A Japanese miscellany - University of Oregon

Dragon-flies 117
It begins with the hot season, and lasts during the
greater part of the autumn. There are many old
poems about it, — describing the recklessness of
the little hunters. To-day, just as in other cen-
turies, the excitement of the chase leads them
into all sorts of trouble : they tumble down em-
bankments, and fall into ditches, and scratch and
dirty themselves most fearfully, — heedless of
thorns or mud-holes or quagmires,— heedless of
heat, — heedless even of the dinner-hour : —
Meshi-doki mo
Modori wasuret^,
Tombo-tsuri
Even at the hour of the noon-day meal they forget to
return home, — the children catching dragon-flies I
! !
Hadaka-go no
Tombo tsuri-keri
Hiru no tsuji
The naked child has been catching dragon-flies at the
road-crossing,— heedless of the noon-sun!
But the most celebrated poem in relation to this
amusement is of a touching character. It was