The eldest son then for the first time saw that Shibi had already possessed Kagehime, and became conscious of all the disrespect shown him by the father and the son. He blazed out into a great rage, and forthwith, on that same night, proceeded to the house of Ohotomo no Kanamura no Muraji, where he levied troops and concerted his plans. Ohotomo no Muraji waylaid Shibi no Omi with a force of several thousand men. He slew him at Mount Nara.
One book says:—"Shibi was spending the night in Kagehime's house, and that same night he was slain."
At this time Kagehime followed on to the place where he had been slain, and seeing that he had already been put to death, was shocked, so that she did not know what she was doing, and tears of sorrow filled her eyes. At length she made a song, saying:—
In Iso no Kami,
Passing Takahashi
In Komo-makura,
Passing Oho-yake
Where things are in plenty,
Passing Kasuga
Of the spring-day,
Passing Wosaho
(XVI. 5.) The spouse-retiring,
In a precious casket,
Placing boiled rice,
In a precious vase,
Placing water also,
She lets fall tears as she goes.
Alas! for Kagehime.[2]
- ↑ The sole reason why the second and third lines are introduced is to bring in tare, "to hang down." The same word is repeated in the fourth line with the meaning "who," thus producing a word-play, of which Japanese poets are fond.
- ↑ This poem contains a succession of plays on words, some of which are very obscure, and all are lost in an English version. Komo-makura means a matting pillow, i.e. a roll of matting used as a pillow. Makura is frequently followed by takaku, high, in the phrase makura takaku suru, "to make high
