The Noh Plays of Japan (8 page)

HATMAKER

Ah! I have heard that name. Then this must be the young Lord Ushiwaka from Kurama Temple. Come with me. We must go after him and give him back the sword at once. Why, he is still there!
(To
USHIWAKA.
) Sit, this woman tells me she knows the sword; I beg of you to take it back.

USHIWAKA

Oh! strange adventure; to meet so far from home
With humble folk that show me kindness!

HATMAKER and WIFE

My Lord, forgive us! We did not know you; but now we see in you Lord Ushiwaka, the nursling of Kurama Temple.

USHIWAKA

I am no other.
(To the
WIFE.
) And you, perhaps, are some kinswoman of Masakiyo?
*

WIFE

You have guessed wisely, sir; I am the Kamada's sister.

USHIWAKA

Lady Akoya?

WIFE

I am.

USHIWAKA

Truly I have reason to know...And I

CHORUS

Am Ushiwaka fallen on profitless days.

Of whom no longer you may speak

As master, but as one sunk in strange servitude.

Dawn is in the east; the pale moon fades from the sky, as he sets forth from the Mirror Inn.

HATMAKER and WIFE

Oh! it breaks my heart to see him! A boy of noble name walking barefoot with merchants, and nothing on his journey but cloth of Shikama to clothe him. Oh! piteous sight!

USHIWAKA

Change rules the world for ever, and Man but for a little while. What are fine clothes to me, what life itself while foemen flaunt?

HATMAKER

As a journey-present to speed you on the Eastern road...

CHORUS

So he spoke and pressed the sword into the young lord's hands. And the boy could not any longer refuse, but taking it said, "If ever I come into the World
*
again, I will not forget." And so saying he turned and went on his way in company with the merchants his masters. On they went till at last, weary with travel, they came to the Inn of Akasaka in the country of Mino.

KICHIJI
(the merchant
)

We have come so fast that here we are at the Inn of Akasaka.

(To his
BROTHER.
)

Listen, Kichiroku, you had better take lodging for us here.

KICHIROKU

I obey.
(Goes towards the hashigakari or actors' entrance-passage.)
May I come in?

INNKEEPER

Who are you? Ah! it is Master Kichiroku. I am glad to see you back again so soon.

(To
KICHIJI.
)

Be on your guard, gentleman. For a desperate gang has got wind of your coming and has sworn to set upon you tonight.

KICHIJI

What are we to do?

KICHIROKU

I cannot tell.

USHIWAKA
(comes forward
)

What are you speaking of?

KICHIJI

We have heard that robbers may be coming tonight. We were wondering what we should do...

USHIWAKA

Let them come in what force they will; yet if one stout soldier go to meet them, they will not stand their ground, though they be fifty mounted men.

KICHIJI

These are trusty words that you have spoken to us. One and all we look to you...

USHIWAKA

Then arm yourselves and wait. I will go out to meet them.

CHORUS

And while he spoke, evening passed to darkness. "Now is the time," he cried, "to show the world those arts of war that for many months and years upon the Mountain of Kurama I have rehearsed."

Then he opened the double-doors and waited there for the slow incoming of the white waves.
*

BRIGANDS

Loud the noise of assault. The lashing of white waves against the rocks, even such is the din of our battle-cry.

KUMASAKA

Ho, my man! Who is there?

BRIGAND

I stand before you.

KUMASAKA

How fared those skirmishers I sent to make a sudden breach? Blew the wind briskly within?

BRIGAND

Briskly indeed; for some are slain and many grievously wounded.

KUMASAKA

How can that be? I thought that none were within but the merchants, Kichiji and his brother. Who else is there?

BRIGAND

By the light of a rocket I saw a lad of twelve or thirteen years slashing about him with a short-sword; and he was nimble as a butterfly or bird.

KUMASAKA

And the brothers Surihari?

BRIGAND

Stood foster-fathers to the fire-throwers and were the first to enter.

But soon there meets them this child I tell of and with a blow at each whisks off their heads from their necks.

KUMASAKA

Ei! Ei! Those two, and the horsemen that were near a hundred strong—all smitten! The fellow has bewitched them!

BRIGAND

When Takase saw this, thinking perhaps no good would come of this night-attack, he took some seventy horsemen and galloped away with them.

KUMASAKA

Ha! It is not the first time that lout has played me false. How fared the torch-diviners?
*

BRIGAND

The first torch was slashed in pieces; the second was trampled on till it went out; the third they caught and threw back at us, but it too went out. There are none left.

KUMASAKA

Then is all lost. For of these torch-diviners they sing that the first torch is the soul of an army, the second torch is the wheel of Fate, and the third torch—Life itself. All three are out, and there is no hope left for this night's brigandage.

BRIGAND

It is as you say. Though we were gods, we could not redeem our plight. Deign to give the word of retreat.

KUMASAKA

Why, even brigands must be spared from slaughter. Come, withdraw my men.

BRIGAND

I obey.

KUMASAKA

Stay! Shall Kumasaka Ch
ō
han be worsted in tonight's affray? Never! Where could he then hide his shame? Come, robbers, to the attack!

CHORUS

So with mighty voice he called them to him, and they, raising their war-cry, leapt to the assauit.

(
Speaking for
USHIWAKA.
)

"Hoho! What a to-do! Himself has come, undaunted by the fate of those he sent before him. Now, Hachiman,
*
look down upon me, for no other help is here." So he prayed, and stood waiting at the gap.

(
Speaking for
KUMASAKA.
)

"Sixty-three years has Kumasaka lived, and today shall make his last night-assault."
*
So he spoke and kicking off his iron-shoes in a twinkling he levelled his great battle-sword that measured five foot three, and as he leapt forward like a great bird pouncing on his prey, no god or demon had dared encounter him.

(
Speaking for
USHIWAKA.
)

"Ha, bandit! Be not so confident! These slinking night-assaults displease me"; and leaving him no leisure, the boy dashed in to the attack.

Then, Kumasaka, deeply versed in use of the battle-sword, lunged with his left foot and in succession he executed The Ten-Side Cut, The Eight-Side Sweep, The Body Wheel, The Hany
Å«
Turn, The Wind The Flower Double Roll, The Blade Drop, The Gnashing Lion, The Maple-Leaf Double,

Now fire dances at the sword-points;

Now the sword-backs clash.

At last even the great battle-sword has spent its art. Parried by the little belt-sword of Z
ō
shi,
*
it has become no more than a guard-sword.

(
Speaking for
KUMASAKA.
)

"This sword-play brings me no advantage; I will close with him and try my strength!"

Then he threw down his battle-sword and spreading out his great hands rushed wildly forward. But Ushiwaka dodged him, and as he passed mowed round at his legs.

The robber fell with a crash, and as he struggled to rise
The belt-sword of Ushiwaka smote him clean through the waist.
And Kumasaka that had been one man
Lay cloven in twain.

(HASHI-BENKEI)
By Hiyoshi Sa-ami Yasukiyo

(Date unknown, probably first half of the fifteenth century.
)

PERSONS

BENKEI

I am one who lives near the Western Pagoda. My name is Musashib
ō
Benkei. In fulfillment of a certain vow I have been going lately by night at the hour of the Ox
*
to worship at the Goj
ō
Temple. Tonight is the last time; I ought soon to be starting.

Hie! Is any one there?

FOLLOWER

Here I am.

BENKEI

I sent for you to tell you that I shall be going to the Goj
ō
Temple tonight

FOLLOWER

I tremble and listen. But there is a matter that I must bring to your notice. I hear that yesterday there was a boy of twelve or thirteen guarding the Goj
ō
Bridge. They say he was slashing round with his short sword as nimble as a bird or butterfly. I beg that you will not make your pilgrimage tonight. Do not court this peril.

BENKEI

That's a strange thing to ask! Why, were he demon or hobgob-lin, he could not stand alone against many. We will surround him and you shall soon see him on his knees.

FOLLOWER

They have tried surrounding him, but he always escapes as though by magic, and none is able to lay hands on him.

BENKEI

When he seems within their grasp

FOLLOWER

From before their eyes

BENKEI

Suddenly he vanishes.

CHORUS

This strange hobgoblin, elfish apparition,
Into great peril may bring
The reverend limbs of my master.
In all this City none can withstand the prowess
Of this unparalleled monster.

BENKEI

If this is as you say, I will not go tonight; and yet...No. It is not to be thought of that such a one as Benkei should be affrighted by a tale. Tonight when it is dark I will go to the bridge and humble this arrogant elf.

CHORUS

And while he spoke,
Evening already to the western sky had come;
Soon the night-wind had shattered and dispersed
The shapes of sunset. Cheerless night
Came swiftly, but with step too slow
For him who waits.

(A Comic interlude played by a bow-master is sometimes used here to fill in the time while
BENKEI
is arming himself.
)

USHIWAKA

I am Ushiwaka. I must do as my mother told me; "Go up to the Temple
*
at daybreak," she said. But it is still night. I will go to Goj
ō
Bridge and wait there till suddenly

Moonlight mingles with the rising waves;
No twilight closes
The autumn day, but swiftly
The winds of night bring darkness.

CHORUS
(speaking for
USHIWAKA
)

Oh! beauty of the waves!

High beats my heart, High as their scattered pearls!

Waves white as dewy calabash
^†
at dawn,

By Goj
ō
Bridge.

Silently the night passes,

No sound but my own feet upon the wooden planks

Clanking and clanking; still I wait

And still in vain.

BENKEI

The night grows late. Eastward the bells of the Three Pagodas toll.

By the moonlight that gleams through leaves of these thick

cedar-trees I gild my armor on;

I fasten the black thongs of my coat of mail.

I adjust its armored skirts.

By the middle I grasp firmly

My great halberd that I have loved so long.

I lay it across my shoulder; with leisurely step stride forward.

Be he demon or hobgoblin, how shall he stand against me?

Such trust have I in my own prowess. Oh, how I long

For a foeman worthy of my hand!

USHIWAKA

The river-wind blows keen;

The night is almost spent,

But none has crossed the Bridge.