kwaidan-第15章

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in　this　world！＇



　　　　　Cho　tobu　ya；

Kono　yo　ni　nozomi

　　　　　Nai　yo　ni！







＇Ah；　the　butterfly！　　it　sports　about　as　if　it　had　nothing　more　to　desire

in　this　present　state　of　existence。＇



　　　　　Nami　no　hana　ni

Tomari　kanetaru；

　　　　　Kocho　kana！







＇Having　found　it　difficult　indeed　to　perch　upon　the　（foam…）　blossoms　of

the　waves；　alas　for　the　butterfly！＇



　　　　　Mutsumashi　ya！　

Umare…kawareba

　　　　　Nobe　no　cho。　＇10＇







＇If　（in　our　next　existence）　we　be　born　into　the　state　of　butterflies　upon

the　moor；　then　perchance　we　may　be　happy　together！＇



　　　　　Nadeshiko　ni

Chocho　shiroshi　

　　　　　Tare　no　kon？　＇11＇







＇On　the　pink…flower　there　is　a　white　butterfly：　whose　spirit；　I　wonder？＇



　　　　　Ichi…nichi　no

Tsuma　to　miekeri　

　　　　　Cho　futatsu。







＇The　one…day　wife　has　at　last　appeared　　a　pair　of　butterflies！＇



　　　　　Kite　wa　mau；

Futari　shidzuka　no

　　　　　Kocho　kana！







＇Approaching　they　dance；　but　when　the　two　meet　at　last　they　are　very

quiet；　the　butterflies！＇



　　　　　Cho　wo　ou

Kokoro…mochitashi

　　　　　Itsumademo！







＇Would　that　I　might　always　have　the　heart　（desire）　of　chasing　butterflies！＇12＇＇



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　*　　　　　*







Besides　these　specimens　of　poetry　about　butterflies；　I　have　one　queer

example　to　offer　of　Japanese　prose　literature　on　the　same　topic。　The

original；　of　which　I　have　attempted　only　a　free　translation；　can　be　found

in　the　curious　old　book　Mushi…Isame　（〃Insect…Admonitions〃）；　and　it　assumes

the　form　of　a　discourse　to　a　butterfly。　But　it　is　really　a　didactic

allegory；　suggesting　the　moral　significance　of　a　social　rise　and　fall：







〃Now；　under　the　sun　of　spring；　the　winds　are　gentle；　and　flowers　pinkly

bloom；　and　grasses　are　soft；　and　the　hearts　of　people　are　glad。　Butterflies

everywhere　flutter　joyously：　so　many　persons　now　compose　Chinese　verses　and

Japanese　verses　about　butterflies。





〃And　this　season；　O　Butterfly；　is　indeed　the　season　of　your　bright

prosperity：　so　comely　you　now　are　that　in　the　whole　world　there　is　nothing

more　comely。　For　that　reason　all　other　insects　admire　and　envy　you；　there

is　not　among　them　even　one　that　does　not　envy　you。　Nor　do　insects　alone

regard　you　with　envy：　men　also　both　envy　and　admire　you。　Soshu　of　China；　in

a　dream；　assumed　your　shape；　Sakoku　of　Japan；　after　dying；　took　your

form；　and　therein　made　ghostly　apparition。　Nor　is　the　envy　that　you　inspire

shared　only　by　insects　and　mankind：　even　things　without　soul　change　their

form　into　yours；　witness　the　barley…grass；　which　turns　into　a　butterfly。

＇13＇





〃And　therefore　you　are　lifted　up　with　pride；　and　think　to　yourself：　'In　all

this　world　there　is　nothing　superior　to　me！'　Ah！　I　can　very　well　guess　what

is　in　your　heart：　you　are　too　much　satisfied　with　your　own　person。　That　is

why　you　let　yourself　be　blown　thus　lightly　about　by　every　wind；　that　is

why　you　never　remain　still；　always；　always　thinking；　'In　the　whole　world

there　is　no　one　so　fortunate　as　I。'





〃But　now　try　to　think　a　little　about　your　own　personal　history。　It　is

worth　recalling；　for　there　is　a　vulgar　side　to　it。　How　a　vulgar　side？　Well；

for　a　considerable　time　after　you　were　born；　you　had　no　such　reason　for

rejoicing　in　your　form。　You　were　then　a　mere　cabbage…insect；　a　hairy　worm；

and　you　were　so　poor　that　you　could　not　afford　even　one　robe　to　cover　your

nakedness；　and　your　appearance　was　altogether　disgusting。　Everybody　in

those　days　hated　the　sight　of　you。　Indeed　you　had　good　reason　to　be　ashamed

of　yourself；　and　so　ashamed　you　were　that　you　collected　old　twigs　and

rubbish　to　hide　in；　and　you　made　a　hiding…nest；　and　hung　it　to　a　branch；

and　then　everybody　cried　out　to　you；　'Raincoat　Insect！'　（Mino…mushi。）　＇14＇

And　during　that　period　of　your　life；　your　sins　were　grievous。　Among　the

tender　green　leaves　of　beautiful　cherry…trees　you　and　your　fellows

assembled；　and　there　made　ugliness　extraordinary；　and　the　expectant　eyes　of

the　people；　who　came　from　far　away　to　admire　the　beauty　of　those

cherry…trees；　were　hurt　by　the　sight　of　you。　And　of　things　even　more

hateful　than　this　you　were　guilty。　You　knew　that　poor；　poor　men　and　women

had　been　cultivating　daikon　（2）　in　their　fields；　toiling　under　the　hot

sun　till　their　hearts　were　filled　with　bitterness　by　reason　of　having　to

care　for　that　daikon；　and　you　persuaded　your　companions　to　go　with　you；　and

to　gather　upon　the　leaves　of　that　daikon；　and　on　the　leaves　of　other

vegetables　planted　by　those　poor　people。　Out　of　your　greediness　you　ravaged

those　leaves；　and　gnawed　them　into　all　shapes　of　ugliness；　caring　nothing

for　the　trouble　of　those　poor　folk。。。　Yes；　such　a　creature　you　were；　and

such　were　your　doings。





〃And　now　that　you　have　a　comely　form；　you　despise　your　old　comrades；　the

insects；　and；　whenever　you　happen　to　meet　any　of　them；　you　pretend　not　to

know　them　＇literally；　'You　make　an　I…don't…know　face'＇。　　Now　you　want　to

have　none　but　wealthy　and　exalted　people　for　friends。。。　Ah！　You　have

forgotten　the　old　times；　have　you？





〃It　is　true　that　many　people　have　forgotten　your　past；　and　are　charmed　by

the　sight　of　your　present　graceful　shape　and　white　wings；　and　write　Chinese

verses　and　Japanese　verses　about　you。　The　high…born　damsel；　who　could　not

bear　even　to　look　at　you　in　your　former　shape；　now　gazes　at　you　with

delight；　and　wants　you　to　perch　upon　her　hairpin；　and　holds　out　her　dainty

fan　in　the　hope　that　you　will　light　upon　it。　But　this　reminds　me　that　there

is　an　ancient　Chinese　story　about　you；　which　is　not　pretty。





〃In　the　time　of　the　Emperor　Genso；　the　Imperial　Palace　contained　hundreds

and　thousands　of　beautiful　ladies；　so　many；　indeed；　that　it　would　have

been　difficult　for　any　man　to　decide　which　among　them　was　the　loveliest。

So　all　of　those　beautiful　persons　were　assembled　together　in　one　place；　and

you　were　set　free　to　fly　among　them；　and　it　was　decreed　that　the　damsel

upon　whose　hairpin　you　perched　should　be　augustly　summoned　to　the　Imperial

Chamber。　In　that　time　there　could　not　be　more　than　one　Empress　　which　was

a　good　law；　but；　because　of　you；　the　Emperor　Genso　did　great　mischief　in

the　land。　For　your　mind　is　light　and　frivolous；　and　although　among　so　many

beautiful　women　there　must　have　been　some　persons　of　pure　heart；　you　would

look　for　nothing　but　beauty；　and　so　betook　yourself　to　the　person　most

beautiful　in　outward　appearance。　Therefore　many　of　the　female　attendants

ceased　altogether　to　think　about　the　right　way　of　women；　and　began　to　study

how　to　make　themselves　appear　splendid　in　the　eyes　of　men。　And　the　end　of

it　was　that　the　Emperor　Genso　died　a　pitiful　and　painful　death　　all

because　of　your　light　and　trifling　mind。　　Indeed；　your　real　character　can

easily　be　seen　from　your　conduct　in　other　matters。　There　are　trees；　for

example；　such　as　the　evergreen…oak　and　the　pine；　whose　leaves　do　not

fade　and　fall；　but　remain　always　green；　these　are　trees　of　firm　heart；

trees　of　solid　character。　But　you　say　that　they　are　stiff　and　formal；　and

you　hate　the　sight　of　them；　and　never　pay　them　a　visit。　　Only　to　the

cherry…tree；　and　the　kaido　＇15＇；　and　the　peony；　and　the　yellow　rose　you　go：

those　you　like　because　they　have　showy　flowers；　and　you　try　only　to　please

them。　Such　conduct；　let　me　assure　you；　is　very　unbecoming。　Those　trees

certainly　have　handsome　flowers；　but　hunger…satisfying　fruits　they　have

not；　and　they　are　grateful　to　those　only　who　are　fond　of　luxury　and　show。

And　that　is　just　the　reason　why　they　are　pleased　by　your　fluttering　wings

and　delicate　shape；　that　is　why　they　are　kind　to　you。





〃Now；　in　this　spring　season；　while　you　sportively　dance　through　the

gardens　of　the　wealthy；　or　hover　among　the　beautiful　alleys　of　cherry…trees

in　blossom；　you　say　to　yourself：　'Nobody　in　the　world　has　such　pleasure　as

I；　or　such　excellent　friends。　And；　in　spite　of　all　that　people　may　say；　I

most　love　the　peony；　and　the　golden　yellow　rose　is　my　own　darling；　and　I

will　obey　her　every　least　behest；　for　that　is　my　pride　and　my　delight。'。。。

So　you　say。　But　the　opulent　and　elegant　season　of　flowers　is　very　short：

soon　they　will　fade　and　fall。　Then；　in　the　time　of　summer　heat；　there　will

be　green　leaves　only；　and　presently　the　winds　of　autumn　will　blow；　when

even　the　leaves　themselves　will　shower　down　like　rain；　parari…parari。　And

your　fate　will　then　be　as　the　fate　of　the　unlucky　in　the　proverb；　Tanomi　ki

no　shita　ni　ame　furu　＇Even　through　the　tree　upon　which　I　relied　for　shelter

the　rain　leaks　down＇。　For　you　will　seek　out　your　old　friend；　the

root…cutting　insect；　the　grub；　and　beg　him　to　let　you　return　into　your

old…time　hole；　but　now　having　wings；　you　will　not　be　able　to　enter　the

hole　because　of　them；　and　you　will　not　be　able　to　shelter　your　body

anywhere　between　heaven　and　earth；　and　all　the　moor…grass　will　then　have

withered；　and　you　will　not　have　even　one　drop　of　dew　with　which　to　moisten

your　tongue；　and　there　will　be　nothing　left　for　you　to　do　but　to　lie　down

and　die。　all　because　of　your　light　and　frivolous　heart　　but；　ah！　how

lamentable　an　end！〃。。。



III







Most　of　the　Japanese　stories　about　butterflies　appear；　as　I　have　said；　to

be　of　Chinese　origin。　But　I　have　one　which　is　probably　indigenous；　and　it

seems　to　me　worth　telling　for　the　benefit　of　persons　who　believe　there　is

no　〃romantic　love〃　in　the　Far　East。







Behind　the　cemetery　of　the　temple　of　Sozanji；　in　the　suburbs　of　the

capital；　there　long　stood　a　solitary　cottage；　occupied　by　an　old　man　named

Takahama。　He　was　liked　in　the　neighborhood；　by　reason　of　his　amiable　ways；

but　almost　everybody　supposed　him　to　be　a　little　mad。　Unless　a　man　take　the

Buddhist　vows；　he　is　expected　to　marry；　and　to　bring　up　a　family。　But

Takahama　did　not　belong　to　the　religious　life；　and　he　could　not　be

persuaded　to　marry。　Neither　had　he　ever　been　known　to　enter　into　a

love…relation　with　any　woman。　For　more　than　fifty　years　he　had　lived

entirely　alone。





One　summer　he　fell　sick；　and　knew　that　he　had　not　long　to　live。　He　then

sent　for　his　sister…in…law；　a　widow；　and　for　her　only　son；　a　lad　of　about

twenty　years　old；　to　whom　he　was　much　attached。　Both　promptly　came；　and　did

whatever　they　could　to　soothe　the　old　man's　last　hours。





One　sultry　afternoon；　while　the　widow　and　her　son　were　watching　at　his

bedside；　Takahama　fell　asleep。　At　the　same　moment　a　very　large　white

butterfly　entered　the　room；　and　perched　upon　the　sick　man's　pillow。　The

nephew　drove　it　away　with　a　fan；　but　it　returned　immediately　to　the　pillow；

and　was　again　driven　away；　only　to　come　back　a　third　time。　　Then　the　nephew

chased　it　into　the　garden；　and　across　the　garden；　through　an　open　gate；

into　the　cemetery　of　the　neighboring　temple。　But　it　continued　to　flutter

before　him　as　if　unwilling　to　be　driven　further；　and　acted　so　queerly　that

he　began　to　wonder　whether　it　was　really　a