44
"4 .「::・ 'THE
デ トTakizawa
Bakin's
BOW-SHAPED
MOON
(YUM:IHARIZUKI)" ・.
Translated
by且iroshi
Kitagawa
Translatoゼs Note
The present selections are three chapters(XXI, XXII&XXIII)from
TゐeBow-Shaped Moon dealing with Tametomo's escape from the Izu Islands
after his losing struggle against enormous odds. More pathetic than his defeat in'agrand manner is the grievous suicide of the two women, Sasarae
and Nyoko, who have shared ambitions with him. These chapters, therefore,
mark a dramatic climax to the first half of the work,
Due to space limitations, a few paragraphs of Chapter XXII and Chapter XXIII have been deleted here. Fortunately they deal with the author's
comments on people and events extraneous to the development of the story.
Asummary of six:chapters(XV乙XX)is given below to cover the gap between Chapter XIV and the present selections. For the first fourteen
chapters the reader should consult the Cultural Science Editions No.34
(March,1976)and No..35(November,1976)of the Hikone Ronso. →← ・ 菅 →←
Several years had passed since Tametomo gained control of Oshima and its neighboring islands. One day, during an inspection tour to the most far・off island, he saw a flock of birds fly out to sea and believed that there
THE
BOW-SHAPED
MOON
'45
must be more
islands beyond.
Rejecting
the islanders'attempts'to
dissuade
him, he sailed out to explore
unknown
seas and islands .
"
The
next
morning
his boat came
upon
the shore of a craggy
island.
Climbing
it,
Tametomo
met a girl named
Nyoko
and learned
from
her that
no men
lived on this island,
It was Nyogo
no Shima(the
Island of Women)
that he had heard
of in legend.
The
women
of the island received
men
from O no Shima(the
Island of Men)only
once a year, at the first・rise
of the'south
wind, for they believed that cohabitation
would
incur the wrath
of the sea・goddess. The men, therefore, made it a rule to leave Nyogo・no
Shima after sleeping with their wives for but one short night. If a boy was born, he was sent to O no Shima. Tametomo wished to awaken them
to cohabitation.
To prove
its harmless
effect, he spent a year living with
Nyoko and begot twin sons, Tar6maru and Jir6maru. Thus convincing:them of the truth, Tametomo sailed to O no Shima.
His excellent
bowmanship
startled the men of O no'Shima
and brought
them
to their knees.
Among
them
was Nyoko's・father,
Sabori, who
later
changed
his name
to Oniyasha'(Demon)because
of his fearsome
counte・
nance.
Leaving
a third of the men
behind,
Tametomo
returned
with the
rest・to Nyogo
no Shima。
'The women
of Nyogo
no Shima
welcomed
their husbands
and children.
Tametomo
then
sent a third of the women
to O no Shima,
which
was
thereafter called Ashi ga Shima(the Island of Reeds) , Seeing everything
done to his satisfaction, he decided to return to Oshima. To honor him , Nyoko and the islanders changed the name of the island from Nyogo no Shima to Hatcho(a corruption of Hachiro, the popular name of Tametomo) .
Nyoko regretted her separation from Tametomo, and so she took a boat
with her sons and went as far as Kojima, a small island to the west of
46
rock. Breaking off a branch and planting it in the ground, he said:"May
this cutting grow here to welcome Nyoko and me when next we meet!" Unable to suppress her sorrow at parting from him, she clung to his sleeve.
Her father, Oniyasha, steeled his heart to separate her from Tametomo and
giving her over to his nephew, Sh6gor6, set sail for Oshima.
On Oshima nothing had been known of Tametomo's safety or where-abouts. Sasarae was worried about him, but her father, Tadashige, was happy over his long absence. Reestablishing his contacts with M㏄himitsu,
the governor of Izu Province, Tadashige began to misrule the island again. It was at a time like this that Tametomo returned to Oshima。 Learning
of Tadashige's treachery, Tametomo punished him by cutting off his fingers and.putting him into confinement. He then sent Oniyasha to the provincial capital of Izu so that his demonic appearance would terrify the people there.
Afew years had gone・by, and Tamemaru, the eldest son of Tametomo,' was now nine years old. At a banquet held to celebrate his coming of age, Sasarae begged Tametomo to pardon her father. Moved to compa…;lion, Tame・
tomo ordered Oniyasha to go and fetch.Tadashige. However, Oniyasha returned a夏one and reported that Tadashige had fled to the main land.
One evening,.toward the end of spring, Tametomo received a letter from his relative, Yoshiyasu, at Ashikaga in Shimotsuke Province, and learned that Mochimitsu had recently received an imperial command to destroy
Tametomo."Supported.by many renowned warriors, Mochimitsu will soon・
attack Oshima,"Yoshiyasu wrote. ``Even though you are a match for a thousand, your bow and sword will bend or break against these enormous
odds. Since I have no child of my own, I wish to adopt one of your sons, I shall raise him and enable him to bequeath your blood to h五s descendants.
Iam sending you my most reliable retainer, Tokikazu, with my secret
THE
BOW-SHAPED
MOON
47
Tametomo decided to give his second son, Tomowaka, to Yoshiyasu, and said to Tokikazu:``Though I wish to give him into your master's care, Icannot part with him after bidding only an ordinary farewell. I will give
up his fate to heaven. Tomorrow I will abandon him but will arrange that he be sent to Shimoda,'so you can meet him there。 This means that heaven,
not I, is giving him to Yoshiyasu. Then Tomowaka will no longer be regarded as a son of the imperial enemy buしof Yoshiyasu's." Tametomo then
whispered to Tokikazu how he would send Tomowaka to Shimoda. Deeply
impressed by Tametomo's courage and wisdom, Tokikazu replied:``I believe Tomowaka will arrive safely at Shimoda under the divine guidance of Sho。 Hachiman(the tutelary god of the Genji clan)after a journey of seventeen
or eighteen ri. As soon as I pick him up at Shimoda, I will send up a
smoke signal." So saying, Tokikazu slipped out of Tametomo's mansion
and, getting into his boat, rowed through the night to Shimoda. Arriving there at dawn,'he prepared a fire and waited for the arrival of Tomowaka.
Chapter
XXI
Tameyori
Tries to Fly a Kite in the Garden
Tametomo
Sends
Tomowaka
with the K:ite to Shimoda
In the last third of the fourth month of the second year of Kao(1170) Tameyori and Tomowaka made a huge kite ten shaku square. Accompanied by Oniyasha, they, came out to the garden in front of the mansion and,
wanting to fly it, anxiously awaited the rise of a wind.
Kites were popular on the main land along the coast from Izu and Sagami to.Mikawa. Their designs were of many kinds modeled after birds,
animals, and flowers, and they were sent up into the sky not in spring but
48
The'一islanders
of◎shima,
however,'had
never
seen'akite,
and
so
with'great
curiosity
they gathered
near the garden
to watch
the event・
Tametomo
too came
out, followed
by Sasarae
and Shimagimi.
In connection
with this event Tametomo
had talked of his plan with Tokikazu
the night
before, but be did not reveal it to Sasarae or Oniyasba. Pleased to see that their father had come out, Tameyori and Tomowaka respectfully walked to
meet him. Smiling, Tametomo said:``You are going to fly a kite, are you
not?Ihave heard that you prepared many bamboo・ribs, pieces of paper, and
paste to make a great kite. I believe that you have done well. Long ago, during the early Han dynasty, Han Hsin made a kite for the first time and
used it to reconnoiter the castle of his enemy. Akite, therefore, is more educational than croquet. It would be a pity if your kite goes up without awhistle on it. Let me lend you a nice flute. Fasten this to.the kite!"
'、`'Tametomo produced a flute from his side and continued:"This is. the'flute・that Shinra Saburo Yoshmitsu possessed. He was an excellent musician。 When he was accomplished in the flute his master taught him
asecret melody and gave him this flute, It is a mysterious instrument, for
it produces an exquisite melody by itself when it is held up right in the wind. Truly it is one of our family treasures. Up till'now, you have been
too young
to appreciate
it. Now
tie it to the kite so that it will play
beautifully.,'
With these words Tametomo handed the flute to Tomowaka. However,
when receiving it, Tomowaka's hands trembled with excitement, and it slipped from his fingers and fell to one of the stepping stones of the garden・
The flute broke into two. Tense with apprehension, the spectators gripped
their sweaty hands. Seething with・indignation, Tametomo
cried:``Tomo-waka!You are hasty and imprudent by nature. That is why you have committed a fault like this. Stupid as'you are,'you will disgrace your
THE
BOW-SHAPED
MOON
49
parents and family. Take this punishment!"This had hardly been spoken when Tametomo gripped the hilt of his sword. Upset, Sasarae and Oniyasha
interceded and sought words to calm his anger:``Tomowaka's fault is grave,
but he is still only seven years old. It is a great pity for him to pay with his life for the flute. Please reconsider and forgive him."
Shaking his head, Tametomo replied:``You are wrong. 1'can forget the flute, however precious it is, but I cannot leave him unpunished because
he thinks light of his father. The proverb says:`You cannot nourish a
serpent in your bosom.' He cannot be pardoned just because he is still a child. However, if I lend no ear to your advice, I will be considered lacking
in fatherly affection. Therefore, I dare not stain my sword with his blood. In place of the flute, let me fasten him to the kite and leave him to the
wind. When he is high enough in the sky, I shall cut the rope so that he
will travel freely in the air. If he falls by chance to a sea.going vessel or aharbor near lzu, he will manage to escape death. A lioness, three days
after giving birth to a cub, tries his strength by pushing him over a cliff a
thousand j6 deep, and even if the cub fails to slide down the cliff and dies
it is not regrettable. Is it not the same between a・warrior and his son?
Do not intercede for him!
With these words Tametomo grasped the collar of Tornowaka's kimono and fastened him to the kite. When it was ready to rise with.、the wind, Tameyori fearfully stood forth and, bowing to his father, said:``I know
that I must not speak when you are angry, but I beg you to lhear this. The three of us, Tomowaka, Shimagimi and I, have always been together.
Without Tomowaka, how miserable Shimanimi and I will have to feel from tomorrow on!Why not whip me to your satisfaction so that Tomowaka's
rash behavユor will be pardoned?Or let the three of us fly with the kite so that we will be swallowed by the sea together. This trouble has come
50 .
about because I proposed to make a kite and play with it, so I am to be blamed!"Thus・Tameyori reproached himself without a speck of enmity
against his father. Shimagimi too wished to say something but, to express
her thoughts, she joined Tameyori and cried aloud. Sasarae too wept and said to Tametomo:``These children are determined to face death that is feared even by
. a mere worm crawling on the ground,・How deep their affection is!However impetuous a warrior l must be, your excessive vehemence
makes m.e sad. Neither beasts running in the mountains nor birds flying in the.sky neglect their parental responsibilities. What a r㏄kless man you are!
Let me save Tomowaka even at the risk of my own life." ・Weeping
, Oniyasha seconded her:``Is it not a rule that childret川nder fifteen and men over seventy are excluded from punishment?This is what
saintly rulers in Ch三na and you, yourself, have practiced so far。 Tomowaka is still too young to tell right from wrong. How can you act like a madman
and send him to the bottom of a sea as deep as a thousand fathoms for
such a trivial offense?Ishall untie him from the kite."With this Oniyasha
darted toward Tomowaka but Tametomo intercepted him and roared:``I have never killed anyone without a reason from the time I turned thirteen.
' What an insolent man you are!"Thus rebuking Oniyasha, Tametomo held the end of a hemp rope leading to the kite and, moving back some
twenty or thirty steps, he hoisted it effortlessly into the sky. Swelled
full with the southeast wind, the kite flew higher and higher in the direc・ tion of Shimoda. It looked like a boat・crossing the the Milky Way or a
bird flying into a cloud. Tomowaka sailed with it on the wind of evane・
scence. Gazing at the kite,・Sasarae's eyes were filled with tears. The islanders,
who had joyfully gathered to see the kite, became sorrowful and, nodding・
at each other, left one by one. Tametomo let the rope slip through his
fingers
until it'had
almost
run out and
then
fastened
the end to the
THE BOW-SHAPED MOON 51
trunk of a pine tree. When he unsheathed his sword, Sasarae clung to his sleeve and tried・to dissuade him again. In resolution as taut as the rope of
the kite Oniyasha stood beneath the sword that Tametomo brandished. Pushing them away, Tametomo held up the sword again, but Tameyori and Shimagimi clung to the bottom of their father's kimono to detain him.
The rope symbolized a bondage of earthly obsession that Tametomo tried
to cut and four others tried to maintain. Unable to break his promise with Tokikazu, Tametomo had to steel his heart and sprang to the rope. Deep
in his heart he prayed that Sho-Hachiman, the tutelary god of the Genji,
would protect Tomowaka in his flight to Shimoda. When his sword struck the rope, the kite wavered in the sky for a'moment and then flew out of
sight. The four fell to the ground, wailing in despair. Then a cuckoo
appeared from the rifts of clouds and flew off into the distance with a sad cry. They felt as though it had come from Tomowaka,
Shortly afterward, the smoke signal sent up by Tokikazu was seen in the sky to the northwest. Gazing at it, Tametomo smiled. Sasarae and Oniyasha bowed to Tametomo and said:"We can see how pleased you are to know
that Tomowaka has safely arrived at Shimoda as you planned with Tokikazu." Wondering how they had discovered his plan, Tametomo asked:"How could
you know what I had planned for Tomowaka?"Sasarae. replied in tears: ``Last night Oniyasha and I overheard you talk with a secret messenger
from Ashikaga Yoshiyasu about a calamity that Mochimitsu would bring
here and knew that Yoshiyasu desired one of our sons to maintain your
line of. succession. I expected you to tell me, but you did not. Meanwhile,
you pretended to treasure a flute of no particular importance and had Tomo・ waka mishandle it so that he would be banished with the kite. It was very wise of you to plan th量s, but Tomowaka is.not only your child but
52
0niyasha, twitching his eyes, said l"We knew of your plan, though you
did not disclose it to us. Did you fear that. we would leak your secret to others?There were so many spectators that I pretended to dissuade you
earnestly. I beg your pardon."
Tametomo was pleased that their minds and hearts were truly united with his and admired their elaborate cooperation in front of so many people.
Though it was difficult for Tameyori and Shimagimi to understand the true circumstances, they were greatly relieved and begged their father's pardon,
saying:"We understand that Tomowaka went to Ashikaga. Not knowing your intention, we have thought ill of you. Please forgive usノ'
Hearing this, Tametomo had a pang in his'heart and could not but regret his parting with Tomowaka. Turning to Sasarae and Oniyasha, he
said:``lt is quite natural that you accuse me of keeping my plan a secret. However, do not think that I suspected you would leak it to others. I thought that there would be little chance for Tomowaka to fly with the kite eighteen ri over the sea to Shimoda, and if he would sink to the
bottom of the sea my plan would have been to no avail. And if you had known of this plan, your expectation would have been betrayed and your
sorrow all the greater. This is why I kept it to myself, Iam ashamed
to know that you were aware of my plan. Asense of duty is difficult to bear in this floating world, and a warrior's rigidity distasteful to maintain!" Sasarae and Oniyasha were impressed by their master's prudence and.wept,
At that instant a fl㏄k of sea gulls fluttered high in the air and sea
lions cried aloud。 Tametomo strained his ears and, turning to Sasarae and
Oniyasha, said: ``Look toward the sea! The noise there tells that the enemy fleet has approached the shore!See how it is organized!" This .command hardly been uttered when On量yasha climbed a'hill and, peering at
THE
BOW-SHAPED
MOON
53
on board twenty-five or・six boats. The one in the lead which has a curtain
with the crest of a butterfly must be Tadasbige's. One with that of a flower in the frame of a house must be M㏄himitsu's. One with that of
three triangles must be the Hojo clan's. The crests of other boats are not
clear. They are all inshore and the soldiers on board look high in fighting spirit."With a sarcastic smile, Tametomo said to Sasarae:"Let us ready
ourselves to fight to the death. Take the children's hands and come with me!"Determined to die, they looked calm, liberated from anxieties.
Chapter
XXII
Leaving
the Boat,
Tameyori
Displays
his Filial Piety
In the Guise
of his Master,
Oniyasha
Dies in Flames
Some time before, in the spring of the second year of Kao, M㏄himitsu had gone to Kyoto and had appealed to the emperor:``Tametomo has been
violent for a long time. His desire for territory is insatiable, he has explored Oni・ga-Shima and returned to Oshima accompanied by a demon."
At the time Takakura was on the throne, but actually his father, Go。 Shirakawa, took control of administrative affairs. Surprised at Mochimitsu's appeal, Go・Shirakawa issued an edict that all renowned warr玉ors should rally
to punish Tametomo。 M㏄himitsu was delighted to receive it and, galloping
back to Izu, circulated the edict to all warriors in the province.
By the end of the fourth month everything in preparation for his expedition was completed, and so he set out for Oshima. The warriors who joined him・were Ito Sukechika, Hojo Tokimasa, Usami no Heida and
Heiji, Kotoda Mitsukazu, Kat6ji Kagekado, Sawa no Rokuro, Nitta no Shiro, and Amano T6kage. Under their command, five hundred soldiers sailed
54
That day ITametomo.wore
armor
laced with
purple, silk cords shaded
deeper at the bottom, over a gold br㏄ade battle robe.and silver shin guards over a twilled silk hakama. At his side hung a gold studded sword and in
his quiver were thirty-six arrows fletched with eagle feathers which could b・ ・ee・ ・t・ndi・g high・ ・than his sh・ ・1ders・U・d・ ・hi・.・ ・m he carri・d・
rattan bound bow, the middle of which was thicker as it was bound with
leather. His helmet, carried by Oniyasha, was de『orated with eight gold dragons and from it there hung five neck.pieces with silver stars. With Tameyori and Shimagimi on his left and right, Tametomo sat on a stool
and drank sake from a cup offered by Sasarae.``Let us all partake in this
last cup of sake." So saying, he passed the cup to Tameyori and others
bidding farewell. Young though he was, Tameyori showed signs of be-coming a valiant warrior. He was calm and resolute. No time could be
lost, so Oniyasha stood forth and said:``Now that things have come to such apass, all regrets are useless. But let me express my opinion. Despite the
fact that you possess three virtues, wisdom, benevolence, and courage, you
suffered the fate of exile二 To live such a life safely, you were forced to bury your talent and obscure your brilliance in wait for another opportunity
to rise in the world. However, governing the islands, you caused M㏄himitsu
and Tadashige to become envious and tell slanderous tales about you to the
emperor. It is indeed a great pity that you are about to die with your ambition unaccomplished."
Smiling, Tametomo replied:"What a fool you are, Oniyasha!Even though I became an exile as a result of the Hogen Insurrection, I have
enjoyed governing these islands for ten years now. Formerly, I governed the nine provinces of Kyushu.'They are places still dear to me, full of
reminiscences of my successful rule.. All the people of the'western provinces, including those who belong to the Kikuchi and:Harada clans,.can not deny
THE BOW-SHAPED MOON 55
my military power. In Kyoto, too, the warriors of the Genji and the Heike, especially those from Musashi and Sagami provinces, know the great strength
of my bow.. All others are barely more than scare・crows wearing armor and carrying weapons。 Ido not think they can draw their bows against
me. The generals of the enemy must be the crooked men of the Heike
guided by Mochimitsu and Tadashige. This fight will not require the full exertion of my fighting spirit. .I can effortlessly kill many of the enemy
with my arrows and have them sink to the bottom of the sea. However,
as one whose short life is predestined, why should I be so cruel as to take many lives?Ihave remained alive simply because I wished to see the country
restored to its normal state, avenge my father's death, and reinstate Sutoku
to the throne. Years ago, I heard a priest lecture:`lf you wish to know the past cause see the present effect. If you wish to know the future effect
see the present cause.'・Sinners, therefore, must fall to hell. Iam a man
of the bow and sword who must fight even for a trivial cause and kill others, unmindful of my own death.. Since childhood I have fought more
than twenty battles and have killed a great number of people. But I have never・killed them without due reasons. Never have I gone hunting and
fishing to please myself. Ihave worshiped the gods and the Buddha. As ayoung man I became famous, but due to the past cause I am harassed by
earthly desires and due to the present cause I will have to go through many sufferings。 Those who have served me for ten years are not my hereditary
retainers. I cannot bear to see them die for me."
Tametomo gave keepsakes to all his retainers and urged them to escape. Leaving their hearts behind and weeping, they fled. Tametomo calmly
ordered his servants to throw ornamental weapons into the'sea and rose from the stool, saying.to Sasarae:"I am going.down to the beach to see
56
die. Shimagimi'is still too small to understand the situation. Besides that,
she is a girl, so do not tell her anything.
As for yourself, I do not think
that the enemy will bring any charge against you, for you are the daughter
of Tadashige. Remain alive and pray for my better fortune in the next
world." Sasarae tearfully replied:``lf I were to sustain my life through the
intercession'of my father who is shunned by you and others, how could I remain honorable?It,is my wish to throw myself along with you upon the
waves." Tametomo saw the firm resolution in her face, but persuaded her to change her mind.・He then called Oniyasha to his'side and said:``Pile
up wood and brush around the house. Before I come back you must put
an end to my children. After you see how I meet with my end, set fire
to the brush. Do you understand?"
Having one of his servants carry a bow, Tametomo started for the beach when Sasarae and the children, showing no fear on their faces, said to
Tametomo:"Father, please come home soon..Do not make the enemy feel too small. Be careful not to get hurt." Who knew that these were to be the last words he would hear from them in this world?
After piling up brush around the house, Oniyasha said to Sasarae:"My lord is determined to die. However, I have a plan. This attack against -him comes only from M㏄himitsu's personal enmity. However heroically
my lord puts an end・・to his life here, it is nothing but a dog's death. It would be best for him to escape and bide his time. For a crisis like this,
Ihave prepared a boat. Leave here quickly for Hatcho Island. I will stay here and persuade him to accept my advice.・Ishall catch up with you soon.
Come this way, quick!"Thus urged to escape, Sasarae was deeply impressed
by Oniyasha's loyalty 1)ut she would not rise from her seat, saying:``lt is very thoughtful of you!The little ones have their future, so I do hope that
THE
BOW-SHAPED
MOON
57
my father's villainy, I was suspected
by my lord time and time again.
If I
were
to escape, people
including
my lord would
think that I have deceived
you in order to hold my
life dear and have
had my
valiant lord take to
his heels.
This
would
be a contemptuous
act that I could not bear."
Tameyori
too said to Oniyasha:"What
Mother
says is true.
Father
ordered
you to prepare
an end for me.
How
can I escape as a coward?Ishall
die
bravely
so that my honor
will remain
on this island."
His speech had the
quality
of a youthful
bud
that would
soon
blossom
to exceed
all others.
Truly he was the son of a great warrior. Deeply三mpressed by his self・
possession, Oniyasha replied:``At a moment like this, an ordina】ry boy of nine or ten would be helpless, crying aloud and stamping ,his feet in a fit
of grief. You are a true prince of the Genji!" Oniyasha then turned to
Sasarae and advised:``You are obsessed by a sense of honor, but you cannot
fulfill your loyalty to our lord in this manner. Let me tell you why. If
you were to die here, our lord and his children would surely choose death. This means that your obsession with honor will have caused the destruction of three noble lives. Yours would be a crime greater than your father's.
What a fool you are to lose=yourself in the face of such a simple matter!" At this Sasarae finally gave in and replied:"I was wrong. How could I dare to cause death to my'lord and the children?Do as you think best for
the future of my lord."
At that moment the.servant who had accompanied Tametomo to the beach came running back to the mansion, and kneeling on the ground near
the veranda, gasped:"The enemy fleet under the command of Mochimitsu
was led by Tadashige as a guide. Striking the end of his bow against the
ground, our lord gazed at the fleet and saw some two hundred soldiers on board Tadashige's boat, They protected their heads with their left arms.
58
shige'wore armor laced with black'Chinese twill and a steeple・crowned helmet. on the back of his head. On his forehead a band of white hair
could`be seen. Standing at the bow and holding a short halberd upr至ght, Tadashige glared at our lord and ordered his men, crying:`To the attack!
To the attack!'Seeing his reckless advance on board the boat rolling and
pitching over the waves, our lord said:`The commander of the vanguard is Tadashige. He'is still too far off for me to shoot an'arrow. I would not
'shoot
my
last arrow
in this world
unwisely.'
Shortly
afterward,
when
Tadashige's boat came within range, our lord said:`Let me first send Tadashige to the bottom of the sea and terrify Mochimitsu.' N㏄king an '
arrow to his'bow, he drew it with.all his might and let fly. The shaft whistled as it flew and pierced the gunwale a little below the waterline. It
flew on till it struck the'gunwale on the far side of the boat. Through both holes the water rushed into the boat, which soon sank into the sea.
Those who'could swim clung to the drifting shields and bows hoping to
be rescued by the.rearguard. They numbered only fifty or sixty, Appalled
at the sudden sinking of Tadashige's boat, Mochimitsu and others turned
'their boats. Because of the prowess of Tametomo the fleet was kept at a distance and no one dared to land. At this point my master ordered me
to flee qu量ckly, but I have come back to tell you how he dealt with the.. enemy. That is all I have to report." Thus saying, the servant left.
Hearing th量s, Sasarae lost her strength at the knees and said to herself: "What a tragedy!My father finally paid with his life for his evil deeds
, but alas, he was killed by my lord only to perish at the bottom of the sea.
As for our servant, instead of going away immediately, he brought this news to me. His loyalty is unswerving.,"Then, brushing away her tears, Sasarae turned to.Oniyasha and said:``Cringing before. the strong bow of
THE
BOW-SHAPED
MOON
59
back.
I will then take a boat with
him。 Now
escort the children
to the
boat and let them
get on board
first, for they cannot
run fast, and it will
be a pity if they
miss the l)oat.
Quickly!"So
saying,
Sasarae
tucked
up
the bottom'of
Tameyori's
kimono
and hung
an amulet
round
the neck of
Shimagimi.
Oniyasha
knew
that Sasarae, at the news
of her father's death
at the hands
of her lord, was determined
to kill herself so that she could
remain
impartial
to her father and Tametomo.
Without
a word
of objection,
Oniyasha
held Shimagimi
in one arm
and took the hand of Tameyori.
As
they ran out of the mansion,
the children
looked
1)ack again and again
toward
their mother
and said:"We
will be seeing
you and'Father."
Overwhelmed
with grief, Sasarae
could not reply to them
and gave up herself
into wailing.
Oniyasha ran toward thとbeach, where they would be safe from an attack,'and hid Tameyori and Shimagimi in the bottom of the boat. He
then turned l)ack to the 1)each, where Tametomo stood against the enemy, ' and told him a lie:``I helped the children and their mother into the boat
and ordered two reliable islanders to take them to Toshima. It would I)e
regrettable if you were to kill yourself before the attack of the imperial force, which was not organized for a righteous cause but from Mochimitsu's '
personal enmity against you. You may think that my attempt is condescend-ing, but let me act as a substitute for you. I shall set fire to the mansion
and cut my belly open amidst the smoke. While I do so, I beg you to take aboat in pursuit of your consort and children.in the direction of・Toshima
and flee with them to Hatcho Island。" Hearing this, Tametomo was great豆y surprised and replied:"What?You helped them to flee with Sasarae?You
went
beyond
your
limits.
How
can I put you alone
to death
while we
remain alive?Icannot do it.,,
し
60
his.master:"ln China and Japan many loyal retainers set the examples of
dying in place of their masters.・You yourself told me those stories . Chi Hsin offered his life to his master , Han Kao Tsu, and was burned by the
enemy. Maneko, disguised as his master
, Sukune, put an end to himself. Born on the Buddha・forsaken island, I am an illiterate barbarian, but thanks to your・teachings I can now tell right from wrong . Iwould not regret
dying・if I could repay your favors with my life .. If you still refuse, then
your children will fall into the hands of the enemy, and you will suffer disgrace in.the world.beyond. Please unbend and take this boat ."
.Now that everything had turned out against his will, Tametomo could do nothing. He.had・never thought of fleeing, but found it difficult to
refuse Oniyasha's loyal offer to risk his life. It would be a great pity for Tametomo if his children.fell into the hands of the enemy. Seeing his
dilemma, Oniyasha became.more eloquent, took him by the sleeve, and
. walked with him to the boat which his children had already boarded. Perhaps heaven was moved to compassion, for mist rose over the sea, and
none of the enemy saw Tametomo get into the boat. Since he had been
raised in the western provinces and had spent over ten years on Oshima, a sea voyage for him was as easy as a trip on land. Not knowing that his
children were at the bottom'of the same boat, he took the helm and hurried to・Toshima, hoping to see Sasarae and the children and make plans for the
future. ・ ・ '
'Oniyasha set his mind at rest and ran back to the mansion. There he saw Sasarae sitting alone before an insence burner and reading a sutra. As Oniyasha entered, she rolled up the sutra and.said:``ls my lord still on the
beach?Iam worried about him." ``A moment ago I managed to put your lord on board a boat so that he would flee to Hatcho Island," replied
THE
BOWLSHAPED
MOON
61
0f loyalty to both your father and lord, I did not arrange for you to leave the island with him. Iwas in such a hurry that I forgot to tell your
children that they were with their father in the same boat. But I believe that the wise prince must have crept out of the bottom of the boat and
have seen his father by now. I have come back to set fire to the mansion
and cut my belly open in the guise of my lord so that he may be safe on his way."
Greatly pleased, Sasarae said:``Now I can set my mind at rest. Tadashige was a vicious man, and yet he was my father. If I obeyed him I would have been disloyal to my lord. If I obeyed my lord I would have been
disloyal to my father. Indeed, there is no choice but to kill myself today.
This is why I sent my children to the boat while I remained here. You
understood my true intention and did everything in my favor. Though I know your daughter only by name, I envy her, for she has a good father
and is free to do as she wishes. In joy or sorrow my lord will be compas・
sionate to her. As a consort to Lord Tametomo, I have enjoyed the same
position as she. Igave birth to three children during these ten years, but alas, because of my wicked father, I must remain here and part with my
lord. What a miserable fate this is!"Hearing her lament, Oniyasha sympa・ thized with her, but rising'to his feet and picking up his sword,'he solemnly said:"Everything with you was predetermined in a former life. Now let
me help you to put an end to yourself."
Sasarae chose her seat and took her short sword from the folds of her kimono. At that instant, however, Tameyori rushed into the room through
the swinging door and sat near his mother, saying:"I shall die with you,
Mother."These words had hardly been spoken when he drew his short sword and, opening the folds of his kimono, thrust the blade into his
62
0nly tears・ran down.their cheeks as they tried to prevent him from
committing suicide. Pushing away. their hands, Tameyori said to Sasarae: "Why are you so upset?You said you would soon come to the boat
, so I boarded. There I worried about my father and you, th量nking of your wretch・ ed,state. When my eyes fell on the amulet you had given to Shimagimi,
Inoticed it was larger than usual. Wondering, I secretly opened it and
found a letter of your last will, saying that you would kill yourself so that
.you could be impartial to your father and lord. Surprised, I persuaded Shimagimi to stay at the bottom of the boat、 and then ran back here.
耳iding myself behind the door, I overheard that Oniyasha had arranged an escape for my father. I was relieved, but thought that the enemy would
surely doubt his death and sail out in pursuit of him if they did not find my body here. How foolish you are to lament my death, instead of com・
mending.my return!',
....Hearing her son speak in his fading breath, Sasarae l)ecame unbearably sad and wept,・saying:``Though my mind was set upon death, I have delayed in・killing myse玉f because of cowardice and it has come to such a pass that
Ishould be accompanied by my son to the next・world. Th量s must also have been predestined in a former life! .It is said that a mother pheasant
flies.into the flames to save her chicks when fire breaks out on the plain
and a mother. crane dies in search of her chicks at night。 Humble as I
am, I have no desire to be called the mother of a prince. Nonetheless, I am not second in loving my children. What a pity it is to see my son end
nthe youth of his life!"
Brushing away his tears, Oniyasha said to Tameyori:``lnasmuch as I am dying in place of my lord, the enemy will not doubt his death.. You
should not・have done this. You were so concerned that you have brought this・.miserable end to yourself..Ihave failed to save your life." Tameyori
THE
BOW」SHAPED
MOON
63
replied, gasping:'``Do not be foolish, Oniyasha. Young though I am, I
am the eldest son of Lord Tametomo. If I do not leave my body here, how can the enemy make clear their doubts?When my father left here
for the beach, he said that I should be prepared to die. He must have forseen my unavoidable death. How pleased I am to die here while・my
father is on his way to a safe place!My only regret is that Tomowaka is
too far away in Ashikaga to see my end. When he hears the news about the fall of Oshima, he will be sh㏄ked and sink into great sorrow. Tomowaka
is still fresh in my mind as we played together here only this morning.
Iknow of Taromaru and Jiromaru by name only, but they are my brothers.
What will become of Shimagimi after our mother vanishes like a morning
dewdrop?Born into this world destined to live such a short life, I am sorry to cause anxieties to my parents!May Jiao Bosatsu watch over the after・ life of Tameyori of Oshima who is dying during the crisis of his family!
Hail Amida Buddha!"With this prayer Tameyori exerted the last of his
energy to twist the blade in his belly. The blood running down his white body looked like the red plum・blossoms falling upon the snow of the second
month. Weeping violently, Sasarae gripped the hilt of her short sword and struck her throat to follow her son on the dark path to the world beyond.
At that moment a war-cry arose off the shore. The beating of a battle drum accompanied by the howl of the wind blowing through pine trees and
the sound of the waves lapping the beach could be heard. The enemy approached. Alerted, Oniyasha leaned to the railing of the veranda and looked
at the sea. The mist had gone and the enemy fleet emerged like a mountain
of swords in hell. The setting sun looked like a flaming cart drawn by the jailers of hell coming to arrest the criminals. Oniyasha cried,"What a
great force!Icannot waste any time. If they charge the mansion immediately my plan will be to no avail." Oniyasha turned to Tameyori and said:
64
``Let me behead you so that you will be free from pa1n
." Unsheathing his
sword, Oniyasha stood behind Tameyori. Closing his eyes and chanting ``Hail Amida Buddha
,"Tameyori awaited the blow upon his neck. At this
point the images of his grandsons, Tar6maru and Jir6maru, whom he had left behind on Hatcho Island flashed into the eyes of Oniyasha. Tameyori
was not his grandson but was the son of his master. The special emotion
of retainer.master relation made it more difficult to bring down his sword.
Then he turned his eyes to Sasarae and saw the flower of youth in her,
wiser'and more beautiful than any court lady in the capital. His heart sank as he thought why he had to take away the life of such a lady. The
image of his on星y』daughter, Nyoko, came to his eyes and made him shrink back. He did not know which head he should strike first. Finally, urged
by Sasarae, Oniyasha steeled his heart and struck down. Two heads fell.
In tears Oniyasha
put the two
bodies
together
and, chanting``Hail
・ Amida Buddha,"set fire to the piles of brush around the mansion. The fire 'fanned by the strong wind blowing from the'sea sent smoke billowing into
the sky. Oniyasha threw away his body armor, cut his belly open, and died standing erect engulfed by the flames. .
The soldiers of the enemy saw the smoke rising from Tametomo's mansion and cried out:``Tametomo set his mansion aflame and killed himself. To the attack!"When they approached the shore where the water was as
shallow as the hooves of their horses,'they mounted and galloped toward
the mansion. On the shore, however, they hesitated, for'they feared a trap. They were not afraid but were well aware of the outstanding military arts of Tametom6. After a while, when the mansion had burned dow'n,
and・they saw no one』defending it, they said to each other:``lf we take too
much time'in discussing our war plans, we shall gain only charred heads." In this manner the soldiers in the vanguard seemed to be low in fighting
THE BOW-SHAPED MOON 65
spirit. Among them, however, was a warrior named Katoji Kagekado who was first to gallop into the mansion. There he saw a man of enormous
size, as tall as seven shaku, standing with his belly cut open. Since his
body was scorched black, it was impossible to identify him. However, believing that it must be Tametomo, Kagekado cut off his head. Because
only the body of a boy of eight or nine and that ofawoman could be
found and the islanders』 量dentified them to be Tameyor量and Sasarae, the enemy believed that the man of enormous size was Tametomo and commend.
ed Kagekado with the h1ghest honor for battle on that day.
In the fifth month of the same year the head was carried to Kyoto and exposed at the crossroads of Nijo and Kyogoku.・The cloistered emperor,
Go-Shirakawa, rode out from his palace to inspect the head. The people,
high anti low, swarmed to the spot. However, since the head was scorched black, the emperor and the people were all disappointed and felt as though
looking at a gourd trellis in winter.
Tametomo searched for a boat in the direction of Toshima in an effort
to catch up with Sasarae and the children. Sailing onward, however, he
could see no boats ahead. As he believed that their boat sailed toward Hatcho
Island, he turned from the sea route to Toshima and let his boat drift with the current. Day was beginning to dawn when he found himself、.near
Koj五ma, a small island off the shore of Hatcho,``This island is so far away from Oshima that it would require a long voyage. It is very strange that
コ
Ihave arrived here so quickly." Thus he was mumbling to himself when
he heard a little girl cry from the bottom of the boat. Wondering, he took away the planks covering the bottom and saw Shimagimi lying alone.
Holding her in his arms, he first tried to comfort her and then asked her
how she had been confined to the bottom of the boat. Shimagimi, still
66
Tameyori. She said she would come later. Oniyasha took us to the boat and put us in・the bottom. We'waited for・a long time, but Mother.・did not
come. The.n Tameyori said:`I will run・home and come back with Father
and Mother. So'you wait here for a・while. Be sure not to make any ・ noise!'He put two letters into the folds of my kimono and hurried away.
But he did not come hack. I was very sad, but advised to stay quiet, I tried hard not・to cry. When I heard your voice, tears of joy(;ame out and I, cried."
She was so・little・that her words were difficult to understand, but she man・
aged to tell everything to the end。 Becoming more alert, Tametomo fumbled for the letters in the folds of Shimagimi's kimono and took them out. He
.first read'Sasarae's letter that told him of her suicide in order to side neither with him nor with her father..He then read Tameyori's childish but earnest
writing onla piece of paper. The content of his letter was quite manly: 1`Advised by Mother and Oniyasha, I got into the boat. But when I think
of your plight, I cannot stay here. Iwill run home and kill myself. You
used..to、 tell me:「lf you.do not die when your fate calls, you will suffer a
greater disgrace than death. Though you can escape death for a while, you will never be able to rise in the world.' Today I.understand the true
meaning.of、 these.words, and so I will die."
Tears rushed down upon the letters in Tametomo's hands. With a deep sigh, he said:``I regret that I was deceived by Oniyasha and fled from
Oshima,・not.knowing that I outlived Sasarae and Tameyori。'If I had known that they remained there, I would have never fled to this island. When Oniyasha said that the children accompanied by Sasarae had left for
Toshima, I thought that the enemy would know of their escape and pursue
them. The enemy would say that Tametomo was so fond of his children that he lost his sense of honor. and had them flee secretly. If this was
THE BOW-SHAPED MOON 67
them and kill them with my own hands. Thus leaving no regret, I wanted to drown myself. What a shame it is that I have outlived Sasarae and
Tameyori!"Tametomo stamped his feet and loathed himself. He could maintain his wisdom and courage as a great general no longer. He drew Shimagimi to his side. She was as lovely as a white sunflower. But steeling
his heart, Tametomo dec量ded to kill her with the sharp blade of his sword. At this point a fishing boat suddenly appeared in the direction of Hatcho
Island and a fisherman on board cried out:``Lord Tametomo, please wait for a moment!"With this he jumped into Tametomo's boat, thrust h三mself
between Tametomo and Shimagimi, and took her away from him,
Chapter
XXIII
The S皿flower
on Kojima
Adores
Tametomo
The Three
Deities
of the Pure
Land
Manifest
themselves
on the Lotus.
Tametomo struggled with the fisherman to take back Shimagimi. How-ever, to his great surprise, Tametomo saw that the fisherman was not a
stranger but Shogoro, the husband of Nyoko's niece. Unable to recover Shimagimi by force, Tametomo asked Shogoro:``How did you know that I
would be here?""How did I know?"replied Shogoro."Before dawn, when Iset my.boat adrift on the morning current near that rock over there, I
heard two strangers speak to me. Ifelt their presence very near to me, but could not see them at all. From their voices I understood that they
were a woman of about thirty and a boy of about ten. They called me by
噂
name many times and said:`Lord Tametomo has just arrived at Kojima.
