Page:Japanese Peasant Songs.djvu/81

Jusuke and Oiro

81

Tokoro mōsaba Usa Higo no Kuni Sono na mōseba Seizaemon Hitori musume no Oiro to yūte Kiryō no yoi koto Jūnin sugure Hana ni tatoete Mōsunareba Tateba shakuyaku Suwareba botan Ayumu sugata ga Yuri keshi no hana Ono-no-Komachi mo Sayoteru-Hime mo Oyobazaru to no Hyōban musume Kiryō yokereba Mina hito-san ga Ware mo ware to Morai ni kakaru Kesa mo jūnin Mata jūgonin Sanjū-go nin no Moraishu naka de Kaku no Jusuke-san Yakusoku de Saraba Jusuke ni Yaranakya naranu Hanashi kimareba Iwai to kimaru Asu wa Oiro no Iwai to kimaru Mura no wakaishu wa Sonemi ga gozaru Mura ni yori yori Kyōgi o itashi Oiro iwai no Sono hito nareba Shikaku-gan niwa

There is in Usa Of Higo province A man named Seizaemon. He has an only daughter Called Oiro Whose beauty surpasses Even ten. Likened to flowers, I’ll say She stands an herbacious peony And sits a peony And walks A lily, a poppy. Even Ono-no-Komachi,[1] Or Sayoteru-Hime[2] Are not a match To her. Being such a beauty The young men Crying “Me too, me too!” Scramble to woo her. Ten more this morning, Again fifteen— Of thirty-five men Among the suitors Jusuke of Kaku Gets the promise. When thus promised to Jusuke Oiro must be given away. When thus decided A celebration is in order. Tomorrow will be Oiro’s Wedding feast. The village young men Are jealous of it And, group by group, They plot a plan At Oiro’s feast. These men In a square coffin

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1. A woman poet of old Japan considered one of the most beautiful of all women.
2. Probably Sayo-Hime, legendary beauty of old Japan.