251
THE
Takizawa
Bakin's
BOW-SHAPED
MOON
(YUMIHARIZUKI)
Chapters
XXXVIII,
XXXIX,
XL
Translated
by
Hiroshi
Kitaga`va
Translator's Note
Asummary
of fourteen
chapters(XXIV-XXXVII)from
The
Bow-Shaped
Moon
is given
below
in preparation
for the reading
of the present
selections(XXXVIII,
XXXIX&XL).
For the first twenty・three
chapters,
the reader should consult the Cultural
Science Editions
No.34(March,1976),
No.35(November,1976),
and No.36(March,1977)of
the Hikone
Ronso・
Tametomo continued to sail with his daughter, Shimagimi, and finally
arrived at Auhi no Ura in Sanuki Province. There he was able to rescue
Suenori, the father-in.law of his brother, Yoshitomo, from the assault of a
band of pirates led by Uzumaru. Entrusting Shimagimi to Suenori,
Tame-tomo went to visit Emperor Sutoku's tomb. Eager to serve the emperor
in the world beyond,・he.was about to kill himself when he lost control of
his limbs. He fell玉nto a trance, in which he was advised by the emperor
not to die, but to go to Higo Province. Following this advice, he went to
Mount Kihara in Higo and met his wife, Shiranui and his retainer, Kiheiji.
252
Sutemaru.
Meanwhile,
Tomowaka,
who
had flown
on a great kite from
Oshima
to Izu, became
thirteen
years old in Shimotsuke
Province.
While
praying
at Hachiman
Shrine
in Ashikaga,
he had. a dream.
In the dream
a sacred
1)
boy appeared with the nusa and advised him to travel with it as guide to
meet his mother二 Awakening from the dream, he found the nusa on his
knee, and so he set out for the western provinces, accompanied by Tokikazu.
At Miyahara, a village near Higo, they were attacked by the・pirate Uzumaru,
and Tokikazu was killed.(Later he was revived by the magic power.of the
nusa.) After avenging the death of Tokikazu, Tomowaka ran all night, led
by a strange fire bolt, and found himself on Mount Kihara. When he saw
Shiranui, lie received the skull of his mother, Sasarae. Unable to see his
father, Tametomo, he sadly left the mountain and returned to Shimotsuke
Province.
At this time, Tametomo decided to go to Kyoto and stage a surprise
attack against Kiyomori. Accompanied by Shiranui, Sutemaru, and twenty
retainers, Tametomo left his hiding place on Mount Kihara and his party
embarked in two fishing boats at Mizumata. During the voyage a storm
arose, and when shipwreck seemed imminent Shiranui offered her life to
calm the angry sea. The storm, however, did not subside. Losing sight of
Sutemaru's boat, Tametomo was about'to kill himself when a number of 2)
tengu appeared along the gunwale and, bailing water from the boat, enabled
him to resume sailing.
The boat that carried Sutemaru and Kiheiji crashed against a rock, and
they were hurled into the sea. Kiheiji was an excellent swimmer, and so
he soon appeared on the waves holding Sutemaru. Rescued by a great shark
・1)Apaper festooned wooden stick used by a Shinto priest to purify worshipers. 2)Asupernatural being with a red face and a long nose. 一
THE BOW-SHAPED MOON(YUMIHARIZUKI) 253
possessed by the spirits of Sutemaru's retainers, Motoakira and his wife, they
reached Kowaj三ma, one of the Ryukyu Islands. There a hermit revived the
drowned Sutemaru and taught Kiheiji how to・live on the island and how
to bring up Sutemaru to be a fine warrior. 層
At this point(Chapter'XXXII)the scene of the story changes from
Japan to Ryukyu, and the narration in the subsequent twelve chapters turns
back about twenty years to the t五me when Tametomo was still in Kyushu.
Th・ ・e chapters, h・w・v・ ・,・ ・e imp・ ・t・nt, f・・th・y・e・ve a・Ap・el・d・t・
Tametomo's involvement in the struggle for power in Ryukyu, which is the
primary theme of the second half of the work..
At the time of Tametomo, Ryukyu was ruled by King Shonei. A man
of weak character, he easily gave in to the appeals of his wife, the queen,
and the treacherous minister, RiyU. Only Kokutei, the governor of Naka.
kusuku, was loyal to the king and from time to time prevented him from
misruling.
Shonei had a daughter, Nei, not by the queen, but by his consort, Ren.
The jealous queen, therefore, plotted with Riyu to do away with Nei。
Taking advantage of the people's.sufferings caused by a series of storms,
コ
the plotters spread a rumor:``The kinn decided on Nei's succession to the
throne, disregarding the advice of his loyal retainer, and so the gods became
angry and sent disasters to the country." They then had a false divination
made:``lf a girl who was born on'the day, the month, and the year of
the dragon is thrown as a sacrifice into the sea, the wrath of the gods shall
be assuaged." Foolishly, Shonei did not connect the divination with Nei's
date of birth, and he issued a command that a girl born on that date offer
254
m・ther'・half・ ・i・t・・, M・n・ ・uru, wh・ ・e d・t・ ・f bi・th w・ ・the same a・N・i・ ・ ,
volunteered to sacrifice herself instead. However, Kokutei;s witty interces.
sion with the king enabled Nei and Manazuru to remain safe .
When he found his mistake in believing the false divination, Sh6nei
became excessively curious as to why diviners could foretell the fortune of
the year by praying at the tomb of the dragon on Mount Kyukyu.・Despite
Kokutei's.earnest dissuas呈on, Shonei had the tomb unearthed to see what
was inside. When his servants dug about ten feet, they came upon a stone
box and heard the beautiful sound of a metal bell coming from within .
But the moment they tried to remove the lid, the box exploded . Then,
slowly, a cloud of smoke rose, and a monstrous hermit, Moun, appeared 。
Awe.stricken, Shonei and all the others except Kokutei adored him. Kokutei,
however, felt uncanny about him and thought that they had freed a devil
from his confinement. The queen and Riyu soon obtained support from
M6.un and plotted again to .do away with Nei.
Meanwhile, on Sh6ryukyu, an island about a three-day voyage from the
main island of Ryukyu, a strange phenomenon took place;the stone
monu-ment which Tensonshi, the founder of the country, had built cried every
night. At this news, Shonei dispatched Kokutei to Shoryukyu to investigate .
The plotters took advantage of Kokutei's absence to accuse Nei of having
の
lost one of a pair of jewels belonging to the throne, and banished her and
her mother to the forbidding shore near the foot of Mount Kyukyu. Just
at this time Tametomo first sailed to Ryukyu in search of the crane he had
released. And when he obtained it from Nei, he exchanged a precious jewel
for it(Chapter VI).
Upon hearing that Nei regained the jewel, Shonei immediately demanded her attendance at the court with it. When she presented the jewel, M6un
THE BOW」SHAPED MOON(YUMIHARIZUKI) 255
into confinement at Nakakusuku. Unable to do away with Nei, the queen
fell into despondency and, advised by Moun to misconduct herself, she com.
m三tted adultery.with Riyu, Years had passed, but she did not have a child。.
Riyn, for his part, became more and more eccentric in administration.
Chapter
XXXVIII
Sh5ju
and IVianazuru
Live Apart
after a Single
Night
of Bliss
'
Moun
Controls
the Magic
Mirror
and
Separates
the
King
from
Nei and Ren
Several springs and autumns had quickly passed since Princess Nei and
Consort Ren were confined to their palace at Nakakusuku. Having rendered
them powerless, the queen and Riyu felt secure and tried to jeopardise them
no longer. Nei was content with her fate, for she preferred a simple life
to the constantly bustling and demanding life of a princess. She was not
only wise and beautiful but also profoundly faithful to her parents. Well
aware of her◎utstanding virtue, perhaps it was the gods who had come to
her aid three times before. Of course, Kokutei was very cautious in order
to avoid suspicion among the conspirators led by the queen and Riyu.
Therefore, he did not visit the Seishi-den hall very often.
One late evening, however, Kokutei visited Nei and Ren. Seeing their
delight at receiving h1m, he loathed the fleeting world and regretted that
he could not visit them freely。 As he sat at the end of the drawing room,
he saw the badly worn mats and a faded scarlet加kama hanging on a screen.
Outside the window the rain fell on a cobweb that a spider had proudly
woven. Looking up at the ceiling woven from bamboo, he saw a stain
256
apitiful fate it was for Nei to abandon the 、right of succeeding to the throne!
Kokutei could not speak for tears,
The princess had Manazuru bring tea to entertain Kokutei and then
asked:``ls there any reason for your visit so late at night?"Approaching
her on his knees, Kokutei replied:"Yes, Your Highness . Ifear my visit
in the dayt三me may raise suspicion, I have not come to surprise you but to
tell you of my plan. As you know, Manazuru is the daughter of the loyal
retainer, Juntoku, and the half・sister of Consort Ren. She is indeed your
relative on your mother's side. As you can see from her faithful services
to you over these past few years, her loyalty is not at all inferior to that
of her parents, And her filial piety is admired by all.. If she joins with
some young warrior, it will be strategically advantageous to you. I have
chosen a young man whom I can rely upon in times of cr互s量s. Iwant Manazuru to marry him. However, their marriage must be kept secret .
Otherwise中e conspirators will become suspicious.
``The young man whom I have chosen is Shoju, the son of To, a native
of Kuba in Nakakusuku. Three years ago the authorities of Kuba sent him
to the capital to let him serve as guard to the king。 Since childhood Shoju
has earnestly pursued his studies in both civil and military arts. In order
to train himself in these arts, he traveled to Shuri time and time again .
One day, when he was fifteen, along the mountain path to Shuri
, he took
shelter from a sudden shower at a hunter's cottage. At that time a woman
possessed by an evil spirit appeared in the form of a venomous serpent.
Shoju killed her with a single blow of his sword. With this incident his
prowess became known throughout the country. Since the time of his parents'
death he has devoted'himself in the service of the king. He is a little
more than twenty years old。
THE BOW-SHAPED MOON(YUMIHARIZUKI) 257
to him so that he would work for me as a spy. Pretending to curry favor
with Riyu, Shoju has been informing me of the【secrets of the treacherous`
conspirators. If I act as go.between, he will surely agree with me for the
cause of loyalty. Then you will be guarded'by him outside and ser†ed by
Manazuru inside, and remain safe whatever evil plans the queen lays against
you. What does Your Highness think of my plan?"
The princess and her mother were greatly pleased. ``Though she was
born to my stepmother, Manazuru is my sister." Ren replied,"I believe it
is most fortunate for her that you have found a good match." Then turning
to Manazuru, Ren asked:"What have you to say in reply to Kokutei's
plan?"Blushing, Manazuru replied:"Marriage is the conduct of an ordinary
woman. A girl such as I is not supposed to...."However, earnestly persuaded
by Nei and Ren, she finally agreed to marry Shoju.
At dawn, the ne支t day, Kokutei left Nakakusuku for Shuri and, visiting
Sh6ju, obtained his agreement. Kokutei chose a lucky day for the wedding
ceremony. When that day came, he secretly summoned Shoju to the
Seishi-den hall and introduced him to Ne五and Ren. That night the ceremony
was performed informally, and Shoju shared the same bed with Manazuru.
But this was their only endearment in this world.・Even after a single night
of bliss, a faithful couple, though living apart, can share pleasures and suf・
ferings for many years to come. The fate of Shoju and Manazuru was more
pathetic than that of the Herd Boy and the Weaving Girl who, only once
ayear, row their boats across the Milky Way for their meeting in the sky.
Meanwhile, the queen continued to indulge in carnal pleasures with
many beautiful boys in the hope of bearing a child. Her sexual indulgence 1) 2)
exceeded even that of Chao Fei.yen or Komyo. In this manner seventeen
1)Wife of Emperor Hsiao Ch'eng in the Former Han dynasty, she competed層With
258
years elapsed.
With
each spring the branches
of trees bear less brilliant
' blossoms;with
each autumn
the roots of trees grow
old and weak.
The
queen
who
was about to turn fifty regretted
the fading
of her beauty
but
could do nothing about it. Above all, it'was a great pity for her that she
could not bear a child.
King
Shonei
was a man
of weak
character.
Therefore,
as he advanced
in years, he became more and more negligent of his administrative duties.
Lending no ears to the petitions of the people, he entrusted everything to'
Moun and Riyu and only enjoyed hunting'with hawks and.taking excursions,
The king lamented his old age, and one day said to the queen:``Because
of our wrong・doings in a former life, we have been unable to have a child.
Iam more than sixty years old now. The ministers advise me to decide
on my successor as soon as possible. Many years have passed since I confined
Nei to Nakakusuku. She is over thirty years old。'I think it is about time
Ishould forgive her. Iremember Kokutei's thoughtful advice given to me
many years ago. Iwant you to agree with me, so that I can enthrone
her."
The queen knitted her brow and replied:``I am glad'to hear your
intention, for it has been』my hope that Princess・Nei should succeed to the
throne. However, I have felt some changes within my body since last
winter, though the court doctor cannot yet confirm my pregnancy. I cannot
be sure myself, for it is incredible that I should bear a child at such an old
age. Long before, the reverend Moun prophesied that I would have a prince.
Ibeg you to consult him first and then tell your decision to the ministers."
The next day the king summoned Moun, Riyu and others to the Dragon
2) Daughter of Fujiwara Fuhito and wife of Emperor Shomu. It is legendary
that she had a bathhouse built within her palace and bathed together with a thousand men.
THE BOW-SHAPED MOON(YUMIHARIZUKI) 259
Castle for a council. At a sign from the queen, Moun proceeded with his
plan, saying:"Your Majesty is deeply merciful and does not forget about
Princess Nei.' To restore the status of crown princess to her'may be
considered a reasonable decision, but I do not think so. It will bring nothing
meritorius to the country, because the queen will soon have a child. In reply
to my prayers,・. one of the gods has been reincarnated in the womb of the
queen. This is why her physical condition looks normal, and others cannot
see that she is with child. No doubt a prince will be born soon. Then
you will regret your hasty decision. To噛make matters worse, the pure line
of succession from Tensonshi will cease at the moment Princess・Nei is
enthroned. It requires great courage to speak the truth, but let me dare to
reveal it to Your Majesty. Princess Nei is not your daughter but Kokutei's.
Before Ren became consort to you, she had slept with Kokutei because of
their intimacy as cousins. Therefore, when Ren responded to your summons,
she was already with child. Receiving your great favor, Ren let it be known
that she was del互vered of your daughter. She could・deceive Heaven but
not M6un。 Kokutei did not hesitate to intercede with you for Princess Nei
over and over, simply because he wanted his daughter to reign over the
country. Your Majesty did not discover the plan that Kokutei has so long
kept to himself. Y(・ars ago, when you made Nei the'crown princess,
Kinmanmon and the spirits of your ancestors became angry and sent disasters
to the country. Kinmanmon then stole one of the jewels to prevent you
from giving the throne to her. Ihave kept this truth・asecret, but today
Imust reveal.it to you lest you make a great mistake. Ibeg of Your
Majesty to surmise what I have excluded in my speech,"
The queen pretended to be taken aback and, turning to Riyu, sorrowfully
said:"How strange!Who knew that Princess Nei is the sin-born daughter
260
false loyalty!We can measure the depths of the deepest ocean, but(皿nnot
fathom the hearts.of men and women in the world." Then Riyu said to
M6un:"I do not mean to doubt your reverence's clear judgment. But
since the princess and her mother were confined to their palace, Kokutei
has secretly visited them, perhaps fearing the censure of the.world.'If he
had intended to enthrone Princess Nei, would he have spent these twenty・
years in vain?Cunning as he is, I cannot understand why he has not led a
rebellion against His Majesty."
、 At this inquiry Moun straightened himself and replied with mocking
laughter:``I never expected to hear such an inquiry from Lord Riya.
Kokutei has not raised a rebellion, simply because you and I have stood by
His Majesty. Though he has left his wicked ambition unexecuted, he has
secretly visited Consort Ren night and day and has indulged in carnal pleasures
with her. Thus patiently he has looked forward to seeing His Majesty
grow old and die.. Not knowing of his true intention, the king entrusted
the princess and her mother'to him. This was like sending food to a robber.
It is nonsense.to believe Kokutei's loyalty."With this Moun reduced Riyu
and all the nobles to silence.
King Sh6nei's surprise was greater than that of any of the others.
Cover三ng his face with both hands, he could do nothing but sigh. After a
while, he finally mumbled to Moun:"lf the treacherous acts of Ren and
. Kokutei are true, their crime is as serious as one of the Five Cardinal
Cri血es. But how can you give evidence that Nei is Kokutei"s daughter?
Adoubtful offense should not be punished....""Your Majesty,"replied
M6un,"you are so merciful that you are reluctant to punish offenders. I
pray you to lend me a mirror so that I can project a p量cture of their adultery
upon it. Then you will have doubts no longer."
、、
THE
BOW-SHAPED
MOON(YUMIHARIZUKI)
261
the pillars in the direction
of Nakakusuku.
Moun
slowly
rose to his feet
and, walking
to the mirror, said:``By
my magic
power
of clairvoyance
you
shall'watch
the adulterous
scene of Kokutei
and Consort
Ren.
This mirror
3)
. Ipray
all of youwill
play
the
role
of
the
crystal
at
Emma's
hall
in
hell
to gaze upon
the mirror."
Moun
then offered
prayers
before
the mirror
three times。 The
eyes of the king and all were
focused
upon
the mirror
when
it lit
up like the full moon
and presented
the scene of the inner rooms
of the Seishi.den
hall that, though
dilapidated,
retained'traces
of its former
glory,
In the garden,
lotus flowers
and plum
blossoms'were
abloom,
and
birds in the trees sang mellowly. The fragrant buds of rosewoods mingling
with paulownia seemed to wait for winter. Birds with white foreheads and
blue wings pecked at the grain in the field. A kite flying in the sky added
charm to the scene. In the room visited by none but the wind rustling
through the pine trees and the sound of water flowing in the bamboo pipe,
Kokutei and Ren were waited upon by Manazuru, and they had some sake. ・ 4)
Intoxicated, Ren picked a jamisen and, while playing it, sang a song beautifully.
Kokutei used Ren's knee for pillow and fell into a doze. The scene in the
mirror looked like a reality.
With jealousy burning in his heart, the king breathed heavily and fell
from the royal seat. His hip hit hard against the floor, and he could not
rise to his feet. Helped by Riyu to raise himself, the king wiped his
driveling mouth and, looking to the right and left, cried:"What a fool I
have been!Avamp and a betrayer have deceived me for thirty long years.
3) According to a popular Buddhist belief the souls of the dead must travel along
the dark path to the hall of Emma, the lord of hell, where they are judged by means of the balance and the mirror of clear crystal that reflects all the sins they committed in this world.
262
Unaware of the fact that Nei is their sin.born daughter, I tried to enthrone'1
her. Riyi, lead your soldiers to Nakakusuku at once. Behead Ren, Kohutei
and Nei, and br三ng back their heads!"
Some wise courtiers knew that the king had been deceived by Moun's
magic arts again. In fear of Moun, however, none of them dared to speak
their'minds. They only bowed and pleaded with the king:``lf we send a
great army to attack Kokutei, it will bring confusion to the people. It
would be advisable to summon Kokutei and interrogate him first." Nodding
in reply, the king asked:``Then, whom shall we'send to Nakakusuku to
fetch him?" At this inquiry Riyu'replied:``Shoju is a brave and self・
assured warrior. Though he is one of Kokutei's disciples in military arts,
he loathes his master's treachery and comes to visit me quite often.
According to Shoju's secret information, Kokukitsu bears a grudge against
Kokutei for some reason.・lf we reveal our plan to these warriors and send
hem to Nakakusuku, they will surely bring back Kokutei." "Well, then,"
the king cried,``Shoju and Kokukitsu are commanded to carry out this
mtission!', . 』
Riyu summoned Shoju and Kokukitsu to his private quarters and, COIL・
veying to them the king's command, added:``Shortly after Kokutei.leaves
Nakakusuku with you for Shuri, both of you will pretend you have some
other duties in Nakakusuku so that you can part from him. Sh6ju, go to
the Seishi.den hall and, beheading Nei amd Ren, bring back their heads.
Kokukitsu, go to Kokutei's home and arrest his wife and children. I will
help you by sending some of my soldiers to Nakakusuku through a short cut.
This・is the golden opportunity to display your loyalty to the king!Be on
your way-now!,,
Shoju and Kokukitsu left the capital with a small band of attendants.
THE
BOW-SHAPED
MOON(YUMIHARIZUKI)
263
0ver.
Looking
back to make
sure that their attendants
were
far behind,
Shoju
whispered
to Kokukitsu:
``The
king
has long
been「deceived
by
M6un's magic arts and the queen has indulged in carnal pleasures with
many men。 This is the time for the conspirators to show their fangs.
Ignoring the three ethical principles, they are now trying to kill the princess
and the loyal retainer of the king. Our country is in a perilous』state, but
as petty officials, we are obliged to serve Riyu in everything. What a
mis-erable fate this is!" Kokukitsu replied:``lt is for a critical moment I董ke this
that we have pretended to curry favor with Moun and Riyu. We must inform
Lord Kokutei of the present situation and fight to the death in defense of
Princess Nei and Consort Ren." Hearing this courageous reply, Shoju nodded
profoundly and, joining with his attendants, hurried onward.
Chapter
XXXIX
AIong
the Mountain
Path
Kokutei
Meets
the Messengers
Riyii K:ills K:・kutei, the L・yal Retainer・f
the King
Kokutei
had not known
of the plot laid by Riyu and his allies,中ough
he had secretly l)een informed of a council for senior statesmen that would
discuss Nei's restoration to crown princess. Delighted, Kokutei first had
Manazuru convey the news to Princess Nei and Consort Ren, and then left
Nakakusuku for Shuri, accompanied by three attendants. He hoped to
confirm the situation. Along the mountain path halfway to Shuri, he came
upon the messengers from the capital.
Shoju and Kokukitsu caught sight of Kokutei far in the distance and
.cried out:"Lord Kokutei!We have brought the king's command!"Alighting
from his horse, Kokutei stood on the roadside to wait for the messengers.'
264
saddle and solemnly・said:``The king intends to'call back Princess Nei and
restore the title of crown princess to her. .His Majesty, therefore, would',
like all ministers and governors ,to meet in a council to discuss the matter
of succession. Hurry to the Dragon Castle!This量s truly the command of
the king。" ``I did not know that I would be summoned by the king,"
Kokutei respectfully replied. ``But I was .just on my way to Shuri.'It is
my good fortune
that・I have met you here.
Now
let me ride with you to
the capital."
Shoju
and Kokukitsu
saw
in Kokutei's
face not a speck of
suspicion but only delight, and they regretted that they could not speak the
truth in the presence
of their attendants.
Suppressing
their regret, Sh6ju
and Kokukitsu said:``No, we cannot a㏄ompany you to the capital
, for we must hurry to the Seishi.den hall to convey the king's message to Pr三ncess
Nei and Consort Ren."
Bidding them farewell, Kokutei sprang onto his horse and headed for 'th
e capital. However, when they were about five or six cho apart, Sh6ju
and Kokukitsu turned round their horses and spurred them to overtake
Kokutei. Approaching him, they cried:"Lord Kokutei!We have something
more to say." Kokutei. wheeled.his horse to meet them. Their attendants
were still far behind, and so they informed him of Moun's magic picture in
th『mirror and the plot'laid by the queen and Riyu.'``Things have come
to such a pass,"they added,``so you will be beheaded when you arrive at
Shuri. We pray you to hurry to the Seishi-den and, gathering loyal warriors,
defeat Moun and Riyu so that Princess Nei will be enthroned. If we remain
with the conspirators for your secret service, it will be simple for you to
defeat them. You should not waste time!"
Shaking his head, Kokutei replied:``You have been able to tell me the
true situation without the presence of your attendants because the gods and
THE
BOWLSHAPED
MOON(YUMIHARIZUKI)
265
Seishi-den,
the princess will be unable
to remain
faithful to her father
,
and
Iwill
be obliged
to bear disgrace
as an enemy
of the king
. Despite
our
efforts to be loyal, we will be condemned
as rebels.
An old saying has it
that you can be a lowly creature like a dog, if only you are loyal;that
would be better than 1〕eing disloyal. Perhaps I am fated to die today . I
pray you to help the princess and the consort to escape beyond the reach
of pursuit. If possible, help my family, too . My older son, Tsuru,1S
fourteen and my younger one, Kame, twelve. They already know right
from wrong. Let them understand how'faithfully I have served the king
and fought against enormous odds. Iwould like you to convey to them
my command that they serve Princess Nei at the sacrifice of their lives ."
At this point they saw their attendants approaching them, and so they could no longer dissuade Kokutei. Seeing him whip his horse and gallop
away, Kokukitsu whispered to Shoju:``Lord Kokutei is the most loyal of
the king's retainers!He is my kin. In return for his old favors , I will save his children at the risk of my life. You hurry to the Seishi.den and
help Princess Nei and Consort Ren flee to some safe place ." Smiling, Sh6ju
replied:``Do as you like。 For my part, I do not want to die in haste . If
atask is difficult and beyond my power, I will give it up. It is useless to
try to extinguish a fire with oil, or cast boiling water over hot water when
trying to cool it. Iwill keep my head lest I be ashamed of a rash act .'"
Incensed, Kokukitsu said:``You are seized with fear to say one thing and mean another. Coward as you are, I cannot trust that you will faithfully
serve Princess Nei. And yet, I cannot bustle about two duties . Imust
punish you before I go. Now draw your sword!"Kokukitsu was about to
fall upon Shoju, but Shoju smiled and replied:``How dare you act so
impatiently? You repay Lord Kokutei with valor, and I, with intelligence.
266
1resort to crafty tactics. But I cannot reveal them to you now. What is
the use of fighting between us?"Kokukitsu understood Shoju's farsightedness.
At this point attendants approached them, so they could argue no longer.
They took a short cut that lay between Miri and the shore, and spurred
their horses so recklessly that their attendants were again left・far behind.
In the meantime, urging his horse onward, Kokutei sped along his way
toward death. Though heavily burdened with a sense of loyalty, he now
felt his life was light. Even if he would plead his inn㏄ence over and over,
he thought, the king and his subjects would never recognize the truth of
his loyalty. And he prayed in his heart that after he died his spirit would
remain in this world to destroy the conspirators and help Princess Nei rise
to the'throne. Convinced of the true meaning of honor, he did not regret
that his name would be buried with his body.
At the main gate of the Dragon Castle, Kokutei alighted from his horse
and walked to the main hall. It was there that the. guards sprang from
behind the curtains and, surrounding him, attacked him with their spears.
Gripping the shaft of the spear that had pierced his side, Kokutei chanted
this farewell poem:
Like a dew-laden
flower
That
is past blooming
Ishall
vanish
Into the world
of no color.
That
is how
my life is.
The
words
of the poem.were
still on his lips when
one of the
brandished
his sword
from
behind.
Kokutei's
head fell.
Kokutei
had been a man
of unrivalled
loyalty, courage,
and wis
guards
' .
THEB
OW-SHAPED
MOON(YUMIHARIZUKI)
267
He
had crushed
many
plots laid by the treacherous
.conspirators
and
had
rescued
Princess Nei and Consort
Ren time and time again
. He had devoted
himself to the vital problems
of the country.
But still he had been neglected
by the imbecile
king.
The
repeated
slanders
against
him
finally executed
him. With his death heaven was darkened;the gods wept.
When the guards brought in Kokutei's head, Riyu placed it on a silver
plate and, showing it to all the courtiers, said:"We discovered each and
every plot laid by the rebel, Kokutei, and so we have executed him. As
for Princess Nei and Consort Ren, I have sent Shoju to Nakakusuku. Also,
Ihave commanded Kokukitsu to arrest Kokutei's wife and children. May
His Majesty set his mind at ease!May all the lords celebrate our victory!"
The courtiers were taken aback at the abrupt execution of Kokutei, but they
pretended to express their pleasure, saying:"We are more than happy, both
in publ1c・and'private, to see the rebel fall and the country enjoy peace.,,
At this point King Shonei turned to Moun and inquired:"Your reverence
has mentioned the queen's pregnancy. How soon will she be delivered of a
child?"As though meditating profoundly, Moun counted the days on his
fingers and replied:"Within this month, if early, or within forty or fifty
days, if late. The baby will be a prince, so Your Majesty's long cherished
hope will be realized." Greatly pleased, the king asked Moun to pray for
the safe delivery of the child."Even before Your Majesty's request ,"M6un
replied:"I have constantly prayed. What I am now concerned about 1S OUT
army which we dispatched to Nakakusuku. Shoju is an excellent young
warrior, but a great task like this cannot be entrusted to him alone. I
advise Your Majesty to command Lord Riyu to set out with his soldiers to
support Shoju."In full agreement with Moun, the king immediately ordered
Riy〔i'to reinforce Shoju. Delighted, Riyu dashed out. Standing near the
、
268
rushed onward.
ran after him.
Not to be left behind, his soldiers took'up their arms and
Chapter
XI・
Weeping,
Shoju
Beheads
Consort
Ben
Sh董ranui's
Spirit Possesses
Nei and Enables
Tier to Fight
Shoju and Kokukitsu thought that they should carry out their duties
before they were overtaken by their attendants or Riyu's soldiers. Arriving
at Nakakusuku, Kokukitsu parted from Shoju and headed for Kokutei's home.
Shoju alighted from his horse at the rear gate of the Seishi・den hall
and, passing through the wooded area within the gates, approached the hall.
At that mo'ment Princess Nei and Consort Ren were on the veranda, attended
by Manazuru. They were viewing the paulownia blossoms. Hearing Shoju's
footsteps, Manazuru recognized him and said:"Shoju has come. But why?"
Shδju sat'near the railing of the corridor and, weeping, bowed to the princess
and her mother. Tense with'apprehension, Consort Ren beckoned to him
and said:"lt is a long time since I saw you last, when you married Manazuru.
Princess Nei and I have almost forgotten your face, but Manazuru, as your
wife, recognized you by the sound of your footsteps!Your sudden visit
makes me feel uneasy. Now tell me what is going on in the capital and
how His Majesty is faring."
Shoju straightened h玉mself and replied:``lt is a pity that the Dragon
Castle is filled with treacherous subjects。" He・then told of Moun's magic
picture in the mirror, the king's summons of Kokutei, and Sh6ju's parting
with him along the mountain path. He also added:"When we arrived at
Nakakusuku, Kokukitsu hurried to Lord Kokutei's home to rescue his family.
THE
BOW-SHAPED
MOON(YUMIHARIZUKI)
269
.
soldiers will be here soon. Let me take you to some safe place."
Taken aback, Consort Ren looked behind her at her daughter and
Manazuru and, brushing away her tears, cried:"Ah, the gods in
heaven-have they forsaken us?What kind of heart must the king have to be easily
taken in by the slanderous accusation against me made by the jealous queen?
How can he doubt the truth that Nei is his own daughter?Ido not believe
that I can escape execution, so let me first put an end to myself and show
how faithful I am to the king. Ipray Shoju and Manazuru to escort the
princess to safety, whatever difficulties may lie before you." Saying this,
Consort Ren wept violently. The princess, Sh6ju, and Manazuru sought
words to comfort her."How can I bear to see you put an end to yourself,"
said the princess..``lf I alone hide myself hoping to vindicate myself, I will
be blamed for being unfaithful to my parents。 Please set your mind at
ease, for I am already determined to die. We must follow Kokutei to the
world beyond together."
The princess seemed resigned calmly to her fate. Shoju gave an eye
signal to Manazuru and, turning to the princess, said:"However wise your
words may be, Your Highness cannot go beyond the limits of a woman..
Death is not the only way for you to be faithful to your parents. Do you
not understand what you should do as a member of the royal family?Is it
not your duty to destroy the rebels and rescue the people from . their suffer.
ings? If we are attacked.by a great army, we will be unable to escape
arrest.,,
Shoju
discussed
with Manazuru
how
to flee for shelter.
They
feared
that the princess and her mother dressed in their royal robes would provoke
people's attention. At this point an idea flashed upon his mind. That day
the villagers of Kuba, Atsuta, Taema, Ijaξmd Shimabukuro were celel〕rating
270
had seen some of them march near the palace wearing fancy masks. Taking
down a flower basket from the eaves, Shoju asked the consort to carry it
on her back. Manazuru wore a lion mask and covered the princess with a
large p董ece of cloth attached to the mask. Thus disguising themselves as
festival dancers, the four left the Seishi-den hall to join the noisy parade.
L
There are various kinds of dances in Ryukyu. One of them is
called,`the flower dance,"because three dancers dressed in short brocade
coats wear flowers as hairpins and carry flower baskets on their backs.
This was the guise that Consort Ren adopted. Another is called``the
flower wreath dance,"for two dancers dressed in the coats of five colors
rattle belled tambourines、 and accompany another two dancers wearing
lion masks..This was the disguise of Princess Nei. 1)
"dance,
these dances are similar to the``man
Based on the``dengaku
3) 2)
dance,"or``white suit dance,"and are performed during shrine festivals
in all the provinces of Ryukyu.
Consort Ren was accompanied by Shoju, and Princess Nei by Manazuru.
They headed for Kuba, but they were soon separated.
Suddenly, a cloud of sand rose in the direction of Nodake and two or
three hundred soldiers shouted a war・c】 写. Taken by surprise, Shδju said: ``The enemy has come
. Please hurry!"Then, from the hollow of the
mountain the great sounds of conches and gongs were heard. Undaunted,
1)Akind of dance performed by peasants after their labors in the fields. lt was
much in vogue during the Kamakura and Muromachi eras(1185-1598)before giving way to the sarugaku, or No.
2),3) Agirl dancer wore the simple white suit of a nobleman, a high lacquered
bonnet on her head, and a dagger in a silvered wooden sheath at her side. As the dance progressed, the silk suit alone was worn. Hence the``white suit dance."
THE BOW-SHAPED MOON(YUMIHARIZUKI) 271
the consort sat under a great persimmon tree and said:"Look!We are being
surrounded by the enemy.'Now I am worried about tlユe princess and Mana.
zuru. Sh6ju, I pray you to behead me and take my head to the commander
of the enemy for his inspection. Then he will raise a part of the siege and
.the princess will be able to escape from the jaws of death."After saying
these words, the consort offered her head toward Shoju and joined her palms
to chant a last prayer. He was dazed at the sight of her neck which was
as white as snow。 She looked more fragile than the flowers in the basket.
He regretted that Kinmanmon did not come to the aid of the righteous
princess and the consort. He had been determined to fight to the death,
but he had never thought of beheading the consort. How could he take
her head proudly to the enemy?But he should no longer waste time, for
the enemy would fall upon the princess at any moment. Thus bewildered,
he was vaguely'staring at the branches of a paulownia when the consort
looked up at him, said:``Are you afraid to behead me?Be a man, Sh6ju!'
Do not let me worry about the princess any longer. If she were killed,
how could you be faithful to her?Regrets do not mend matters. Behead
me-now!,,
At this command Shoju came to himself and, feeling the approach of
the enemy, found himself in an inescapable position-like a fish caught in
anet. If he could be faithful to the consort by beheading her, why should
lie hesitate to do so?Finally he drew his sword。 But when he held it up,
the tender skin of the consort's neck, looking incredibly younger than her
age, caught his eyes again and his hands were benumbed. How could he be
so cruel as to cut the life of a late blooming cherry blossom?``I do not
think that the princess had a premonition of my death at the time of our
departure from the palace,"the consort said. "How miserable she will
272
0f her lament. Behead me-note!"Sh6ju's hands cramped, his sword fell
to the ground, and losing his footing, he himself fell. Then the consort
snatched the sword and threw herself on'its point. The blade pierced her
throat. Weeping, Shoju cut off her head. He tore off the sleeve of her
robe and, wrapping her head in it. ran.
When he arrived.at the enemy camp, Riyu was sitting on a folding
stool and, guarded heav1ly on both sides, he met with Shoju. Holding the
consort's head in his right arm, Shoju bowed to Riyu and said:``I galloped
into the Seishi・den hall and, stal)bin, Consort Ren to her death, beheaded
her. At that instant Princess Nei fled through the rear gate, accompanied
by Manazuru。 I was in pursuit of them when I heard that the lord of
Haebaru himself had come to take command of his forces, so I have hurried
here with the head of the consort for your inspection. Perhaps the princess
has already fled far away. If you raise a part of the siege and allow me
to lead some of your soldiers, I will overtake her."
As soon as he inspected the consort's head, Riyu commanded his retainers
to send it to the capital. He then slid to Shoju:"I cannot raise any part
of the siege until I see the head of Princess Nei. Ihave only obtained
her mother's head. Since I heard that the princess has joined in a festival
parade, I ordered the young men liv三ng in this area. to find her. Ishall
stay.here and look forward to having news from Kokukitsu. You are
commanded to go in search of Princess Nei and bring back her head!"Sh6jn
left the camp for Kuba.
By this time Princess
Nei and Manazuru
had fled to Koegu,
north
of
Mount Kuba. There they were surrounded by the boys of Nakakusuku,
who shouted:``Let us capture Nei, the false daughter of the king. The
minister promised to give us anything we wish in reward. Let us catch
THE
BOW-SHAPED
MOON(YUMIHARIZUKI)
273
staves to show
her the flower
of our youth!"
The
boys brandished
their
gold lacquered
staves
and pursued
the princess.
Manazuru
attempted
to
dance
in defense, but the boys plagued
her with repeated
attacks.
Finally,
the forehead
of her lion mask
was
split open
and her face was exposed.
Manazuru
said with a bitter smile:"You
have broken
my
mask.
I can no
longer permit your violence. You are all worms living upon a lion!Impudent
subjects!You are trying to capture your princess. Now let me show you a
sword dance. Be on your guard before you'receive fatal blows!"Jeering
them in this way, Manazuru stood ready to fight. The boys who had made
little of her bravery were surprised at her resolution to fight back, Since
they were ridiculed, they became angry. Shouting, they brandished their
staves and fell upon her. Drawing her sword, Manazuru fought recklessly.
In the twinkling of an eye three boys were killed. Against such enormous
odds, however, she was not as sturdy as iron. Her shoulders bruised and
her arms broken in a melee, she finally tripped over a stump and fell.
Then the boys swung their staves at her until she breathed her last in a
pool of 1)lood. The princess wept and clung to manazuru, One of the boys
pulled the princess by her braid and, picking up Manazuru's sword, tried
to thrust it into her breast.
But at this moment a fire bolt descended from the sky and possessed
the princess. She snatched the sword from the boy and, springing to her
feet, killed two of the attackers. She now had a fearsome countenance.
Her hair bristled up;her eyes burned with rage. She would not fear even
an army of a million soldiers. "How strange!"the boys cried."She is
possessed by a demon or a fox." The boys then demanded that she declare
who she was. Wiping blood off the sword, the princess held it with her
left hand and replied:`'Rebellious islanders on the south sea!You do not
274
my sword,
let him pass my words
on to his descendants!Iam
the departed
spirit of Shiranui,
the daughter
of the lord of Higo
Province,
Tadakuni,
and
wife of Lord
Tametomo,
the eighth
son of.Minamoto
no Tameyoshi
and
the ninth generation・descendant
of Emperor
Seiwa
in Japan.
Attacked
by
astorm during the recent voyage with my husband, I threw myself upon
the waves and drowned in the depths of the sea. But I, the spirit of Shiranui,
have wandered here in wait for the arrival of my husband。 Years ago he
knew Princess Nei. Therefore, in the guise of the Princess, I will meet
my husband and son, and help her bring order to Ryukyu. Sometimes I am
Princess Nei and sometimes Shiranui. Let me prove my words by avenging
Manazuru's death!"With this she fell upon a few boys standing before her
and chopped
them
down.
And
soon the rest of the boys
were
killed or
wounded seriously. Dusk soon gathered. The princess picked up one of the
boys'hats and one of their staves. Disguis1ng herself as a dancing boy left
