■ Explanation
This book relates stories from two Kabuki plays that were popular in the Meiji period. "Terakoya" presents the temple school episode from the play Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami, a tragedy depicting the loyalty of the followers and retainers of Sugawara Michizane. Although he was the son of one of Michizane's retainers, Matsuo served Fujiwara Tokihira, Michizane's enemy at the court and the one who masterminded his downfall. Matsuo was ordered to examine the head of a child hiding in a temple school in a mountain village, to make sure it was that of Shusai, Michizane's son. But Matsuo had Kotaro, his own son, take Shusai's place in the hideout in advance, and thereby fulfilled the duty of loyalty to his prior lord. The story is a faithful translation of a saga about the tragic heroism of the warrior class.
"Asagao" is a translation of the play Shoutsushi Asagaobanashi (commonly known as the "Morning Glory Diary")
from the lodging house scene to the Oigawa scene. Born to samurai families, the lovers Miyuki and Asojiro were forced by circumstances to part and returned to their respective provinces. They crossed each other several times. The story turns on female passion and human destiny. After losing her sight from crying so incessantly after the parting, Asagao (i.e., Miyuki) became a wandering troubadour. One night, she told her story to a customer who, she later discovered, was Asojiro but left without revealing his identity. Her pursuit of him was blocked by the Oigawa river, which was running high and could not be crossed. She attempted to drown herself in its waters, but was saved by the keeper of the lodging house and, moreover, recovered her sight.
Karl Florenz translated the famous episodes from the two different plays. The stories are prefaced by synopsis of the plots leading up to them, supplemental remarks about terms for special objects, and concise summations of the works. |
