University of Virginia Library

KUMASAKA

A Play in two Acts, by Ujinobu, adopted
son of Motokiyo

Characters

A Priest.

First Shite, or Hero,

• the apparition of Kumasaka
  in the form of an old priest.

Second Shite,

• the apparition of Kumasaka in his
  true form.

Chorus.

• This chorus sometimes speaks what the
  chief characters are thinking, sometimes it
  describes or interprets the meaning of their
  movements.

Plot.—The ghost of Kumasaka makes reparation
for his brigandage by protecting the
country. He comes back to praise the bravery
of the young man who had killed him in single
combat.

Priest

Where shall I rest, wandering weary of the
world? I am a city-bred priest, I have not

seen the east counties, and I've a mind to go
there. Crossing the hills, I look on the lake
of Omi, on the woods of Awatsu. Going over
the long bridge at Seta, I rested a night at
Noji, and another at Shinohara, and at the dawn
I came to the green field, Awono in Miwo. I
now pass Akasaka at sunset.

Shite
(in the form of an old priest)

I could tell that priest a thing or two.

Priest

Do you mean me? What is it?

Shite

A certain man died on this day. I ask you
to pray for him.

Priest

All right; but whom shall I pray for?

Shite

I will not tell you his name, but his grave lies
in the green field beyond that tall pine tree.
He cannot enter the gates of Paradise, and so
I ask you to pray.

Priest

But I do not think it is right for me to pray
unless you tell me his name.

Shite

No, no; you can pray the prayer, Ho kai
shujo biodo ri aku; that would do.

Priest
(praying)

Unto all mortals let there be equal grace, to
pass from this life of agony by the gates of
death into law; into the peaceful kingdom.

Shite
(saying first a word or two)

If you pray for him,—

Chorus
(continuing the sentence)

—If you pray with the prayer of "Exeat"
he will be thankful, and you need not then
know his name. They say that prayer can
be heard for even the grass and the plants,
for even the sand and the soil here; and they
will surely hear it, if you pray for an unknown
man.

Shite

Will you come in? This is my cottage.

Priest

This is your house? Very well, I will hold
the service in your house; but I see no picture
of Buddha nor any wooden image in this
cottage—nothing but a long spear on one wall
and an iron stick in place of a priest's wand,
and many arrows. What are these for?

Shite
(thinking)

Yes, this priest is still in the first stage of
faith. (Aloud.)
As you see, there are many
villages here: Tarui, Awohaka, and Akasaka.
But the tall grass of Awo-no-gahara grows
round the roads between them, and the forest
is thick at Koyasu and Awohaka, and many
robbers come out under the rains. They
attack the baggage on horseback, and take the
clothing of maids and servants who pass here.
So I go out with his spear.

Priest

That's very fine, isn't it?

Chorus

You will think it very strange for a priest
to do this, but even Buddha has the sharp
sword of Mida, and Aizen Miowo has arrows,
and Tamon, taking his long spear, throws
down the evil spirits.

Shite

The deep love—

Chorus

—is excellent. Good feeling and keeping
order are much more excellent than the love
of Bosatsu. "I think of these matters and
know little of anything else. It is from my
own heart that I am lost, wandering. But if I
begin talking I shall keep on talking until dawn.
Go to bed, good father, I will sleep too."

He seemed to be going to his bedroom, but
suddenly his figure disappeared, and the cottage
became a field of grass. The priest passes the
night under the pine trees.

Priest

I cannot sleep out the night. Perhaps if
I held my service during the night under this
pine tree—

[He begins his service for the dead man.

PART SECOND

Second Shite

There are winds in the east and south; the
clouds are not calm in the west; and in the
north the wind of the dark evening blusters;
and under the shade of the mountain—

Chorus

—there is a rustling of boughs and leaves.

Second Shite

Perhaps there will be moonshine to-night,
but the clouds veil the sky; the moon will
nor break up their shadow. "Have at them!"
"Ho, there!" "Dash in!" That is the
way I would shout, calling and ordering my
men before and behind, my bowmen and
horsemen. I plundered men of their treasure,
that was my work in the world, and now I
must go on; it is sorry work for a spirit.

Priest

Are you Kumasaka Chohan? Tell me the
tale of your years.

Second Shite
(now known as Kumasaka)

There were great merchants in Sanjo, Yoshitsugu,
and Nobutaka; they collected treasure
each year; they sent rich goods up to Oku.
It was then I assailed their trains. Would you
know what men were with me?

Priest

Tell me the chief men; were they from
many a province?

Kumasaka

There was Kakusho of Kawachi, there were
the two brothers Suriharitaro; they have no
rivals in fencing.[1]

Priest

What chiefs came to you from the city?

Kumasaka

Emon of Sanjo, Kozari of Mibu.

Priest

In the fighting with torches and in mêlée—

Kumasaka

—they had no equals.

Priest

In northern Hakoku?

Kumasaka

Were Aso no Matsuwaka and Mikune no
Kuro.

Priest

In Kaga?

Kumasaka

No, Chohan was the head there. There
were seventy comrades who were very strong
and skilful.

Chorus

While Yoshitsugu was going along in the
fields and on the mountains, we set many
spies to take him.

Kumasaka

Let us say that he is come to the village of
Akasaka. This is the best place to attack him.
There are many ways to escape if we are
defeated, and he has invited many guests and
has had a great feast at the inn.

Priest

When the night was advanced the brothers
Yoshitsugu and Nobutaka fell asleep.

Kumasaka

But there was a small boy with keen eyes,
about sixteen or seventeen years old, and he
was looking through a little hole in the partition,
alert to the slightest noise.

Priest

He did not sleep even a wink.

Kumasaka

We did not know it was Ushiwaka.

Priest

It was fate.

Kumasaka

The hour had come.

Priest

Be quick!

Kumasaka

Have at them!

Chorus
(describing the original combat, now
symbolized in the dance)

At this word they rushed in, one after
another. They seized the torches; it seemed
as if gods could not face them. Ushiwaka
stood unafraid; he seized a small halberd and
fought like a lion in earnest, like a tiger rushing,
like a bird swooping. He fought so cleverly
that he felled the thirteen who opposed him;
many were wounded besides. They fled without
swords or arrows. Then Kumasaka said,
"Are you the devil? Is it a god who has
struck down these men with such ease? Perhaps
you are not a man. However, dead men
take no plunder, and I'd rather leave this
truck of Yoshitsugu's than my corpse." So
he took his long spear and was about to make
off—

Kumasaka

—But Kumasaka thought—

Chorus
(taking it up)

—What can he do, that young chap, if I ply
my secret arts freely? Be he god or devil, I
will grasp him and grind him. I will offer

his body as sacrifice to those whom he has
slain. So he drew back, and holding his long
spear against his side, he hid himself behind
the door and stared at the young lad. Ushiwaka
beheld him, and holding his bill at his
side, he crouched at a little distance. Kumasaka
waited likewise. They both waited, alertly;
then Kumasaka stepped forth swiftly with his
left foot, and struck out with the long spear.
It would have run through an iron wall.
Ushiwaka parried it lightly, swept it away,
left volted. Kumasaka followed and again
lunged out with the spear, and Ushiwaka
parried the spear-blade quite lightly. Then
Kumasaka turned the edge of his spear-blade
towards Ushiwaka and slashed at him, and
Ushiwaka leaped to the right. Kumasaka
lifted his spear and the two weapons were
twisted together. Ushiwaka drew back his
blade. Kumasaka swung with his spear. Ushiwaka
led up and stepped in shadow.

Kumasaka tried to find him, and Ushiwaka
slit through the back-chink of his armour;
this seemed the end of his course, and he was
wroth to be slain by such a young boy.

Kumasaka

Slowly the wound—

Chorus

—seemed to pierce; his heart failed; weakness
o'ercame him.

Kumasaka

At the foot of this pine tree—

Chorus

—he vanished like a dew.

And so saying, he disappeared among the
shades of the pine tree at Akasaka, and night
fell.