Shadowings Part 18

When I think about him!

I--doing nothing at all,-- Even on this spring-day, Even this spring-day, Even this spring-day, Even this spring-day, Even on this spring-day!--

[93] It was formerly the custom to shave the heads of boys, leaving only a tuft or lock of hair on either temple. Such a lock was called _agemaki_, a word also meaning "ta.s.sel"; and eventually the term came to signify a boy or lad. In these songs it is used as a term of endearment,--much as an English girl might speak of her sweetheart as "my dear lad," or "my darling boy."

Other forms of repet.i.tion and of refrain are furnished in the two following lyrics:--

BINDATARA

(_Supposed to have been composed as early as the twelfth century_)

Bindatara wo Ayugaseba koso, Ayugaseba koso, Aikyo zuitare!

_Yareko toto, Yareko toto!_

With loosened hair,-- Only because of having tossed it, Only because of having shaken it,-- Oh, sweet she is!

_Yareko toto!

Yareko toto!_

SAMA WA TENNIN

(_Probably from the sixteenth century_)

Sama wa tennin!

_Sore-sore_, _Tontorori!_

Otome no sugata k.u.mo no kayoiji Chirato mita!

_Tontorori!_

Otome no sugata k.u.mo no kayoiji Chirato mita!

_Tontorori!_

My beloved an angel is![94]

_Sore-sore!_ _Tontorori!_

The maiden's form, In the pa.s.sing of clouds, In a glimpse I saw!

_Tontorori!_

The maiden's form, In the pa.s.sage of clouds, In a glimpse I saw!

_Tontorori!_

[94] Lit., "a Tennin";--that is to say, an inhabitant of the Buddhist heaven. The Tennin are usually represented as beautiful maidens.

My next selection is from a love-song of uncertain date, belonging to the Kamakura period (1186-1332). This fragment is chiefly remarkable for its Buddhist allusions, and for its very regular form of stanza:--

Makoto yara, Kas.h.i.+ma no minato ni Miroku no mifune ga Tsuite gozarimosu.

_Yono!_ _Sa iyoe, iyoe!_ _Sa iyoe, iyoe!_

Hobas.h.i.+ra wa, Kogane no hobas.h.i.+ra; Ho niwa Hokkekyo no Go no man-makimono.

_Sa iyoe, iyoe!_ _Sa iyoe, iyoe!_

I know not if 't is true That to the port of Kas.h.i.+ma The august s.h.i.+p of Miroku[95] has come!

_Yono!_ _Sa iyoe, iyoe!_ _Sa iyoe, iyoe!_

[95] Miroku Bosatsu (Maitreya Bodhisattva) is the next great Buddha to come.

As for the mast, It is a mast of gold;-- The sail is the fifth august roll Of the Hokkekyo![96]

_Sa iyoe, iyoe!_ _Sa iyoe, iyoe_

[96] j.a.panese popular name for the Chinese version of the Saddharma Pundarika Sutra.--Many of the old Buddhist scriptures were written upon long scrolls, called _makimono_,--a name also given to pictures printed upon long rolls of silk or paper.

Otherwise interesting, with its queer refrain, is another song called "Agemaki,"--belonging to one of the curious cla.s.s of lyrical dramas known as _Saibara_. This may be found fault with as somewhat "free"; but I cannot think it more open to objection than some of our much-admired Elizabethan songs which were probably produced at about the same time:--

AGeMAKI

(_Probably from the sixteenth century_)

Agemaki ya!

_Tonton!_ Hiro bakari ya-- _Tonton!_ Sakarite netaredomo, Marobi-ainikeri,-- _Tonton!_ Kayori-ainikeri, _Tonton!_

Oh! my darling boy!

_Tonton!_ Though a fathom[97] apart, _Tonton!_ Sleeping separated, By rolling we came together!

_Tonton!_ By slow approaches we came together, _Tonton!_

[97] Lit., "_hiro_." The _hiro_ is a measure of about five feet English, and is used to measure breadth as well as depth.

My next group of selections consists of "local songs"--by which term the collector means songs peculiar to particular districts or provinces.

They are old--though less old than the compositions previously cited;--and their interest is chiefly emotional. But several, it will be observed, have curious refrains. Songs of this sort are sung especially at the village-dances--_Bon-odori_ and _Honen-odori_:--

LOVE-SONG

(_Province of Echigo_)

Hana ka?--chocho ka?

Chocho ka?--hana ka?