Atsumori

Introduction

In the eleventh century two powerful clans, the Taira and the Minamoto, contended for mastery. In Kiyomori the chief of the Tairas died, and from that time their fortunes declined. In they were forced to flee from Kyōto, carrying with them the infant Emperor. After many hardships and wanderings they camped on the shores of Suma, where they were protected by their fleet.

Early in the Minamotos attacked and utterly routed them at the Battle of Ichi-no-Tani, near the woods of Ikuta. At this battle fell Atsumori, the nephew of Kiyomori, and his brother Tsunemasa.

When Kumagai, who had slain Atsumori, bent over him to examine the body, he found lying beside him a bamboo-flute wrapped in brocade. He took the flute and gave it to his son.

The bay of Suma is associated in the mind of a Japanese reader not only with this battle but also with the stories of Prince Genji and Prince Yukihira.

A recitation concerning Atsumori’s death takes place in the Interlude between the two Acts. These interludes are subject to variation and are not considered part of the literary text of the play.

Characters

  • The Priest Rensei (formerly the warrior Kumagai).

  • A Young Reaper, who turns out to be the ghost of Atsumori.

  • His companion.

  • Chorus.

Act I

Priest

Life is a lying dream, he only wakes
Who casts the World aside.

I am Kumagai no Naozane, a man of the country of Musashi. I have left my home and call myself the priest Rensei; this I have done because of my grief at the death of Atsumori, who fell in battle by my hand. Hence it comes that I am dressed in priestly guise.

And now I am going down to Ichi-no-Tani to pray for the salvation of Atsumori’s soul.

He walks slowly across the stage, singing a song descriptive of his journey.

I have come so fast that here I am already at Ichi-no-Tani, in the country of Tsu.

Truly the past returns to my mind as though it were a thing of today.

But listen! I hear the sound of a flute coming from a knoll of rising ground. I will wait here till the flute-player passes, and ask him to tell me the story of this place.
Reapers

To the music of the reaper’s flute
No song is sung
But the sighing of wind in the fields.

Young reaper

They that were reaping,
Reaping on that hill,
Walk now through the fields
Homeward, for it is dusk.

Reapers

Short is the way that leads
From the sea of Suma back to my home.
This little journey, up to the hill
And down to the shore again, and up to the hill⁠—
This is my life, and the sum of hateful tasks.
If one should ask me
I too would answer
That on the shores of Suma
I live in sadness.
Yet if any guessed my name,
Then might I too have friends.
But now from my deep misery
Even those that were dearest
Are grown estranged. Here must I dwell abandoned
To one thought’s anguish:
That I must dwell here.

Priest Hey, you reapers! I have a question to ask you.
Young reaper Is it to us you are speaking? What do you wish to know?
Priest Was it one of you who was playing on the flute just now?
Young reaper Yes, it was we who were playing.
Priest It was a pleasant sound, and all the pleasanter because one does not look for such music from men of your condition.
Young reaper

Unlooked for from men of our condition, you say!
Have you not read:⁠—
“Do not envy what is above you
Nor despise what is below you”?
Moreover the songs of woodmen and the flute-playing of herdsmen,
Flute-playing even of reapers and songs of wood-fellers
Through poets’ verses are known to all the world.
Wonder not to hear among us
The sound of a bamboo-flute.

Priest

You are right. Indeed it is as you have told me.
Songs of woodmen and flute-playing of herdsmen⁠ ⁠…

Reaper Flute-playing of reapers⁠ ⁠…
Priest Songs of wood-fellers⁠ ⁠…
Reapers Guide us on our passage through this sad world.
Priest Song⁠ ⁠…
Reaper And dance⁠ ⁠…
Priest And the flute⁠ ⁠…
Reaper And music of many instruments⁠ ⁠…
Chorus

These are the pastimes that each chooses to his taste.
Of floating bamboo-wood
Many are the famous flutes that have been made;
Little-Branch and Cicada-Cage,
And as for the reaper’s flute,
Its name is Green-leaf;
On the shore of Sumiyoshi
The Korean flute they play.
And here on the shore of Suma
On Stick of the Salt-kilns
The fishers blow their tune.

Priest How strange it is! The other reapers have all gone home, but you alone stay loitering here. How is that?
Reaper How is it, you ask? I am seeking for a prayer in the voice of the evening waves. Perhaps you will pray the Ten Prayers for me?
Priest I can easily pray the Ten Prayers for you, if you will tell me who you are.
Reaper To tell you the truth⁠—I am one of the family of Lord Atsumori.
Priest One of Atsumori’s family? How glad I am!
Then the priest joined his hands He kneels down and prayed:⁠—

Namu Amidabu.

Praise to Amida Buddha!

“If I attain to Buddhahood,
In the whole world and its ten spheres
Of all that dwell here none shall call on my name
And be rejected or cast aside.”

Chorus

“Oh, reject me not!
One cry suffices for salvation,
Yet day and night
Your prayers will rise for me.
Happy am I, for though you know not my name,
Yet for my soul’s deliverance
At dawn and dusk henceforward I know that you will pray.”

So he spoke. Then vanished and was seen no more.

Act II

Priest Since this is so, I will perform all night the rites of prayer for the dead, and calling upon Amida’s name will pray again for the salvation of Atsumori.
The ghost of Atsumori appears, dressed as a young warrior.
Atsumori

Would you know who I am
That like the watchmen at Suma Pass
Have wakened at the cry of seabirds roaming
Upon Awaji shore?
Listen, Rensei. I am Atsumori.

Priest How strange! All this while I have never stopped beating my gong and performing the rites of the Law. I cannot for a moment have dozed, yet I thought that Atsumori was standing before me. Surely it was a dream.
Atsumori Why need it be a dream? It is to clear the karma of my waking life that I am come here in visible form before you.
Priest Is it not written that one prayer will wipe away ten thousand sins? Ceaselessly I have performed the ritual of the Holy Name that clears all sin away. After such prayers, what evil can be left? Though you should be sunk in sin as deep⁠ ⁠…
Atsumori

As the sea by a rocky shore,
Yet should I be salved by prayer.

Priest And that my prayers should save you⁠ ⁠…
Atsumori

This too must spring
From kindness of a former life.48

Priest Once enemies⁠ ⁠…
Atsumori But now⁠ ⁠…
Priest In truth may we be named⁠ ⁠…
Atsumori Friends in Buddha’s Law.
Chorus

There is a saying, “Put away from you a wicked friend; summon to your side a virtuous enemy.” For you it was said, and you have proven it true.

And now come tell with us the tale of your confession, while the night is still dark.
Chorus

He49 bids the flowers of Spring
Mount the treetop that men may raise their eyes
And walk on upward paths;
He bids the moon in autumn waves be drowned
In token that he visits laggard men
And leads them out from valleys of despair.

Atsumori

Now the clan of Taira, building wall to wall,
Spread over the earth like the leafy branches of a great tree:

Chorus

Yet their prosperity lasted but for a day;
It was like the flower of the convolvulus.
There was none to tell them50
That glory flashes like sparks from flint-stone,
And after⁠—darkness.
Oh wretched, the life of men!

Atsumori

When they were on high they afflicted the humble;
When they were rich they were reckless in pride.
And so for twenty years and more
They ruled this land.
But truly a generation passes like the space of a dream.
The leaves of the autumn of Juyei51
Were tossed by the four winds;
Scattered, scattered (like leaves too) floated their ships.
And they, asleep on the heaving sea, not even in dreams
Went back to home.
Caged birds longing for the clouds⁠—
Wild geese were they rather, whose ranks are broken
As they fly to southward on their doubtful journey.
So days and months went by; Spring came again
And for a little while
Here dwelt they on the shore of Suma
At the first valley.52
From the mountain behind us the winds blew down
Till the fields grew wintry again.
Our ships lay by the shore, where night and day
The seagulls cried and salt waves washed on our sleeves.
We slept with fishers in their huts
On pillows of sand.
We knew none but the people of Suma.
And when among the pine-trees
The evening smoke was rising,
Brushwood, as they call it,53
Brushwood we gathered
And spread for carpet.
Sorrowful we lived
On the wild shore of Suma,
Till the clan Taira and all its princes
Were but villagers of Suma.

Atsumori

But on the night of the sixth day of the second month
My father Tsunemori gathered us together.
“Tomorrow,” he said, “we shall fight our last fight.
Tonight is all that is left us.”
We sang songs together, and danced.

Priest

Yes, I remember; we in our siege-camp
Heard the sound of music
Echoing from your tents that night;
There was the music of a flute⁠ ⁠…

Atsumori The bamboo-flute! I wore it when I died.
Priest We heard the singing⁠ ⁠…
Atsumori Songs and ballads⁠ ⁠…
Priest Many voices
Atsumori

Singing to one measure.

Atsumori dances.

First comes the Royal Boat.
Chorus

The whole clan has put its boats to sea.
He54 will not be left behind;
He runs to the shore.
But the Royal Boat and the soldiers’ boats
Have sailed far away.

Atsumori

What can he do?
He spurs his horse into the waves.
He is full of perplexity.
And then

Chorus

He looks behind him and sees
That Kumagai pursues him;
He cannot escape.
Then Atsumori turns his horse
Knee-deep in the lashing waves,
And draws his sword.
Twice, three times he strikes; then, still saddled,
In close fight they twine; roll headlong together
Among the surf of the shore.
So Atsumori fell and was slain, but now the Wheel of Fate
Has turned and brought him back.

Atsumori rises from the ground and advances toward the Priest with uplifted sword.

“There is my enemy,” he cries, and would strike,
But the other is grown gentle
And calling on Buddha’s name
Has obtained salvation for his foe;
So that they shall be reborn together
On one lotus-seat.
“No, Rensei is not my enemy.
Pray for me again, oh pray for me again.”