A Japanese miscellany - University of Oregon

192 Japanese Miscellany
— Obi mo kasa mo yasui koto,
Ore no nyobo ni naru-naraba
Asa wa okite kami-yute.
— Hana no saku made nete machi yo
From the swamp beyond there rose up a serpent, in the
likeness of the youngest daughter of the wealthy Hachiman.
Well did it assume that form, slcilfully standing. Holding
in its hands two gems, and wearing upon its feet shoes of
gold, it traversed mountains and fields, crying out the
while:— "Call there! — Call here!" Then did it meet
a grass-cutter, and say to him — :
:
" Fair husband, deign to
give me a girdle ! " — "To give you [he answered] both a
girdle and a hat will be easily done, if you become my
wife. Then every morning, early rising, I will arrange
your hair." — Wait then [sbe said],— patiently wait until
the season of the blooming of flowers."
V
BATTLEDOOR-SONGS AND
BALL-SONGS
In the time of the New-Year holidays the streets
are made beautiful by groups of young girls
playing at battledoor-and-shuttlecock, or at vari-
ous games of hand-ball. It were difficult to
imagine anything more charming than some of
these little maids in their long-sleeved and many-
!