Page:Japanese Peasant Songs.djvu/99

Hanako’s Tears

This is a song to accompany a hand clapping game of which there are many varieties. One common type similar to our own “Pease porridge hot, pease porridge cold,” is played thus: Two children sit facing each other. They first clap their own hands together, then clap hands together, right hand clapping the other’s left and left hand clapping the other’s right; then they clap their own hands again and reverse the previous cross clapping—the right hand clapping the other’s right, the left the other’s left. In some games a player claps her own hands twice before clapping with the partner; in others a player claps hands, then claps palms on legs, then claps hands with partner.

Song 96 is a cumulative song somewhat similar to 90. In the repetitive words and phrases there is a heavy accent on the final syllable to correspond to a movement of the game.

96

Arutoki Hanako no Namida ga Hóri horí[1] Hóri horí Ammari deta node Tamoto de Nuguímashó[2] Nuguímashó Nuguta kimono wa Araímashó[2] Araímashó Aratta kimono wa Shiburímashó[2] Shiburímashó Shibutta kimono wa Hoshímashó[2] Hoshímashó Hosh’ta kimono wa Tatamímashó[2] Tatamímashó Tatanda kimono wa Naoshímashó[2] Naoshímashó Naoshita kimono wa Nezumi ga Poki pokí Poki pokí On puku pon-na-pon

Once Hanako’s Tears Poured down, Poured down— Too many tears. With kimono sleeve Let us wipe, Let us wipe. Wetted kimono Let us wash, Let us wash. Washed kimono Let us wring, Let us wring. Wrung kimono Let us hang up, Let us hang up. Hung kimono Let us fold, Let us fold. Folded kimono Let us put away, Let us put away. Put-away kimono The mice ate: Poki pokí Poki pokí On puku pon-na-pon.[3]

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1. Accent on the ‘o’ of the first word and the ‘i’ of the second.
2. A clearly accented ‘i’ just before ‘massho’ and another accent on the final ‘o.’
3. Last three lines form an onomatopoetic description of the mice eating.