(_Probably from the eleventh century_)
Kano yuku wa,
Kari ka?--kugui ka?
Kari naraba,--
(Ref.) _Hareya toto!_
_Hareya toto!_
Kari nara
Nanori zo semashi;--
Nao kugui nari-ya!--
(Ref.) _Toto!_
That which yonder flies,--
Wild goose is it?--swan is it?
Wild goose if it be,--
_Hareya toto!_
_Hareya toto!_
Wild goose if it be,
Its name I soon shall say:
Wild swan if it be,--better still!
_Toto!_
There are many old lyrics in the above form. Here is another song, of
different construction, also from the old drama: there is no refrain,
but there is the same peculiar suspension of phrase; and the effect of
the quadruple repetition is emotionally impressive:--
Isora ga saki ni
Tai tsuru ama mo,
Tai tsuru ama mo,--
Wagimoko ga tame to,
Tai tsuru ama mo,
Tai tsuru ama mo!
Off the Cape of Isora,
Even the fisherman catching _tai_,[92]
Even the fisherman catching _tai_,--
[Works] for the sake of the woman beloved,--
Even the fisherman catching _tai_,
Even the fisherman catching _tai_!
[92] _Chrysopbris cardinalis_, a kind of
sea-bream,--generally esteemed the best of
Japanese fishes.
But a still more remarkable effect is obtained in the following ancient
song by the extraordinary reiteration of an uncompleted phrase, and by a
double suspension. I can imagine nothing more purely natural: indeed the
realism of these simple utterances has almost the quality of pathos:--