Foundation Pounding Songs
59
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Saraba watashi o
Hito ashi sakini
Oiro yō yuta
Yō yute kureta
Oya no yudzuri no
Masamune gatana
Nugute misezuni
Oiro o koroshi
Shinda Giro o
Hadaka ni nashite
Nashita Oiro o
Manaita nosete
Sashimi bōcho ni
Murabashi soete
Agari kudasare
Wakanoshu gata yo
Sokode wakanoshu ga
Odoroki-mashite
Takai en kara
Tobu no mo areba
Takai dote kara
Tobu no mo gozaru
Sokode Jusuke
Koniwa ni orite
Ura to omote no
Gomon o shimete
Nyōbo no kataki
Kakugo wa yoika
Mura no wakanoshu
Mina kirikorosu
Kaesu katana de
Waga nodo tsuite
Jitsu ni hakanaki
Saigo de gozaru
Sore de minna ga
Moto yūkotoni
Hito ni sugareta
Yoi ko wa motsuna
Hito no kirau yona
Yomego mo konna.
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Please finish me
Before you go.”
“Well said, Oiro
My thanks to you.”
The Masamune sword
Inherited from his father (Jusuke took out)
Quickly he puts an end
To Oiro.
Dead Oiro
He stripped,
The stripped Oiro
He put on the chopping board,
He placed the kitchen knife and chopsticks
At her side:
“Please have a feast,
My friends.”
Hereupon the young men
Are surprised;
From high veranda
Some jump down.
From high wall
Others jump down.
Thereupon Jusuke
Goes down to the yard,
Closing the gates
Both back and front
“I will avenge my wife
On you.” (Thus saying)
The village youths
All of them he kills.
Then, turning to himself,
He thrusts his sword into his throat.
And this quick death
Is indeed the end.
Thus by all
It is said,
Never have a son
Who far surpasses others.
And such is the end
Of a bride envied by others.[1]
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- ↑ The ideal in rural Kuma is a cooperative man. All social groups provide for rotated responsibility of leadership so that no one man continuously stands out. Envy is not only feared, it is believed to have supernatural power, so that a man or woman may die of it. (Cf. Murasaki’s Tale of Genji, chapter 7 of Waley’s translation.)
