Episode 13

Long ago, a man from Musashi sent a letter to a woman in Kyoto. 
He wrote, 
"I feel shy to tell you about my close relationship with a woman in Musashi. But I feel sad if I don't tell you." 
He wrote "Musashi Stirrup" on the envelope. After sending it, he stopped writing to her completely.

Later, the woman in Kyoto sent him this poem:

武蔵鐙さすがにかけて頼むには　
　　問はぬもつらし問ふもうるさし　
"Like the Musashi stirrup I truly depend on you. 
It hurts not to ask why you don't write. 
But it's also annoying to ask."

When the man read this, he felt very sad and upset.

He wrote back:

問へば言ふ問はねば恨む武蔵鐙
　　　かゝる折にや人は死ぬらむ
"If I write to you, you complain. 
If I don't write, you hold a grudge. 
Like a Musashi stirrup that's always hanging. 
Is this why people die of sadness?"

*Note: A "Musashi stirrup" was a type of foot support used when riding horses in ancient Japan. The poem uses wordplay about "hanging" stirrups and "depending" on someone.*

Episode 14

Long ago, a man traveled to Mutsu province for no special reason. A woman who lived there thought men from Kyoto were rare and special. She fell deeply in love with him.

The woman wrote this poem:

なかなかに恋に死なずは桑子にぞ
　　　なるべかりける玉の緒ばかり
"I wish we could be like silkworms together. 
Instead of dying from love, 
We could be together even for a short time, 
Like a precious thread of silk."

Her poem sounded very country-like. The man felt sorry for her. He went to her house and spent the night with her.

He left while it was still dark. The woman then said:

夜も明けばきつにはめなでくた鶏の
　　　まだきに鳴きてせなをやりつる
"When day breaks, I'll punish that silly rooster! 
It crowed too early and made my love leave too soon."

The man said, "I'm going back to Kyoto." Then he wrote this poem:

栗原のあねはの松の人ならば　
　　　都のつとにいざといはましを　
"If the pine tree at Aneha in Kurihara were a person, 
I would say, 'Come with me to the capital as a souvenir!'"

The woman was so happy about this. She said, 
"He seems to really care about me!" 
She didn't understand that he was just joking.

Episode 15

Long ago, in Mutsu province, a man visited the wife of an ordinary person. Strangely, she didn't seem like someone's wife. 
So the man wrote this poem:

しのぶ山しのびて通ふ道もがな
　　　人の心の奥も見るべく　
"I wish there was a secret path to Mount Shinobu, 
Where I could visit you in secret. 
Then I could also see deep into your heart."

The woman thought the man was wonderful. But what would the man do if he saw deep into the heart of such a simple country woman? There would be nothing special to see.

Note: "Shinobu" in Japanese means "to hide" or "to endure secretly," and Mount Shinobu was a real place. The poem plays with this double meaning.

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The Tales of Ise: Episode 16-18

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The writing is my own English translation of a Japanese story from the 10th century.
Please do not copy or use it.