Ancient Tales and Folk-Lore of Japan | Page 7

'Uta.'Â 1 There is a well-known song or ballad in the 'Uta'
style said to have sprung from this event; it is sung to the present day
by men drawing heavy weights or doing hard labour:--
Muzan naru kana Motowa kumanono yanagino tsuyu de Sodate-agetaru
kono midorigo wa Ȳoi, Ȳoi, Ȳoito na! 2
In Wakanoura the labourers sing a working or hauling song, which also
is said to have sprung from this story of the 'Yanagi no Sé':--
Wakano urani wa meishoga gozaru Ichini Gongen Nini Tamatsushima
p. 18 Sanni Sagari Matsu Shini Shiogama Ȳoi, Ȳoi, ȳoi to na. 1
A third 'Uta' sprang from this story, and is often applied to small
children helping.
The waggon could not be drawn when it came to the front of Heitaro's
house, so his little five-year-old boy ChiyodÅ was obliged to help, and
they sang:--
Muzan naru kana Motowa Kumanono yanagino tsuyu de
Sodate-agetaru kono midorigo wa Ȳoi, ȳoi, ȳoito na. 2
Â
Footnotes
14:1 Meaning goithe or willow.
17:1 Poetical song.
17:2

Is it not sad to see the little fellow, Who sprang from the dew of the
Kumano Willow, And is thus far budding well? Heave ho, heave ho,
pull hard, my lads.
18:1
There are famous places in Wakanoura First Gongen Second
Tamatsushima Third, the pine tree with its hanging branches Fourth
comes Shiogama Is it not good, good, good?
18:2
Is it not sad to see the little fellow, Who sprang from the dew of the
Kumano Willow, And is thus far budding well? Heave ho, heave ho,
pull hard, my lads.
4. Shimizutani. The Servants find their Mistress Lying Insensible
III GHOST OF THE VIOLET WELLÂ 1
IN the wild province of Yamato, or very near to its borders, is a
beautiful mountain known as Yoshino yama. It is not only known for
its abundance of cherry blossom in the spring, but it is also celebrated
in relation to more than one bloody battle. In fact, Yoshino might be
called the staging-place of historical battles. Many say, when in
Yoshino, 'We are walking on history, because Yoshino itself is history.'
Near Yoshino mountain lay another, known as Tsubosaka; and between
them is the Valley of Shimizutani, in which is the Violet Well.
At the approach of spring in this tani 2 the grass assumes a perfect
emerald green, while moss grows luxuriantly over rocks and boulders.
Towards the end of April great patches of deep-purple wild violets
show up in the lower parts of the valley, while up the sides pink and
scarlet azaleas grow in a manner which beggars description.
Some thirty years ago a beautiful girl of the age of seventeen, named
Shingé, was wending her way up

[paragraph continues] Shimizutani, accompanied by four servants. All
were out for a picnic, and all, of course, were in search of wildflowers.
O Shingé San was the daughter of a Daimio who lived in the
neighbourhood. Every year she was in the habit of having this picnic,
and coming to Shimizutani at the end of April to hunt for her favourite
flower, the purple violet (sumire).
The five girls, carrying bamboo baskets, were eagerly collecting
flowers, enjoying the occupation as only Japanese girls can. They raced
in their rivalry to have the prettiest basketful. There not being so many
purple violets as were wanted, O Shingé San said, 'Let us go to the
northern end of the valley, where the Violet Well is.'
Naturally the girls assented, and off they all ran, each eager to be there
first, laughing as they went.
O Shingé outran the rest, and arrived before any of them; and,
espying a huge bunch of her favourite flowers, of the deepest purple
and very sweet in smell, she flung herself down, anxious to pick them
before the others came. As she stretched out her delicate hand to grasp
them--oh, horror!--a great mountain snake raised his head from beneath
his shady retreat. So frightened was O Shingé San, she fainted away
on the spot.
In the meanwhile the other girls had given up the race, thinking it
would please their mistress to arrive first. They picked what they most
fancied, chased butterflies, and arrived fully fifteen minutes after O
Shingé San had fainted.
On seeing her thus laid out on the grass, a great fear filled them that she
was dead, and their alarm increased when they saw a large green snake
coiled near her head.
They screamed, as do most girls amid such circumstances; but one of
them, Matsu, who did not lose her head so much as the others, threw
her basket of flowers at the snake, which, not liking the bombardment,
uncoiled himself and slid away, hoping to find a quieter place. Then all
four girls bent over their mistress. They rubbed