Speaker 1: The power of eloquence from the Japanese of Kikuchi jun Uazumi.
Says Iiamon, a rich inhabitant of the province of Echigo,
had a daughter of sixteen summers, by name Yukiino the
field of snow. Her marvelous beauty equalled her sparkling wit.
She was a skillful musician, sang most charmingly, and excelled
in making verses. The hearts of her parents exalted when
they saw her perfections, and many were the suitors who
demanded her hand in marriage. But says Iiamon, who deemed
no youth a match for his fair girl, would not
come to a decision, and ever put off the moment
of separation, so that folks began to liken her to
beautiful COMATCHI pledged to maidenhood. Alas how fickle is fought June,
a grave sickness overtook the maiden. For many moons she
lay pining on her couch, till at last she faded
and sank to sleep, at the very moment when she
should have burst forth in all the brightness of her beauty,
like a sweet flower whose petals are strewn by the tempest.
Her parents were in despair and would not be comforted.
Yet needs must that they busy themselves about their daughter's burial.
They brought her body in state to the monastery of Gokuraku,
where the tombs of her ancestors were. Some three months
after the sad ceremony, there was a knocking long after
midnight at the monastery door. The porter peered through the
wicket and beheld a young man in rich vestments, whose
twin swords with richly carved hilts of ivory declared him
to be of noble birth. The porter hastened to open
the door to him and asked what he desired. The
young man, announcing his titles and degree, said that he
wished to see the master of the monastery, and slipped
some pieces of money into the hands of the porter,
who was delighted with this good fortune, and led him
into the presence of the chief Bonza prior of the monastery.
The young man seemed to be eighteen or nineteen years old.
His eyes were bright, his hair black and shining, his
face full of charm, noble and sweet. He first saluted
the worthy priest most honorably, kneeling and advancing toward him
on his knees, and then addressed him, thus, I am
the son of a noble of Kyoto. Disaster overtook my family,
bringing us to poverty, so that I had to leave
Kyoto and migrate hither. And now I have a pressing
desire to make known to you. This is the cause
of my coming at so late an hour. Though I
am unknown to you, I know not how you will
receive my prayer, for it concerns a matter of profound secrecy,
and if ever it should come to be known, his
voice broke and he could not complete his sentence. Drawing
from his purse five pieces of gold, he laid them
on his fan, presenting it point forward to the Reverend
Prior Dane. He said, to accept this modest present, which
I offer not to buy your favor, but only as
a token of my humble obedience. You will make me
happy if you will have the kindness to employ it
for the needs of worship. The Bondza, who was fond
of money, could not conceal his joy at receiving so
rich a present. His face, which had been overcast and stern,
burst into a beaming smile, and he said, with unctuous sweetness,
it is not common to find young people of your
age animated by such a fervent religious spirit, for to
day few have any devotion. You are certain to receive
pardon for all the sins of your past life, and
to be received by our Lord Buddha into the abode
of the Blest, where you will enjoy eternal bliss and
everlasting joy. But what is it you desire of me?
Speak without fear, Speak openly, for I keep all secrets
that are entrusted to me. But the young man, still hesitated.
He opened his mouth to speak, but his voice died
away on his trembling lips. At last, he seemed to
make up his mind, and said, so be it, since
it is useless to delay any longer, I will reveal
to you the secret of my heart, whatever shame it
may bring me. But I beg of you. Make certain
that none may remain within an earshot lest we be overheard.
It is past midnight, said the bondser Listen, everyone is
already snoring. Who then could overhear what you have to
tell me? Then the young man, his eyes downcast and
a blush of shame which suffused his cheeks, but adding
to his charms, began thus to speak. One day a
year ago, when I had gone into the country to
admire the pretty flowers of sweet springtime, I met an
adorable maiden whose beauty put even the flowers to my
eyes were dazzled. My heart was perturbed. I followed her
footsteps at a distance, and learned from the maid servants
who accompanied her, walking a few paces behind her, that
she was Uazumi's daughter. For that moment, I was so
deeply in love with her that I could think of
naught else from Marn to Eve, and every night I
dreamed of her vavishing beauty. Unable to withstand the force
of my passion, I employed all possible means to win
over the servant's maid, and after difficulties without number, I
at last was able to declare my burning glove to her,
whose radiant image possessed my heart. Mutual trust sprang up
between us, and we swore to love each other to
the end of our days. Alas Heaven mocked at our design.
What is more in constant than human life? It is
compared to the dew of the morning. But the dew,
ever lasts a certain space. Farewell, my beloved, farewell for
I the door of death opened for thee in the
flower of thy springtide. Can it be true? Or is
it but an evil dream? But why give way to
my sorrows before you? Reverence, sir? She whom I loved
so desperately is no more, Nor can aught console me
for my irremediable loss. As the days flit by my
sorrow increases, nought in life attracts me. I long only
for my death. I would fain join in the other
world her who has all my love. My own desire
in this world is to open her grave once more,
to embrace her upon this earth. Oh, venerable priest, have
pity on my grief. Grant me this last request, after
which death will seem to me infinitely sweeter than life.
Greatly perturbed by so strange a request, the bonds have
tried to console the youth and to wean him from
his plan. But the despairing young man's plan seemed only
the more firmly fixed in his heart. I know well
he said that a grave cannot be opened without the
magistrate's order duly sealed. I know that you will oppose
reasons to my entreaties, But my determination is only the
firmer and my grief is stronger than the whole world.
Little do I reck of the heavy punishments that may
overtake me if you finally refuse me this last wish,
which I have revealed to you, Well, my resolution is taken.
I shall die on the spot. And seizing his dagger,
he was about to plunge it in his throat. The priest,
in terror stopped him and consented to his request. But
first he made him swear an oath. The young man
drew a little blood from his finger to seal the band,
and promised to reveal nothing. The girl's tomb was on
the hill side behind the monastery. The Bonza led his
strange visitor thither. The hour was very late. There was
a dampness in the air that bedewed their faces. A
light breeze stirred through the darkness. In silence, they went forward.
Soon the tombs in regular rose began to show through
the veil of mist, and the Bonza stopped, pointing to
a newly made grave. He said, it is hers. At last,
cried the young man, attaining his desire, and seizing the gravestone,
he raised it from the tomb without visible effort. Then
he opened the coffin and rained kisses on the lifeless
form of the maiden. The Bonza withdrew in grief and horror,
and watched his strange visitor from Afahar. The sorrow stricken youth,
altogether given up to his grief and his love, remained there,
uttering bitter complaints and filled with a preternatural joy which
was terrible and incomprehensible. A half hour passed thus, and
still he could not tear himself away from the lifeless
form of his beloved. At last he laid the sad
vestiges of his charmer once more in the tomb, arranging
them with tender care, covering them with earth, and putting
back the tombstone as before. Thereafter, he rejoined the priest
and poured out out to him his unbounded gratitude. A
year after the death of Yukino the field of Snow,
the whole family had come together in Uazumi's house for
the anniversary service to her spirit. Her father and mother
wept at the memory of the happy days of their
beloved child. They beheld her once more in memory, charming frank,
delighting them with her countless fancies and pretty jests, amusing
herself by weaving flower wreaths for her brow, singing sweet ditties,
and dancing lightly with her companions. They laid on the
family altar all the little things that she had loved best.
And meanwhile the Bonzas repeated their prayers, and the whole family,
ranged in a circle around them, shed tears. Just as
the sun was setting behind the mountain, a pilgrim Bonza
presented himself at the door, ringing his little bell and
uttering prayers. They took him in, offering him hospitality for
the night, and set pure food before him. After a
short time, he addressed the master of the house and
his wife, saying, I have come from Afar solely in
order to communicate to you something of great moment concerning
your daughter. I beg you to send to a distance
all your servants so that I may speak freely to you,
after which I shall not regret all the pain and
weariness of my coming. They led him immediately to a
remote apartment and begged him to begin at once what
he had to tell, because it was already late. The
Bonza drew himself together, took his rosary in both hands
and passed it between his fingers. Then several times, repeating
the invocation to Amida Buddha. He began as follows. While
I was traveling through the province of Echigo, I ascended
Mount Tatayama and passed through a valley called Jigoku Dani.
Not a living creature was in sight, Not a hut
was visible that could serve as a shelter. The sun
had already set, darkness had begun to envelope the earth,
and I was obliged to take shelter under the branches
of an ancient tree. The wind whistled and the cold,
damp air pierced me to the bone. So my eyelids,
though heavy with sleep, refused to close. The night descended
in thick darkness. All at once, a slender flame, half reddish,
half bluish, passed flickering before my eyes, now growing dim,
now glowing brightly, now fading, and then lighting up again.
In a word, something mysterious, strange, indefinable, like everything that
comes from the other world. At the same time, I
heard what seemed to be a plaintive voice approaching me.
It was in vain that I lent all my attention,
for I could distinguish nothing clearly. I thought that I
must be the sport of some illusion, such as the
fox witches and badger wizards impose on human beings. Then
at last I went to sleep, my head leaning on
my arm for a pillow. But while I slept, I
saw her eyes before me, the specter of a young
girl who might have been about sixteen. Her pale, haggard
face peered through her long black head, which fell in
disorder to the ground. Red blood flowed from a wound
in her body and stained her white raiment. At last
she began to speak to me in trembling tones, giving
me three objects which she held in her hands. Sadly
taking my own life, she said, at the moment when
my youth was about to burst into bloom, and when
I should have been a joy to my parents' hearts,
I left them in inconsolable sorrow. All my regrets have
not been enough to actpiate this crime. But I am
now condemned to suffer night and day in a lake
of blood. But I have been told that I may
be set free and may enter the abodes of the blessed,
if someone will make an offering for my soul of
a thousand copies of the holy texts, and will bury
on a holy mountain or in some sacred stream these
three objects which I give to you. If this be
not done, my soul will return to the earth to
be imprisoned in the body of some animal, and I
shall never regain a human form. Ah, how happy would
I be if I could change my wretched state for
the happiness of eternal paradise. Therefore I beg you to
journey to my native province and to tell to my
parents all that I have said to you. Hardly had
she uttered these words, when her image disappeared, like a
wreath of mist, which vanishes away in the sky. Only
the murmur of a nearby spring broke the silence of
that solitude. I noted it, then, hearing it distinctly. I
was awake, lying stone, wretched, at the root of the tree,
where where I had lain down to rest. I had awakened,
indeed from a dream. But how could I explain this wonder?
I really held in my hands the three objects which
Specter had given to me. I lighted a fire of
withered leaves and examined them in the glow of the flame.
They were a little bag filled with sacred objects, A
linen sleeve and a cord tied round a few locks
of hair, the first cut from a baby's head. They
were wrapped together in a piece of paper, on which
was written her name, her abode, and the day of
her birth. Here are the three objects, said the Bonza,
and ceased speaking. The father and mother examined them attentively,
and to their great astonishment, recognized to the inscription which
they themselves had traced and placed in the tomb of
their beloved. Unable to check their feelings, they burst into
sobs and knew not what to do or say. Finally
wiping away the tears which trickled over his cheeks, who
Zumi said, today is the very anniversary of the death
of our dear child, and I cannot for a moment
doubt that she came to you to implore your protection
to save her from the place of punishment. We pray you, therefore,
venerable priest, to visit for her all the holy places
of the West, and to bury these three objects, as
she instructed you. As for the thousand copies of the
holy texts, we will pay for them twice four times
their value. Have pity on our tears, and grant her
what we beg of you. Then they offered five hundred
gold pieces to the pilgrim Bonza as the price of
the holy texts, and a hundred more for the cost
of his journey. But the Bonza shook his head and replied,
we bons of pilgrims pass our lives in traveling from
place to place. What use, then, would money be to me?
Our home is in every mountain, every river, every place
where our footsteps rest. Saying this, he rose and made
ready to take leave of his sorrow stricken hosts. But
they held him by the sleeve and begged him to
accept their money, resisting until they forced him to comply.
He at last accepted it and said, as he departed,
remember that, despite my age, despite the weariness of my
long journey, I consent to do what you demand in
favor of your daughter and all your family, Oh venerable saint.
They cried, falling down before him. Their hands had joined
in entreaty. All the family accompanied him far on his way,
and at last the Bonsa departed, his pilgrim's staff in
his hands. The bystanders watched him depart and disappeared gradually
from view, and even after he was out of sight.
Their eyes remained fixed on the spot where he had disappeared,
and they thought they still could see him, so deeply
was his image graven on their minds. After he had
traveled seven or eight leagues, the Bonza plunged into a
forest and directed his steps toward an old, ruined temple,
which was in the depths of the forest. At the
sound of his steps, the door opened, and a young
man ran to meet him. The Bonza pulled off his
wig and false beard and showed his real form, Young
and vigorous. The two looked at each other and exchanged
a smile. Well played, cried the young man. It could
not have been better er planned, replied the other. Now
to Nagarta to taste the sweets of life. So, dividing
their plunder, they set out. The false Banza was the
young man who had visited Eukino's toomb, whence he had
taken the three objects which served to confirm his story.