Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things Part 10

[Perched upon the temple-bell, the b.u.t.terfly sleeps:]

Neru-uchi mo Asobu-yume wo ya-- Kusa no cho!

[Even while sleeping, its dream is of play--ah, the b.u.t.terfly of the gra.s.s! [4]

Oki, oki yo!

Waga tomo ni sen, Neru-kocho!

[Wake up! wake up!--I will make thee my comrade, thou sleeping b.u.t.terfly. [5]]

Kago no tori Cho wo urayamu Metsuki kana!

[Ah, the sad expression in the eyes of that caged bird!--envying the b.u.t.terfly!]

Cho tonde-- Kaze naki hi to mo Miezari ki!

[Even though it did not appear to be a windy day, [6] the fluttering of the b.u.t.terflies--!]

Rakkwa eda ni Kaeru to mireba-- Kocho kana!

[When I saw the fallen flower return to the branch--lo! it was only a b.u.t.terfly! [7]]

Chiru-hana ni-- Karusa arasou Kocho kana!

[How the b.u.t.terfly strives to compete in lightness with the falling flowers! [8]]

Chocho ya!

Onna no michi no Ato ya saki!

[See that b.u.t.terfly on the woman's path,--now fluttering behind her, now before!]

Chocho ya!

Hana-nusubito wo Tsukete-yuku!

[Ha! the b.u.t.terfly!--it is following the person who stole the flowers!]

Aki no cho Tomo nakereba ya; Hito ni tsuku

[Poor autumn b.u.t.terfly!--when left without a comrade (of its own race), it follows after man (or "a person")!]

Owarete mo, Isoganu furi no Chocho kana!

[Ah, the b.u.t.terfly! Even when chased, it never has the air of being in a hurry.]

Cho wa mina Jiu-s.h.i.+chi-hachi no Sugata kana!

[As for b.u.t.terflies, they all have the appearance of being about seventeen or eighteen years old.[9]]

Cho tobu ya-- Kono yo no urami Naki yo ni!

[How the b.u.t.terfly sports,--just as if there were no enmity (or "envy") in this world!]

Cho tobu ya, Kono yo ni nozomi Nai yo ni!

[Ah, the b.u.t.terfly!--it sports about as if it had nothing more to desire in this present state of existence.]

Nami no hana ni Tomari kanetaru, Kocho kana!

[Having found it difficult indeed to perch upon the (foam-) blossoms of the waves,--alas for the b.u.t.terfly!]

Mutsumas.h.i.+ ya!-- Umare-kawareba n.o.be no cho. [10]

[If (in our next existence) we be born into the state of b.u.t.terflies upon the moor, then perchance we may be happy together!]

Nades.h.i.+ko ni Chocho s.h.i.+ros.h.i.+-- Tare no kon? [11]

[On the pink-flower there is a white b.u.t.terfly: whose spirit, I wonder?]

Ichi-nichi no Tsuma to miekeri-- Cho futatsu.

[The one-day wife has at last appeared--a pair of b.u.t.terflies!]

Kite wa mau, Futari s.h.i.+dzuka no Kocho kana!

[Approaching they dance; but when the two meet at last they are very quiet, the b.u.t.terflies!]

Cho wo ou Kokoro-mochitas.h.i.+ Itsumademo!

[Would that I might always have the heart (desire) of chasing b.u.t.terflies![12]]