Agemaki - Tasseled Knots |
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In the autumn, the Uji princesses prepared for the anniversary of their father's death. Kaoru took care of them as far as he could. Kaoru came himself and wrote out a petition for memorial services. The princesses were spinning thread for decking out the sacred incense. While he had a brush in hand he jotted down a verse: "As braided threads, may our fates be joined, may we be together always."
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Kaoru rested at Uji. In the middle of night, he was able to approach Oigimi and talked to her closely. Her solemn attitude stopped him from going far. The dawn came on, bringing an end to nothing. The sky was a whirring of wings close by as of flocks of birds. From deep in the mountain, the main bell came faintly. Sent out from her room in vain, Kaoru was filled with an empty sorrow. One day, Kaoru succeeded in entering the room of the princess. But Oigimi, who wished Kaoru to marry Nakanokimi, her younger sister, sneaked out of the room to ask her to take care of him alone. Surprised by the stubborn attitude of Oigimi, Kaoru passed the night with Nakanokimi, much as he had an earlier time with her elder sister. Oigimi received a poem from Kaoru who had returned in vain. He insisted on writing that he longed for Oigimi. Oigimi, still wanting her sister to take her place, asked Nakanokimi to reply. But Nakanokimi left it to Oigimi. |
Kunisada, 1852 |
Kaoru was not prepared to switch his affection to Nakanokimi. So he made a plan to introduce Niou to Nakanokimi. He led Niou towards Uji. Their meeting ended as Kaoru wished. The night of their marriage, people wondered whether Niou would come from Kyoto. Then, about midnight, he came in upon a rising wind. Nakanokimi, who was happy with this unexpected marriage, was pleased by the gentle and sweet words of Niou. As dawn began to move over the sky, his attendants hastened him noisily to return to Kyoto. Hating to go back, he returned hesitatingly. Stopping again and again, he wrote her farewell poems to which she later replied.
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Kunichika, 1884 |
From early in the Tenth Month, Niou organized an autumn excursion to enjoy the coloring leaves. Although it was carefully planned, the event expanded immediately. Kaoru sent off a long letter to Uji. "Niou will of course want to spend a night, and you should be prepared". Music and other exciting sounds came from the boat as it was poled up and down the river. The roof of the boat was decorated with scarlet leaves. The music reached to the Nakanokimi who was waiting happily. Hearing the sound of the party on the boat, she was comforted herself. Even though she could scarcely see him (like the princess of the weaver in a fairy tale, who saw her lover once a year on the seventh of the Seventh Month, the day of Tanabata) she felt happy that the prince would not abandon her. The boat arrived at Yugiri’s second house across the river. During the whole night, Niou thought of seeing Nakanokimi. The soul of the Eighth Prince could not attained nirvana. So the abbot dispatched the priests to the villages near the city to pray to Buddha. They came around to Uji where now Oigimi was ill in bed. Moved by the voice of the priest chanting the sutra, Kaoru wrote a verse on the uncertainty of the world to Nakanokimi beside him. |
Oigimi faded away like a vanishing flower. "Was it a dream?" Tuning up the light, Kaoru gazed at her dead face. She was beautiful as ever as and looked asleep. He combed her hair, and the fragrance came from it. He wished he could go on gazing at her forever as at a shell of a locust.
Deep in sorrow at the death of Oigimi, Kaoru stayed at Uji. In the evening the moon rose in a sky that was clear after the heavy snow. When he rolled up the curtains, the bell rang at the monastery in the mountains. In the brilliant moonlight, the mountains were reflected in the icy river as in a mirror. In unbearable sadness at losing Oigimi, he would like to have looked for a way to kill himself. He envied the Boy of the Himalayas (the Buddha in a former life), who was allowed to sacrifice himself for the sake of learning.
Resumed by Mary Nagase. Published by UNESCO.© UNESCO 2000