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before the memorial…tomb of Antoku Tenno that our people to…night found
you； sitting in the rain。 All that you have been imagining was illusion
except the calling of the dead。 By once obeying them； you have put yourself
in their power。 If you obey them again； after what has already occurred；
they will tear you in pieces。 But they would have destroyed you； sooner or
later； in any event。。。 Now I shall not be able to remain with you to…night：
I am called away to perform another service。 But； before I go； it will be
necessary to protect your body by writing holy texts upon it。〃
Before sundown the priest and his acolyte stripped Hoichi： then； with
their writing…brushes； they traced upon his breast and back； head and face
and neck； limbs and hands and feet； even upon the soles of his feet； and
upon all parts of his body； the text of the holy sutra called
Hannya…Shin…Kyo。 ＇7＇ When this had been done； the priest instructed Hoichi；
saying：
〃To…night； as soon as I go away； you must seat yourself on the verandah；
and wait。 You will be called。 But； whatever may happen； do not answer； and
do not move。 Say nothing and sit still as if meditating。 If you stir； or
make any noise； you will be torn asunder。 Do not get frightened； and do not
think of calling for help because no help could save you。 If you do
exactly as I tell you； the danger will pass； and you will have nothing more
to fear。〃
After dark the priest and the acolyte went away； and Hoichi seated himself
on the verandah； according to the instructions given him。 He laid his biwa
on the planking beside him； and； assuming the attitude of meditation；
remained quite still； taking care not to cough； or to breathe audibly。
For hours he stayed thus。
Then； from the roadway； he heard the steps coming。 They passed the gate；
crossed the garden； approached the verandah； stopped directly in front
of him。
〃Hoichi！〃 the deep voice called。 But the blind man held his breath； and
sat motionless。
〃Hoichi！〃 grimly called the voice a second time。 Then a third time
savagely：
〃Hoichi！〃
Hoichi remained as still as a stone； and the voice grumbled：
〃No answer！ that won't do！。。。 Must see where the fellow is。〃。。。
There was a noise of heavy feet mounting upon the verandah。 The feet
approached deliberately； halted beside him。 Then； for long minutes；
during which Hoichi felt his whole body shake to the beating of his
heart； there was dead silence。
At last the gruff voice muttered close to him：
〃Here is the biwa； but of the biwa…player I see only two ears！。。。 So
that explains why he did not answer： he had no mouth to answer with
there is nothing left of him but his ears。。。 Now to my lord those ears I
will take in proof that the august commands have been obeyed； so far as
was possible〃。。。
At that instant Hoichi felt his ears gripped by fingers of iron； and torn
off！ Great as the pain was； he gave no cry。 The heavy footfalls receded
along the verandah； descended into the garden； passed out to the
roadway； ceased。 From either side of his head； the blind man felt a thick
warm trickling； but he dared not lift his hands。。。
Before sunrise the priest came back。 He hastened at once to the verandah
in the rear； stepped and slipped upon something clammy； and uttered a cry
of horror； for he say； by the light of his lantern； that the clamminess
was blood。 But he perceived Hoichi sitting there； in the attitude of
meditation with the blood still oozing from his wounds。
〃My poor Hoichi！〃 cried the startled priest； 〃what is this？。。。 You have
been hurt？
At the sound of his friend's voice； the blind man felt safe。 He burst out
sobbing； and tearfully told his adventure of the night。
〃Poor； poor Hoichi！〃 the priest exclaimed； 〃all my fault！ my very
grievous fault！。。。 Everywhere upon your body the holy texts had been
written except upon your ears！ I trusted my acolyte to do that part of
the work； and it was very； very wrong of me not to have made sure that he
had done it！。。。 Well； the matter cannot now be helped； we can only try
to heal your hurts as soon as possible。。。 Cheer up； friend！ the danger
is now well over。 You will never again be troubled by those visitors。〃
With the aid of a good doctor； Hoichi soon recovered from his injuries。
The story of his strange adventure spread far and wide； and soon made him
famous。 Many noble persons went to Akamagaseki to hear him recite； and
large presents of money were given to him； so that he became a wealthy
man。。。 But from the time of his adventure； he was known only by the
appellation of Mimi…nashi…Hoichi： 〃Hoichi…the…Earless。〃
OSHIDORI
There was a falconer and hunter； named Sonjo； who lived in the district
called Tamura…no…Go； of the province of Mutsu。 One day he went out hunting；
and could not find any game。 But on his way home； at a place called
Akanuma； he perceived a pair of oshidori ＇1＇ （mandarin…ducks）； swimming
together in a river that he was about to cross。 to kill oshidori is not
good； but Sonjo happened to be very hungry； and he shot at the pair。 His
arrow pierced the male： the female escaped into the rushes of the further
shore； and disappeared。 Sonjo took the dead bird home； and cooked it。
That night he dreamed a dreary dream。 It seemed to him that a beautiful
woman came into his room； and stood by his pillow； and began to weep。 So
bitterly did she weep that Sonjo felt as if his heart were being torn out
while he listened。 And the woman cried to him： 〃Why； oh！ why did you kill
him？ of what wrong was he guilty？。。。 At Akanuma we were so happy
together； and you killed him！。。。 What harm did he ever do you？ Do you
even know what you have done？ oh！ do you know what a cruel； what a
wicked thing you have done？。。。 Me too you have killed； for I will not
live without my husband！。。。 Only to tell you this I came。〃。。。 Then again
she wept aloud； so bitterly that the voice of her crying pierced into the
marrow of the listener's bones； and she sobbed out the words of this
poem：
Hi kurureba
Sasoeshi mono wo
Akanuma no
Makomo no kure no
Hitori…ne zo uki！
（〃At the coming of twilight I invited him to return with me ！ Now to
sleep alone in the shadow of the rushes of Akanuma ah！ what misery
unspeakable！〃） ＇2＇
And after having uttered these verses she exclaimed： 〃Ah； you do not know
you cannot know what you have done！ But to…morrow； when you go to
Akanuma； you will see； you will see。。。〃 So saying； and weeping very
piteously； she went away。
When Sonjo awoke in the morning； this dream remained so vivid in his mind
that he was greatly troubled。 He remembered the words： 〃But to…morrow；
when you go to Akanuma； you will see； you will see。〃 And he resolved to
go there at once； that he might learn whether his dream was anything more
than a dream。