The Tales of Ise: Episode 25-30 (Japanese Classical Literature)
Episode 25
A long time ago, there was a man.
There was a woman he liked.
She did not clearly say she wouldn't meet him.
But when he tried to meet her, she refused.
So the man sent her a poem:
秋の野に笹分けし朝の袖よりも
あはで寝る夜ぞひぢまさりける
In the autumn fields,
my sleeves get wet from the morning dew.
But when I sleep alone without seeing you,
my sleeves get even wetter.
The woman, who liked love stories, sent a poem back:
みるめなきわが身を浦と知らねばや
離れなで海人の足たゆく来る
You don't know
that I am like a beach with no seaweed.
I have no love to give you.
That’s why,
every night,
you come to me with your tired feet,
not knowing you will find nothing.
Episode 26
A long time ago, there was a man.
There was a woman who lived near Gojō.
The man loved her, but he could not win her heart.
He was very sad.
One day, he wrote a poem as a reply to someone’s letter:
思ほえず袖にみなとの騒ぐかな
もろこし舟の寄りしばかりに
I did not expect it,
but my sleeves are soaked with tears.
Just like the waves in a harbor
when a ship from China suddenly arrives.
Episode 27
A long time ago, a man visited a woman for only one night.
After that, he never came back.
The woman was very sad.
One day, she put a bamboo screen called "Nukisu" beside the place where she washed her hands.
When she looked into the water, she saw her reflection.
She made a poem:
我ばかりもの思ふ人はまたもあらじと
思へば水の下にもありけり
I thought no one
was as sad as I am.
But when I look,
there is someone else under the water —
it is me.
The man, who had not visited her again, heard her poem.
He made a poem too:
水口にわれや見ゆらむ蛙さへ
水の下にてもろ声に鳴く
Maybe you see me
at the place where the water flows.
Even the frogs,
under the water,
cry out together.
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Explanation [One night only]
In the old days, a husband had to visit his wife every night for the first three nights after they got married. It was an important custom.
Episode 28
A long time ago, there was a woman who loved very deeply.
One day, she left her home.
The man was very sad.
He made a poem:
などてかくあふごかたみになりにけむ
水漏らさじと結びしものを
Why is it now
so hard for us to meet?
We made a promise so strong
that even water couldn’t pass through.
Episode 29
A long time ago, there was a flower party.
It was held at the home of the Lady who was the mother of the Crown Prince.
A man was invited to the party and made a poem:
花に飽かぬ嘆きはいつもせしかども
今日の今宵に似る時はなし
I always said
I never got tired of seeing flowers.
But tonight feels
more special than ever before.
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Explanation
This poem shows that the man was reminiscing about Lady Nijou .
Even after she passed the age of 40,
he could not forget her.
Because she was as beautiful as a flower.
Episode 30
A long time ago, a man sent a poem to a woman.
He had only met her once for a short time.
He wrote:
あふことは玉の緒ばかりおもほえて
つらき心の長く見ゆらむ
When I meet you,
time feels very short,
like a string of tiny jewels.
However, your cold heart
feels distant and endless.
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