The Noh Plays of Japan (24 page)

TONO-I

My name is Tono-i. I live in the land of Echigo. I had a wife; but for a trifling reason I parted from her and put her to live in the House of the Tall Pines, which is not far distant from here. We had two children; and the girl I sent to live with her mother at the House of the Tall Pines, but the boy, Tsukiwaka, I have here with me, to be the heir of all my fortune.

And this being done, I brought a new wife to my home. Now it happens that in pursuance of a binding vow I must be absent for a while on pilgrimage to a place not far away. I will now give orders for the care of Tsukiwaka, my son. Is my wife there?

SECOND WIFE

What is it?

TONO-I

I called you to tell you this: in pursuance of a vow I must be absent on pilgrimage for two or three days. While I am away, I beg you to tend my child Tsukiwaka with loving care. Moreover I must tell you that the snow falls very thick in these parts, and when it piles up upon the bamboos that grow along the four walls of the yard, it weighs them down and breaks them to bits.

I don't know how it will be, but I fancy there is snow in the air now. If it should chance to fall, pray order my servants to brush it from the leaves of the bamboos.

SECOND WIFE

What? A pilgrimage, is it? Why then go in peace, and a blessing on your journey. I will not forget about the snow on the bamboos. But as for Tsukiwaka, there was no need for you to speak. Do you suppose I would neglect him, however far away you went?

TONO-I

No, indeed. I spoke of it, because he is so very young...But now I must be starting on my journey.
(He goes.)

SECOND WIFE

Listen, Tsukiwaka! Your father has gone off on a pilgrimage. Before he went, he said something to me about you. "Tend Tsukiwaka with care," he said. There was no need for him to speak. You must have been telling him tales about me, saying I was not kind to you or the like of that. You are a bad boy. I am angry with you, very angry!
(She turns away.)

TSUKIWAKA
then runs to his mother at the House of the Tall Pines. A lyric scene follows in which
TSUKIWAKA
and his mother (the
CHORUS
aiding) bewail their lot.

Meanwhile the
SECOND WIFE
misses
TSUKIWAKA.

SECOND WIFE

Where is Tsukiwaka? What can have become of him?
(She calls for a servant.)
Where has Tsukiwaka gone off to?

SERVANT

I have not the least idea.

SECOND WIFE

Why, of course! I have guessed. He took offence at what I said to him just now and has gone off as usual to the Tall Pines to blab to his mother. How tiresome! Go and tell him that his father has come home and has sent for him; bring him back with you.

SERVANT

I tremble and obey.
(He goes to the "hashigakari" and speaks to
TSUKIWAKA
and the
FIRST WIFE
.) The master has come back and sent for you, Master Tsukiwaka! Come back quickly!

FIRST WIFE

What? His father has sent for him? What a pity; he comes here so seldom. But if your father has sent for you, you must go to him. Come soon again to give your mother comfort!

(The
SERVANT
takes
TSUKIWAKA/
back to the
SECOND WIFE
.)

SERVANT

Madam, I have brought back Master Tsukiwaka.

SECOND WIFE

What does this mean, Tsukiwaka? Have you been blabbing again at the House of the Tall Pines? Listen! Your father told me before he went away that if it came on to snow, I was to tell someone to brush the snow off the bamboos round the four walls of the yard.

It is snowing very heavily now. So be quick and brush the snow off the bamboos. Come now, take off your coat and do it in your shirt-sleeves.

(The boy obeys. The
CHORUS
describes the "sweeping of the bamboos." It grows colder and colder.)

CHORUS

The wind stabbed him, and as the night wore on,
The snow grew hard with frost; he could not brush it away.
"I will go back," he thought, and pushed at the barred gate.
"Open!" he cried, and hammered with his frozen hands.
None heard him; his blows made no sound.
"Oh the cold, the cold! I cannot bear it.
Help, help for Tsukiwaka!"
Never blew wind more wildly!

(
TSUKIWAKA
falls dead upon the snow.)

The servant finds him there and goes to the House of the Tall Pines to inform the mother. A scene of lament follows in which mother, sister and chorus join. The father comes home and hears the sound of weeping. When he discovers the cause, he is reconciled with the first wife (the second wife is not mentioned again), and owing to their pious attitude, the child returns to life.

TORI-OI
By Kongo Yagor
ō
Bears a strong resemblance to
Take no Yuki.
The date of the author is unknown.

A
CERTAIN
lord goes up to the city to settle a lawsuit, leaving his steward in charge of his estate. In his absence the steward grows overbearing in his manner towards his mistress and her litttle son, Hanawaka, finally compelling them to take part in the arduous labor of "bird-scaring," rowing up and down the river among the rice-fields, driving away the birds that attack the crop.

YUYA

T
AIRA NO
M
UNEMORI
had long detained at the Capital his mistress Yuya, whose aged mother continually besought him to send back her daughter to her for a little while, that she might see her before she died. In the illustration she is shown reading a letter in which her mother begs her to return.

Munemori insisted that Yuya should stay with him till the Spring pageants were over; but all their feasting and flower-viewing turned to sadness, and in the end he let Yuya go home.

TANGO-MONOGURUI
By I-ami

THERE are several plays which describe the fatal anger of a father on discovering that his child has no aptitude for learning. One of these,
Nakamitsu or Manj
Å«
,
has been translated by Chamberlain. The
Tango-Monogurui,
a similar play, has usually been ascribed to Seami, but Seami in his
Works
says that it is by a certain I-ami. The father comes on to the stage and, after the usual opening, announces that he has sent a messenger to fetch his son, whom he has put to school at a neighboring temple. He wishes to see what progress the boy is making.,

FATHER
(to his
SERVANT
)

I sent someone to bring Master Hanamatsu back from the temple. Has he come yet?

SERVANT

Yes, sir. He was here last night.

FATHER

What? He came home last night, and I heard nothing about it?

SERVANT

Last night he had drunk a little too much, so we thought it better not to say that he was here.

FATHER

Oho! Last night he was tipsy, was he? Send him to me.

(The
SERVANT
brings
HANAMATSU.
)

Well, you have grown up mightily since I saw you last.

I sent for you to find out how your studies are progressing. How far have you got?

HANAMATSU

I have not learnt much of the difficult subjects. Nothing worth mentioning of the S
Å«
tras or Shastras or moral books. I know a little of the graduses and Eight Collections of Poetry; but in the Hokke Scripture I have not got to the Law-Master Chapter, and in the Gusha-shastra I have not got as far as the Seventh Book.

FATHER

This is unthinkable! He says he has not learnt anything worth mentioning. Pray, have you talents in any direction?

SERVANT
(wishing to put in a good word for the boy)

He's reckoned a wonderful hand at the chop-sticks and drum.
*

FATHER
(angrily)

Be quiet! Is it your child I was talking of?

SERVANT

No, sir, you were speaking of Master Hanamatsu.

FATHER

Now then, Hanamatsu. Is this true? Very well then; just listen quietly to me. These childish tricks—writing odes, capping verses and the like are not worth anything. They're no more important than playing ball or shooting toy darts. And as for the chop-sticks and drum—they are the sort of instruments street urchins play on under the Spear
*
at festival-time. But when I ask about your studies, you tell me that in the Hokke you have not got to the Law-Master Chapter, and in the Gusha-shastra you have not reached the Seventh Book. Might not the time you spent on the chopsticks have been better employed in studying the Seventh Book? Now then, don't excuse yourself! Those who talk most do least. But henceforth you are no son of mine. Be off with you now!

(The boy hesitates, bewildered.)

Well, if you can't get started by yourself I must help you.

(Seizes him by the arm, and thrusts him off the stage.)

In the next scene Hanamatsu enters accompanied by a pious ship's captain, who relates that he found the lad on the point of drowning himself, but rescued him, and, taking him home, instructed him in the most recondite branches of knowledge, for which he showed uncommon aptitude; now he is taking him back to Tango to reconcile him with his father.

At Tango they learn that the father, stricken with remorse, has become demented and is wandering over the country in search of his son.

Coming to a chapel of Manjushri, the captain persuades the lad to read a service there, and announces to the people that an eminent and learned divine is about to expound the scriptures. Among the worshippers comes an eccentric character whom the captain is at first unwilling to admit.

MADMAN

Even madmen can school themselves for a while. I will not rave while the service is being read.

CAPTAIN

So be it. Then sit down here and listen quietly.
(To
HANAMATSU.
)All the worshippers have come. You had better begin the service at once.

HANAMATSU
(describing his own actions)

Then because the hour of worship had come
The Doctor mounted the pulpit and struck the silence-bell;
Then reverently prayed:
Let us call on the Sacred Name of Shäkyamuni, once incarnate;
On the Buddhas of the Past, the Present and the Time to Come.
To thee we pray, Avalokita, Lord of the Ten Worlds;
And all Spirits of Heaven and Earth we invoke.
Praised be the name of Amida Buddha!

MADMAN
(shouting excitedly)

Amida! Praise to Amida!

CAPTAIN

There you go! You promised to behave properly, but now are disturbing
^†
the whole congregation by your ravings. I never heard such senseless shouting.

(A lyrical dialogue follows full of poetical allusions, from which it is apparent that the
MADMAN
is crying to Amida to save a child's soul.)

CAPTAIN

Listen, Madman! The Doctor heard you praying for a child's soul. He wishes you to tell him your story.

The father and son recognize one another. The son flings himself down from the pulpit and embraces his father. They go home together, attributing their reunion to the intervention of Manjushrî, the God of Wisdom.

IKKAKU SENNIN
(THE ONE-HORNED RISHI)

A Rishi lived in the hills near Benares. Under strange circumstances
*
a roe bore him a son whose form was human, save that a single horn grew on his forehead, and that he had stag's hoofs instead of feet. He was given the name
Ekashringa,
"One-horn."

One day it was raining in the hills. Ekashringa slipped and hurt himself, for his hoofs were ill-suited to his human frame. He cursed the rain, and owing to his great merit and piety his prayer was answered. No rain fell for many months.

The King of Benares saw that the drought would soon bring famine. He called together his counsellors, and one of them told him the cause of the disaster. The King published a proclamation promising half of his kingdom to any who could break the Rishi's spell. Then the harlot Shanta came to the King and said, "I will bring you this Rishi riding him pickaback!"