The stage assistant places a representation of a hut at the waki-position.
Semimaru enters, wearing the semimaru
mask. He is flanked by two Palanquin Bearers
who hold a canopy over him. Kiyotsura follows them.
He lowers his head to give a sad expression to his mask.
Travelers and men on horses
Riding to and from the Capital,
Many people, dressed for their journeys,
Will drench their sleeves in sudden showers
How hard it is to abandon him,
To leave him all alone—
How hard it is to abandon him,
To tear ourselves away.
Kiyotsura bows to Semimaru.
But even farewells must have an end;
By the light of the daybreak moon
Stifling tears that have no end, they depart.
Weeping, Kiyotsura goes to the bridgeway.
Semimaru, the Prince, left behind alone,
Takes in his arms his lute, his one possession,
Clutches his staff and falls down weeping.
Semimaru picks up the staff and kasa, comes
forward, and turns toward the departing Kiyotsura. Kiyotsura stops at the
second pine and looks back at him, then exits. Semimaru retreats, kneels,
drops his kasa and staff, and weeps. Hakuga
no Sammi enters and stands at the naming-place.
Hakuga
I am Hakuga no Sammi.
[8]8
I have learned that Prince Semimaru has been abandoned on Mount Ōsaka and
it pains me so much to think of him at the mercy of the rain and dew that
I have decided to build a straw hut where he may live.
He opens the door, of the hut, then goes to Semimaru at the shite-pillar.
The hut is ready at last, I shall inform him of this.
He bows to Semimaru.
Pardon me, sir; Hakuga is before you. If you stay here in this way, you
will be soaked by the rain. I have built you a straw hut and I hope you
will live in it. Please, come with me.
He takes Semimaru's hand and leads him inside the hut, then steps back and
bows.
If ever you need anything, you have only to summon me, Hakuga no Sammi. I
shall always be ready to serve you. I take my leave of you for now.
He closes the door of the hut, then exits. Sakagami enters
wearing the zō mask. Her robe is folded back
from her right shoulder indicating that she is deranged. She stops at the
first pine.
Those children over there-what are they laughing at?
She looks to the right as if watching passersby.
What? You find it funny that my hair stands on end? Yes,
I suppose hair that grows upside down is funny.
My hair is disordered, but much less than you—
Imagine, commoners laughing at me!
How extraordinary it is that so much before our eyes is upside down.
Flower seeds buried in the ground rise up to grace the branches of a
thousand trees. The moon hangs high in the heavens, but its light sinks
to the bottom of countless waters.
She looks up and down.
I wonder which of all these should be said to go in the
Sakagami sits at the stage assistant's position, indicating she has
arrived at Mount Ōsaka. Semimaru, inside the hut,opens his fan and holds
it in his left hand as if playing his lute.
He lowers his head to give a sad expression to his mask.
Travelers and men on horses
Riding to and from the Capital,
Many people, dressed for their journeys,
Will drench their sleeves in sudden showers
How hard it is to abandon him,
To leave him all alone—
How hard it is to abandon him,
To tear ourselves away.
Kiyotsura bows to Semimaru.
But even farewells must have an end;
By the light of the daybreak moon
Stifling tears that have no end, they depart.
Weeping, Kiyotsura goes to the bridgeway.
Semimaru, the Prince, left behind alone,
Takes in his arms his lute, his one possession,
Clutches his staff and falls down weeping.
Semimaru picks up the staff and kasa, comes
forward, and turns toward the departing Kiyotsura. Kiyotsura stops at the
second pine and looks back at him, then exits. Semimaru retreats, kneels,
drops his kasa and staff, and weeps. Hakuga
no Sammi enters and stands at the naming-place.
Hakuga
I am Hakuga no Sammi.
[8]8
I have learned that Prince Semimaru has been abandoned on Mount Ōsaka and
it pains me so much to think of him at the mercy of the rain and dew that
I have decided to build a straw hut where he may live.
He opens the door, of the hut, then goes to Semimaru at the shite-pillar.
The hut is ready at last, I shall inform him of this.
He bows to Semimaru.
Pardon me, sir; Hakuga is before you. If you stay here in this way, you
will be soaked by the rain. I have built you a straw hut and I hope you
will live in it. Please, come with me.
He takes Semimaru's hand and leads him inside the hut, then steps back and
bows.
If ever you need anything, you have only to summon me, Hakuga no Sammi. I
shall always be ready to serve you. I take my leave of you for now.
He closes the door of the hut, then exits. Sakagami enters
wearing the zō mask. Her robe is folded back
from her right shoulder indicating that she is deranged. She stops at the
first pine.
蝉丸
「誰そや此藁屋の外面に音するは。此程をりをりとぶらはれつる。博雅の三位にてましますか。
Semimaru
Who is there? Who's making that noise outside my hut?
Hakuga no Sammi, lately you've been coming
From time to time to visit me—is that you?
シテ詞
「近づき聲をよくよく聞けば。弟の宮の聲なりけり。なふ逆髪こそ參りたれ。蝉丸は内にましますか。
Sakagami
As I approach and listen carefully—that's the voice of my
brother, the Prince!
It's Sakagami! I'm here!
Semimaru, is that you inside?
蝉丸
「何逆髪とは姉宮かと。驚き藁屋の戸を明くれば。
Semimaru
Can it be my sister, the Princess?
Amazed, he opens the door of his hut.
Taking his staff he rises and opens the door.
シテ
屬気〓淺ましき御有樣。
Sakagami
Oh—how wretched you look!
She comes up to Semimaru as he emerges from the hut.
蝉丸
「互に手に手を
取りかはし。
Semimaru
They take each other hand in hand
They place their hands on each other's shoulders and kneel.
シテ
「弟の宮か。
Sakagami
My royal brother,
is that indeed you?
蝉丸
「姉宮かと。
Semimaru
My royal sister,
is that indeed you?
地
「共に御名を木綿附の。鳥も音を鳴く逢坂の。せきあへぬ御涙。互に袖やしをるらん。
Chorus
They speak each other's names as in one voice.
Birds are also crying, here at Ōsaka,
Barrier of meeting—but no barrier
Holds back the tears that soak each other's sleeves.
Both weep. During the following passage Sakagami returns to the middle of
the stage and kneels.
Japanese Text Initiative
Electronic Text Center | University of Virginia Library
PO Box 400148 | Charlottesville VA 22904-4148
434.243.8800 | fax: 434.924.1431