Literary Aspects of Noh

Selections from Komachi and the Hundred Nights (Kayoi Komachi)

Pivot words (Puns) marked in bold, translations given in parentheses Example in English: For what do men diamonds, rubies and pearl-drops like dew you love me more than these?
Hidden Names marked by capital letters  
SHII no Shôshô 四位の少将 Captain of the Fourth Rank, Komachi's lover
 

KAKInomoto HITOMARO
柿本人丸

8th century poet
 

YAMABE Akahito
山辺赤人

8th century poet
     
  Opening Scene, last line of 343-344 pp. 55-56
Role Japanese with English key words

English translation by Eileen Kato, in Donald Keene, ed.,
20 Plays of the
Nô Theatre
(Columbia UP, 1970)

Priest:

いつも来たり給ふひとか
itsumo kiritamau hito ka
usually come person?

今日はこの木の実は数々
kyô wa kono ko no mi no kazukazu
today..... fruit/nut ..........varieties

おん物語り候へ
onmonogatari sorae
tell me please

 

Are you the same person who
always comes here? Tell me
what fruits you have brought today.

Woman:

拾ふ木の実はなになにぞ
hirou ko no mi wa naninani zo
gathered fruits, .....what are they?
............(this self/body).....(who am I?).

 

What are all these fruits and nuts
I have gathered here?

Chorus:

拾ふ木の実はなになにぞ
hirou ko no mi wa naninani zo
gathered fruits, what are they?

What are all these fruits and nuts
I have gathered here?
Woman:

いにしへ見慣れし
inishie minareshi
in the past accustomed

車に似たるは
kuruma ni nitaru wa
carriage resembles

嵐に脆き落ち椎
arashi ni moroki ochiJII

storms easily fall acorns
...........................(椎=Shii)

 

Windfall acorns
the easy prey of storms
that set them rolling
like carriage wheels I used to know.
Chorus:

歌人の家の木の実は
kajin no ie no ko no mi wa

poet's house.... fruits/nuts
........................(this self/body)

 

And what fruits have I to evoke
the houses of poets?
Woman:

人丸の垣ほの柿
HITOMARO no KAKIo no KAKI
Hitomaro......... hedge....... persimons

山の辺のささ栗
YAMA no BE no sasaguri
hillside............... chestnuts

Persimmons from the hedge
to recall [Kakinomoto] HITOMARO;

Chestnuts from the hillside
a momento of [YAMABE] Akahito;

Chorus:

窓の梅
mado no ume

window plums

Plums from the window
Woman: 園の桃
sono no momo

garden peaches
And peaches from the garden
Chorus:

花の名にある桜麻の
hana no na ni aru sakura asa no
blossoms named for cherry flax

苧生の浦梨なほもあり
Oo no ura nashi nao mo ari
Oo no ura pears........ still are
...............(do not exist)


櫟香椎真手葉椎
ichii kaSHII matebaSHII
beech oak, burning oak

大小柑子金柑
daishô kanji kinkan

large-small mandarin cumquat

あはれ昔の恋しきは
aware mukashi no koishiki wa
alas long ago loves

花橘のひと枝
hana tachibana no hitoeda

orange blossoms one-spray

花橘のひと枝
hana tachibana no hitoeda
orange blossoms one-spray

 

Pears from O-no-ura
where cherry flax grows
named for cherry blossoms;
boughs of burning oak,
and twigs of fragrant beech,
kindlings of the broad-leafed oak,
oranges both large and small,
the mandarin and the cumquat,
and for sweet, sad remembrance
of long-ago loves,
a spray of orange blossoms.

 

 

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Stream of imagery section

p. 346 from line 6

pp. 58-59
Role Japanese with English key words translation
Komachi:

人の心は
hito no kokoro wa
his heart

しらくもの
shirakumo no
don't know 
(white clouds)

われは曇らじ
ware wa kumoraji
mine unclouded

心の月
kokoro no tsuki
heart-like moon

出でてお僧に
idete osô ni
comes out, priest

弔はれんと
towaren to
to ask

薄押し分け
susuki oshi wake
pampas push aside

出でければ
idekereba
I came out

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I cannot speak for him,
But my heart is an unclouded moon;
I come before you, oh priest,
Pushing aside the pampas grass
To entreat that you pray for me.

(She moves to stage center, facing the priest)

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Shôshô:

包めどわれも
tsutsumedo ware mo
concealed... I too

穂に出でて
ho ni idete
plume come out

尾花招かば
obana manekaba
grasses beckon

止まれかし
tomarekashi
stop!

I was concealing myself,
But now I emerge from the grass:

(He removes the cloak from his head)


The plumes of grass are beckoning,
Now I have beckoned too-desist!

(He makes beckoning gestures to Komachi)

 

 

Chorus:

思ひは山の鹿にて
omoi wa yama no kasegi nite
intentions mountain...deer are

招くとさらに
maneku to sara ni

beckon..... even if

止まるまじ
tomarumaji
not come

 

My heart that seeks the light
Is like the mountain deer;
Even if you beckon
You cannot hold it back.

Shôshô:

さらば煩悩の
saraba bonnô no
then..... passion's

犬となつて
inu to natte
hound become

打たるると離れじ
utaruru to hanareji

when beaten not let go

Then I'll become a hound of passion
(He starts toward the stage)
You can beat but never drive away.
(He comes on stage)

 

Chorus:

恐ろしの姿や
osoroshi no sugata
fearful......... figure

What a horrifying sight!
(He comes up boldly behind Komachi)
Shôshô:

袂を取つて引き止むる
tamoto o totte hikitomu
sleeve... take.... pull to stop

I'll take your sleeve and hold you back.
(Puts his hand on Komachi's shoulder)

Chorus: 引かるる袖も
hikaruru sode mo
pulled on sleeve
My sleeve in your grip
Shôshô:

控こふる
hikofuru
pulling

My own that pulls on yours.
(He draws back a little)

 

Chorus:

わが袂も
waga tamoto mo
my sleeve too

ともに涙の露
tomo ni....namida no tsuyu
together....tears like dew

深草の少将
fukakusa no Shôshô
Fukakusa Captain
(deep grass)

Both are drenched
in a dew of tears.
Now you know me,
Fukakusa, the Captain!