Chorus (?)[1] (chants in nearly regular metre).
- Now for the first time he ties the lace of his travelling garb:
- His goal is distant many a long day's journey.
Tomonari (speaks in prose). Now, this is I, Tomonari, guardian of the shrine of Aso, in the province of Higo, in Kiushiu. Never having seen the capital, I have now made up my mind, and am going up to the capital. Moreover, I wish to take this opportunity of viewing the bay of Takasago, in Harima.
Chorus (?) (chants in regular metre). To-day he has made up his mind, and has donned his travelling raiment for a journey to a distant goal—the capital. With waves that rise along the shore, and a genial wind of spring upon the ship-path, how many days pass without a trace of him we know not, until at length he has reached the longed-for bay of Takasago, on the coast of Harima.
Old Man and Old Woman (chant). The wind of spring that blows through the fir-tree of Takasago has gone down with the sun; the vesper bell is heard from the Temple of Onoye.
Old Woman. The waves are hidden from us by the mist-enshrouded rocks.
Both. There is naught but the sound to mark the rise and fall of the tide.
Old Man. Whom can I take to be my friend? Except the fir-tree of Takasago, my ancient comrade, there is none to converse with me of the bygone days on which are ever gathering white snows [of forgetfulness]. I grow older and older, accustomed to hear nothing but the wind in the fir-tree either when I rise or go to sleep in my nest of an aged crane, where the night-long moon sheds its rays, and the spring sends down its hoar-frosts. So I make my own heart my companion, and thus give utterance to my thoughts.
Both. Let us sweep away the fir-needles that lie beneath the
- ↑ The distribution of the speeches is sometimes doubtful. I have made one or two changes.
