Kuzu no ha no
Ura, utsu amé ya,
Tobu-hotaru!
The rain beats upon the _Kuzu_-plant;[13]--away starts the firefly from
the underside of the leaf!
Amé no yo wa,
Shita bakari yuku
Hotaru kana!
Ah! this rainy night they only go along the ground,--the fireflies!
Yura-yura to
Ko-amé furu yo no
Hotaru kana!
How they swing themselves, to and fro, the fireflies, on a night of
drizzling rain!
Akinuréba,
Kusa nomi zo
Hotaru-kago.
With the coming of dawn, indeed, there is nothing visible but grass in
the cage of the firefly!
Yo ga akété,
Mushi ni naritaru
Hotaru kana!
With the coming of the dawn, they change into insects again,--these
fireflies!
Hiru miréba,
Kubi-suji akaki
Hotaru kana!
Oh, this firefly!--seen by daylight, the nape of its neck is red!
Hotaru kōté,
Shiba shi-go-mai ni
Fuzeï kana!
Having bought fireflies, respectfully accord them the favour of four or
five tufts of lawn-grass![14]