw how maimed he was,

  I offered to accompany him in death,

  And bade him not delay to take his life.

  “But you’re a woman,” said he. “Take this souvenir,

  My wadded jacket, to my native land. If you refuse,

  Then our relations as of lord and servant are dissolved.”

  Though they would hold for three existences,

  What could I do but weep?

  But meanwhile, as I stood before my lord,

  A strong force of the foemen galloped up,

  And shouting, “Don’t let Tomoe escape,

  We have the woman-warrior!” on they came.

  But without fear I turned to face them,

  And charging on them whirled my halberd around

  In all directions, so that where it struck,

  Their heads and limbs went spinning like the leaves

  A sudden blast sends whirling to the ground.

  And those who fell not hastened from the field,

  And I was left alone. Then back I went.

  But when I sought my lord, already he was dead,

  And by his pillow lay the wadded jacket.

  And overcome by grief I stood and wept,

  But then, remembering his last behest,

  Although it wrung my heart to leave him there,

  I steeled myself, and with a mind composed,

  I stripped from off me all my warlike gear,

  And taking up the jacket went my way.

  And it was here, here on this very spot,

  I took my leave of him and of the world,

  But still resentment lingers holding me,

  Chained to phenomena. Therefore I entreat

  Your repetition of the holy texts

  That I may be enlightened. Fare you well!

  HATSU-YUKI OR VIRGIN-SNOW

  PROTAGONIST IN THE FIRST ACT THE PRIEST’S

  DAUGHTER. IN THE SECOND, THE SPIRIT

  OF THE COCK

  DEUTERAGONIST THE LADY-IN-WAITING YU-GIRI

  TRITAGONISTS TWO LADY ATTENDANTS

  TIME UNCERTAIN

  PLACE THE PROVINCE OF IZUMO

  ACT I

  TUGIRI: I am Yugiri, a lady-in-waiting to the Princess Roku-no-Miya of the Great Shrine of Izumo. And the Kannushi here has a daughter who is not only good to look on but also gentle in her disposition, and last year someone presented her with a beautiful chicken, a young cock, so white that she gave it the name of Hatsu-yuki, and became exceedingly fond of it. And when I went this morning to see it, as is my custom, I found that it had passed away. Oh, how am I to break this news to her? Your beloved Hatsu-yuki is no more.

  PRIEST’S DAUGHTER: Do you say that Hatsu-yuki is no longer with us? Can it be true? Why should he die? How can I bear it! He was so tame and fond of us, and now he’s gone and left no trace! Ah, I remember now a dream I had last night. I thought it might be a portent of evil to myself, but now I see it must have been of him.

  CHORUS: Whether it is a dream or reality we know not. It may be we should not be thus affected with surprise, but still this unexpected grief burns in our breast like fire. For long will our sleeves be wet with tears. And everything reminds us of our loss, even the written word that suggests the footprints of the beloved. The pity of it that this bird should thus depart! His plumage was so white that rightly did we call him Virgin-snow. And he became so tame that he was as his mistress’s shadow. What contrast here between the Departed Cock so much regretted and the Cock of Departure which in the world of love is so much hated for his tiresome crow at dawn.

  PRIEST’S DAUGHTER: Well, ’tis no use lamenting thus.

  CHORUS: So dry your tears and turn your minds to higher things. For if, relying on the vow of Amida you say the proper prayers, why should not even this bird be able to attain the Halls of Paradise?

  PRIEST’S DAUGHTER: How now, Yugiri? Why this sorrow for Virgin-snow? To mourn is unavailing. Assemble the ladies-in-waiting of our house and bid them that for seven days they say their prayers for this cock.
<
br />   LADIES: Indeed, indeed, most blessed is this prayer. So with calm minds we ring the bell and chant. Namu Amida Butsu! Amida Nyorai!

  ACT II

  CHORUS: See now! Look over there! How wonderful! It seemed at first a cloud came floating. It is no cloud. It is our Virgin-snow, who flaps his wings and comes towards us. He goes to the princess and hops around her joyfully. How pitiful a sight!

  SPIRIT OF THE COCK: Drawn hither by the power of this prayer, I have been reborn in the Halls of Paradise and am happily sporting by the Lake of All Virtuous Merit. With the wild geese and mandarin ducks for my companions, I sit all day in the branches of the jeweled trees and our pleasures are never-ending.

  (And so he flapped his wings and flew round for a space and at last vanished we knew not whither.)

  OYASHIRO OR THE GREAT SHRINE

  PROTAGONIST IN THE FIRST ACT A PRIEST OF THE

  SHRINE. IN THE SECOND, THE DEITY OF

  THE SHRINE

  DEUTERAGONIST IN THE FIRST ACT AN OFFICIAL. IN THE SECOND

  ACT AN ANGEL

  TRITAGONIST IN THE FIRST ACT A SECOND PRIEST.

  IN THE SECOND THE DRAGON SEA GOD

  TIME THE TENTH MONTH

  PLACE THE PROVINCE OF IZUMO

  ACT I

  OFFICIAL: The land of Izumo where is the Festival of Many Vows is a place I have always wished to visit. For I am an official serving at Court and I have heard that during this month, which is called there the God-present month, all the Deities assemble in the land of Izumo and there are all sorts of celebrations, so I have made up my mind to go thither.

  PILGRIM-SONG:

  Up betimes in the morning

  We start on our far-offjourney,

  And over many hills

  And through the rain and drizzle

  Toward the land of Issuing Clouds

  To where it is the God-month

  We now direct our footsteps.

  THE TWO PRIESTS:

  “Eight-fold clouds arise,

  An eight-fold hedge of issuing clouds

  And the bride goes within.”

  ’Tis to this shrine we make our way.

  SECOND PRIEST: In the topmost boughs of the pines of Onoe,

  TWO TOGETHER: The voice of the Deity calls in the breeze.

  FIRST PRIEST:

  Yea, though born in this impure world

  There is a vow to help us.

  BOTH:

  For if we serve the Deity

  His mercy will not pass us by.

  And all our springs and autumns will be blessed,

  And all our days and years he’ll grant us aid.

  CHORUS:

  So quicken we our steps.

  For what place can we find

  Where the God’s power is not?

  ’Tis on the coasts and peaks

  With pine and cedar clad,

  On river, sea, and moor,

  Rice-field and village too,

  There is no place exempt.

  So to receive his grace,

  That falls on all alike,

  Do many courtiers come.

  OFFICIAL: Here now I have come to the Great Shrine of Izumo, and since we do not know how to proceed I will address myself to one of these priests of the shrine.

  FIRST PRIEST: Ah, it seems you are a stranger here. And whence have you come?

  OFFICIAL: I am one who has little leisure from my service at the Court, but since I have heard that in this God-present month all the Deities of the land assemble here, I begged leave from our Imperial Lord and started on this distant pilgrimage.

  SECOND PRIEST: It is a blessed sign that over all the land—

  OFFICIAL: Our Deity’s and the Emperor’s might extends.

  FIRST PRIEST: Where’er you go—

  OFFICIAL: The Deity’s grace extends—

  FIRST PRIEST: Where’er the moon shines.

  CHORUS:

  The God is reverenced,

  And Izumo’s shrine pillars,

  Made fast to the foundation

  Of this firm-rooted island,

  Stand stout and lasting

  As this land of Yamato.

  But see the variegated autumn tints are passing

  And the leaves are falling with the drizzle on the hills,

  For winter is approaching.

  OFFICIAL: Now since I know but little about them, tell me, I pray you, all about the mysteries of your shrine.

  CHORUS: The Great Shrine of Izumo has within it thirty-eight shrines.

  FIRST PRIEST: And here dwell five great Deities.

  CHORUS: First is the Sanno Gongen, who manifests himself as Ajika Daimyōjin.

  PRIEST: Second comes Minato Daimyōjin,

  CHORUS: Who appears here as the Myōjin of Munakata in Kyushu. Third comes the Deity of Hayatama, who is the Myōjin of Kashima in Hitachi.

  CHORUS: The fourth is Toya Daimyōjin, who is the Myōjin of Suwo in Shinano. Fifth is the Daimyōjin of the land of Izumo, who is manifested as the Myōjin of Mishima in Iyo. And on the last day of the ninth month—

  PRIEST: The Deity of Sumiyoshi comes first incognito. While all the other Gods arrive together at the Hour of the Tiger of the first day of the tenth month. And then begin in these precincts all manner of divine diversions so various that description would be vain.

  CHORUS: How blest to hear these things. O’er all the land, even in such an age, the Gods reveal their might.

  PRIEST: Yea, on this night of every year the Gods in sportive mood—

  CHORUS: Each in his place—

  PRIEST: In varied guise—

  CHORUS:

  They sway their sleeves in lively dance,

  As if to tear the sacred rope

  And roll against the tasseled fence.

  But then at a divine command

  They file into the sacred court.

  ACT II

  CHORUS:

  See how the clouds have cleared away

  And now the holy shrine shines out

  Illumined by the moon’s bright rays.

  ANGEL:

  Here I appear in the land of Izumo,

  An angel to protect the Buddhist law

  And this Imperial realm,

  Though in my native India

  I am a devil.

  CHORUS:

  Her face and form are beautiful indeed,

  And with what grace she now begins to dance,

  Waving her jeweled sleeves in rhythmic measure,

  While radiance shines about her.

  (Angel-dance)

  CHORUS:

  A matchless dance was that!

  Now from the rifting clouds

  We see the Gods appear,

  Flying down before the shrine

  With strains of heavenly music.

  The bright moon bids them welcome,

  Flooding the courts with radiance.

  An awe-inspiring sight!

  ’Tis by the favor of the Sovereign of this realm

  That we can thus receive the favor of the Gods.

  PRIEST:

  Indeed these Deities, so clearly manifest this night,

  Must be a wondrous comfort to these guests of ours.

  CHORUS: So thus the Gods in order of their rank.

  PRIEST: Sumiyoshi first, then Kashima.

  CHORUS: Then Suwo, Atsuta, then all the Deities of the three thousand worlds, have here appeared and danced before us. How graceful is the waving of their sleeves!

  (Dance)

  CHORUS:

  Now as the dance is ending once more clouds appear,

  And in the offing on the rising waves comes the Sea Dragon God.

  SEA GOD:

  I am the Dragon Deity of the Sea,

  And every year it is my custom

  To put a little dragon in a casket,

  All of fine gold, and offer it to this shrine.

  CHORUS:

  Spurning the tide and sweeping o’er the waves,

  The Dragon Deity of the Sea a
ppears.

  The river he ascends, lays down the casket,

  And humbly does obeisance to the God.

  He lifts the lid from off the casket,

  Takes the small dragon out and offers it before the shrine.

  Thrice happy is our Empire,

  Embracing land and sea,

  Under one peaceful rule!

  DEITY OF THE GREAT SHRINE: The Four Seas are secure and the Empire at peace!

  CHORUS:

  The Four Seas are secure and the Empire at peace!

  The harvest safely gathered and the people well content.

  So may it be for ever ’neath our Sovereign’s happy rule

  Is the prayer of all the Deities as they pass before the shrine,

  Each in his place and wave the white Gohei.*

  Then once again the Dragon seeks the sea,

  While all the Gods rise hovering in the sky.

  And as they vanish each to their own spheres,

  The God himself retires into the shrine.

  Footnote

  * Symbol of offering.

  KO-KAJI

  PROTAGONIST IN THE FIRST ACT INARI AS A YOUNG MAN.

  IN THE SECOND INARI AS A GOD

  DEUTERAGONIST THE SWORDSMITH, KO-KAJI MUNECHIKA

  TRITAGONIST THE MINISTER TACHIBANA MICHINARI

  TIME UNCERTAIN

  PLACE THE PROVINCE OF TAMASHIRO

  ACT I

  MINISTER: I am Tachibana Michinari, minister of the Emperor Ichijo-in. This night the Mikado has received a supernatural revelation and has ordered me to bid the swordsmith Sanjo Ko-kaji Munechika forge him a blade.

  KO-KAJI: Who is it that comes to the House of Munechika?

  MINISTER: By the command of His Majesty Ichijo-in I seek you out! This night the Mikado has had a supernatural revelation and bids me call the swordsmith Munechika to forge him a blade. So haste! Comply forthwith!

  KO-KAJI: With reverence I hear the Imperial command! But to forge a blade worthy of the Mikado another must work with me not less skilful than myself, else can it not be finished with success.

  MINISTER: Indeed, but there is reason in your speech. But since it was revealed to His Majesty that he should rely on you, I pray you get to work without delay. It is the Emperor, I say again!