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Authors: Donald Keene
Anthology of Japanese Literature (34 page)
THE BIRD-CATCHER IN HADES
[
Esashi J
Å«
Å
]
"The Bird-Catcher in Hades" in theme rather resembles "Birds of Sorrow," and is thus a good example of how the methods of
ky
Å
gen
differ from those of
N
Å
.
Nothing is known of the authorship of this or the following
ky
Å
gen,
and we cannot say much more about the date than that in their present form they are probably of the sixteenth century. It should be noted that "The Bird-Catcher in Hades" is a text of the now defunct Sagi school of
ky
Å
gen,
and is no longer performed.
Persons
EMMA
, the King of Hades
KIYOYORI
, a bird-catcher
DEMONS
CHORDS
  (
The stage is completely bare. Two drummers and a flute-player, passing down the Bridge, take their usual seats at the rear of the stage. They are followed by Emma. He wears a devil's mask and a red wig. On his head there is a gold crown. His kimono is bright and large-patterned, and is resplendently decorated with gold thread. His hakama and outer kimono are of a similarly elaborate material, and he wears a brocade sash. His followers also wear devils' masks and red wigs, and their clothing is similar to his, though less elaborate. They carry bamboo poles. They come from the Bridge and immediately take their places on the stage in two rows facing one another, with Emma standing closest to the Waki's Pillar
.)
DEMONS
(
singing
): Emma, the King of Hades,
Emma, the King of Hades,
Comes to the Meeting of the Six Ways.
EMMA
: Yai, yai! Are my satellites around?
DEMONS
: Ha! Here we are.
EMMA
: If any sinners come along, drive them into Hell.
DEMONS
: We certainly will.
 Â
(
Emma moves around the stage by the Chorus, finally taking his place at the end of the other row of Demons. The Demons all sit. Kiyoyori enters from the Bridge. He wears a plain kimono and a white cloak. He does not wear a mask, but he has a band tied around his forehead. He carries a long pole in his hand. He stops at the First Pine
.)
KIYOYORI
: All men are sinners, and I am no more a sinner than the rest of them.
My name is Kiyoyori, a bird-catcher, who was well known in the terrestrial plane. But my life span, like all things in the vale of tears, came to its end, and I was caught by the wind of impermanence. Now I am on the way to the world of darkness.
(
He moves along the Bridge onto the stage, singing
.)
Without a pang of parting,
Without a tinge of remorse,
I forsake the world of impermanence,
And as I wander about with no guide,
I have already come to the Meeting of the Six Ways.
Indeed, this is already the Meeting of the Six Ways of Existence.
After due consideration, I wish to go to Heaven.
ONE OF THE DEMONS
: Ha! Ho! I smell a man. Why, no wonder! Here comes a sinner. I will report to Emma.
(
He stands and faces Emma
.)
Oh, please, Sir! Here comes the first sinner.
EMMA
: Make haste and drive him into Hell.
DEMON
: Very well, Sir.
Come, you sinner! Hell is ever at hand, but one cannot say that about Heaven. Make haste.
 Â
(
He and the other Demons attempt to beat Kiyoyori, who defends himself skilfully with his pole. He then sits in the center of the stage
.)
Yai, yai! You are different from most of the sinners of the earth. What was your profession on the terrestrial plane?
KIYOYORI
: I was Kiyoyori, the famous bird-catcher.
DEMON
: Bird-catcher? Taking life from morning till night! Your sins are unfathomably great. I must send you to Hell at once.
KIYOYORI
: Oh, no! I am not such a bad sinner as you make me out to be. Please let me go to Heaven.
DEMON
: No, that cannot be! But first
I
shall ask the King about your case.
Pardon, Sir!
EMMA
: Well, what is it?
DEMON
: The sinner who has just arrived says that he was a very famous bird-catcher on the terrestrial plane. So I told him that, having taken life day and night, he committed deep sin and certainly is doomed to Hell. But he protests and says that we misjudge him thoroughly. What shall we do about him?
EMMA
: Call the sinner to me.
DEMON
: Very well, Sir.
Come along this way. King Emma wishes to see you.
KIYOYORI
: I am coming.
DEMON
: Here is that sinner you sent for.
EMMA
: Come, you sinner! You have been sinning all through your life snaring birds, and you are indeed a very wicked man. I am going to send you to Hell at once.
KIYOYORI
: What you say about me is very true, but the birds I caught were used to feed the falcons. There was really no serious harm in that.
EMMA
: A falcon is another kind of bird, isn't it?
KIYOYORI
: Yes, indeed.
EMMA
: Well, then! That puts the case on a slightly different basis. I do not consider that a serious offense.
KIYOYORI
: I am glad you don't. It really was more the falcon's fault than mine. That being the case, I hope you will send me straight to Heaven.
EMMA
: Since I, the mighty King of Hades, have not yet tasted a bird, catch one with your pole, and let me taste it. Then I will grant your wish without further ado.
KIYOYORI
: Nothing could be simpler. I shall catch a few birds and present them to you.
CHORUS: TO
the bird-hunt, bird-hunt!
All at once from the southern paths of the mountain of death,
Many birds come flocking.
Swifter than a flash
The bird-catcher darts and
Snares many with his pole.
  (
While the Chorus is singing, Kiyoyori darts about the stage waving his pole. He maizes his way to the back of the stage, where he spreads open his fan and pretends to put the birds on it
.)
KIYOYORI
: I will roast them for you. Here, they are ready. Please try one.
(
He goes to Emma and offers him the fan
.)
EMMA
: Well, well! I will have a taste.
Munch-munch! Crunch-crunch!
Oh, this is uncommonly delicious.
KIYOYORI
(
to the Demons
): You would like to try them, too?
(
He goes to each Demon in turn
.)
DEMONS
: Indeed, we shall!
Munch-munch! Crunch-crunch!
What marvelous flavor!
EMMA
: I have never tasted anything so wonderful. Since you have given us such a treat, I am going to send you back to the terrestrial plane. There you may catch birds for another three years.
KIYOYORI
: I am greatly obliged to you, I am sure.
 Â
(
During the following song of the Chorus, Kiyoyori dances joyfully with open fan
.)
CHORUS
: For another three years, you shall snare birds!
Pheasant, goose, peacock, stork, and many others.
Thus commanded, Kiyoyori has turned his steps once more to the world beneath. But Emma, loath to see him depart, bestows on Kiyoyori his jeweled crown. Our bird-catcher marches lightly to the world below, there to begin his second span of life.
 Â
(
Kiyoyori dances with crown, then leaves by Bridge, followed by Emma and the Demons
.)
TRANSLATED BY SHIO SAKANISKI
BUSU
Persons
MASTER
TAR
Å
KAJA
JIR
Å
KAJA
  (
The Master, Tar
Å
kaja, and Jir
Å
kaja enter the stage along the Bridge, Tar
Å
kaja and Jir
Å
kaja seat themselves by the Name-Saying Seat. The Master as he introduces himself goes to the Want's Pillar
.)
MASTER
: I am a gentleman of this vicinity. I plan to go away to the mountains for a few days, and now I shall summon my servants to give them instructions about what to do during my absence. Tar
Å
kaja, where are you?
TAR
Å
: Here, Master.
(
He gets up and goes toward the Master, then bows
.)
MASTER
: Call Jir
Å
kaja too.
TAR
Å
: Yes, Master. Jiro kaja, the master wants you.
JIR
Å
: I obey.
(
He also comes forward and bows
.)
TOGETHER
: We are before you, Master.
MASTER
: I have called you because I am going to the mountains for a few days, and I want you both to take good care of the house while I am away.
TAR
Å
: Your orders will be obeyed, Master, but you have always taken one of us with you on your journeys, and today too
TOGETHER
: One of us would like to accompany you.
MASTER
: NO, that is out of the question. Today I have something important to leave in your care, and both of you must guard it. Wait here.
TOGETHER
: Very good, Master.
 Â
(
The Master goes to the Flute Pillar where he picks up a round lacquered cask about two feet high. He deposits it in the center of the stage, and returns to his former position
.)
MASTER
: This is what is known as
busu,
a deadly poison. If even wind blowing from its direction should strike you, it will mean instant death. Be on your guard.
TARO
: Yes, Master.
JIR
Å
: Excuse me, Master, but I would like to ask you something.
MASTER
: What is it?
JIR
Å
: Why do you keep such a dreadful poison in the house?
MASTER
: The
busu
loves its master, and as long as it is the master who handles it, there is not the slightest danger. But if either of you so much as approach it, you will suffer instant death. Beware even of being touched by the wind from its direction.
JIR
Å
: Yes, Master.
MASTER
: Now I shall be leaving.
TAR
Å
: May you have a pleasant journey,
TOGETHER
: And come back soon.
MASTER
: Thank you.
 Â
(
The Master goes to the Bridge, where he seats himself at the First Pine, indicating that he has disappeared. Tar
Å
and Jiro see him off, then seat themselves at the back of the stage
.)
TAR
Å
: He always takes one of us with him. I wonder why today he left both of us to look after the house.
JIR
Å
: I wonder why.
TAR
Å
: At any rate, it's always lonesome being left here by oneself, but since we are both here today, we can have a pleasant talk.âOh!
JIR
Å
: What is the matter?
TAR
Å
: There was a gust of wind from the
busuk
JIR
Å
: How frightening!
TAR
Å
: Let's move a litde farther away.
JIR
Å
: A good idea.
(
They hastily move toward Bridge, then sit
.)
TAR
Å
: Just as you said before, why should the master keep in the house a thing so deadly that even a breath of wind from it will cause instant death?
JIR
Å
: However much it may love its master, I still don't understand why he keeps it.
TAR
Å
: You know, I'd like to have a look at the
busu
. What do you think it can be?
JIR
Å
: Have you gone mad? Don't you know that even the wind from its way means certain death?
TAR
Å
: Let's go up to it fanning from this side. In that way we won't get any wind from it.
JIR
Å
: That's a good idea.
(
The two men stand, and fanning vigorously approach the cask
.)
TAR
Å
: Fan, fan hard.
JIR
Å
: I am fanning.
TAR
Å
: I'm going to untie the cord around it now, so fan hard.
JIR
Å
: Right!
TAR
Å
: I've unfastened it. Now, I'll take off the cover.
JIR
Å
: Do it quickly!
TAR
Å
: Keep fanning!
JIR
Å
: I am fanning.
TAR
Å
: It's off!
(
They flee to the Bridge
.) Oh, that's a relief!
JIR
Å
: What's a relief?
TAR
Å
: That thingâit's not an animal or it would jump out.
JIR
Å
: Perhaps it is only playing dead.
TAR
Å
: I'll have a look.
JIR
Å
: That's a good idea.
(
They approach the cask as before
.)
TAR
Å
: Fan, fan hard!
JIR
Å
: I am fanning!
TAR
Å
: Now I'm going to have a look, so fan hard!
JIR
Å
: Right!
TAR
Å
: I've seen it! I've seen it!
(
They flee as before to the Bridge
.)
JIR
Å
:
What did you see?
TAR
Å
: Something dark gray that looked good to eat You know, I think I'd like a taste of that
busu.
JIR
Å
: How can you think of eating something which will kill you even if you only catch a whiff of it?
TAR
Å
: I must be bewitched by the
busu
. I can't think of anything but eating it. I will have a taste.
JIR
Å
: You mustn't.
(
He talles Tar
Å
's sleeve, and they struggle
.)
TAR
Å
: Let me go!
JIR
Å
: I won't let you go!
TAR
Å
: I tell you, let me go!
JIR
Å
: I tell you, I won't let you go!
 Â
(
Tar
Å
frees himself and approaches the cask. He uses his fan to scoop out the contents
.)
TAR
Å
(
singing
): Shaking off with sorrow the sleeves of parting, I come up to the side of the
busu.
JIR
Å
: Alas! Now he will meet his death.
TAR
Å
: Oh, I am dying. I am dying.
(
He falls over
.)
JIR
Å
: I knew it would happen. Tar
Å
kaja! What is it?
(
He rushes to him
.)
TAR
Å
: It's so delicious, I'm dying.
(
He gets up
.)
JIR
Å
: What can it be?
TAR
Å
: It's sugar!
JIR
Å
: Let me have a taste.
TAR
Å
: Go ahead.
JIR
Å
: Thank you. It really is sugar!
 Â
(
The two of them eat, using their fans to scoop out the busu. Tar
Å
, seeing that Jir
Å
is too busy eating to notice, carries off the cask to the Waki's Pillar. While he is eating, Jir
Å
comes up and takes the cask to the Pacing Pillar
.)
TAR
Å
: You mustn't eat it all by yourself. Let me have it!
JIR
Å
: No, you were eating before I did. Give me some more.
TAR
Å
: Let's both eat it.
JIR
Å
: A good idea.
(
They put the cask between them
.)
TAR
Å
: Delicious, isn't it?
JIR
Å
: Really delicious.
TAR
Å
: The master told us that it was
busu,
thinking we wouldn't eat it then. That was really most disagreeable of him. Eat up! Eat up!
JIR
Å
: It was disagreeable of him to have told us that we would die instantly if we got so much as a whiff of it. Eat up! Eat up!
TAR
Å
: I can't stop eating.
JIR
Å
: It feds as if our chins are sagging, doesn't it?
TAR
Å
: Eat up! Oh, it's all gone!
JIR
Å
: Yes, all gone.
TAR
Å
: Well, you can be proud of yourself.
JIR
Å
:
I
can be proud of myself? It was
you
who first looked at the
busu
and first ate it. I'll tell the master as soon as he gets back.
TAR
Å
: I was only joking. Now, tear up this
kakemono.
1
JIR
Å
: Very well.
(
He goes to the Want's Pillar and makes motions of tearing a kakemono
.)
Sarari. Sarari. Pattari.
TAR
Å
: Bravo! First you looked at the
busu,
then you ate it, and now you've torn up the master's
kakemono
. I'll inform him of that as soon as he returns.
JIR
Å
: I only did it because you told me. And I shall inform the master of that.