Ten Kiogen in English/Niwo

Taro.—I am one who lives in this neighborhood. Since my means have gone scant, and I find it to be difficult to make a living, now, I am going off to some another country. I have my friend, here, who was especially friendly, and looked upon me so kindly. I will call on him to bid farewell, and if he has a good idea, I think that I will stop here under his instruction. Now, let me go in haste! I pray that he will be at home, but what shall I do if he be away, though I came here purposely, as he is a busy person always. Well, here is his house already. Mono mo! Annai mo!

Friend.—Well, somebody at the door? Who is it who entreats entrance? Who is speaking?

Taro.—I.

Friend.—Well. Who? Oh, you are welcome!

Taro.—Lately I did not make a call on you.

​Friend.—No, you didn’t. There is nothing changed with me. And you are like one starting on a journey. Where are you going?

Taro.—Well, that’s the matter I want to speak about. I feel shame to tell you, however, that I came to bid you farewell and I will start for some other country, since my means grew especially hard, and I cannot make a living any more. I feel grateful to you that you have looked upon me so kindly in one thing and another.

Friend.—Well, well, I feel sorry. Can’t you find a better idea than going to another country?

Taro.—Well, no, I made everybody turn their back on me. I have nowhere to go and beg help.

Friend.—Well, then, have you some idea to start on afresh, if you go to the other country?

Taro.—No, I have no such idea. But I happened to think suddenly.

Friend.—Well, well, you are a thoughtless man. Is it a good thing to go to the other country without any idea?

Taro.—No.

Friend.—Since I hear you, I cannot leave you ​alone. I must do something by any means.

Taro.—Please, find some good idea.

Friend.—Oh, say, it came to my mind. Can’t you do gesticulation?

Taro.—It depends onthe thing. What thing have I to gesture?

Friend.—Can’t you gesture Niwo?

Taro.—Is it that Niwo who stands at the gate of the temple?

Friend.—Yes.

Taro.—Fortunately I had a Niwo at my neighboring temple gate, and remember how it looked. I can do it.

Friend.—Then, it’s very good, I will make you a Niwo, and tell people that they have to worship you as you are the divine Niwo, fallen here in Uyeno. Surely there will be many worshippers.

Taro.—It might be possible.

Friend.—And it would be good to make this contribution as your capital to start with. What do you think about it?

Taro.—I am thankful to you for thinking out such a good idea. Then, I wish you would help me.

Friend.—Well, then, come over here. I will make ​you look like a Niwo.

Taro.—Very well.

Friend.—Now, you have to put this cap on

Taro.—Very well,

Friend.—Make your shoulders naked.

Taro.—Very well. Is it all right?

Friend.—You are almost done. Now let us go to Uyeno together! Well, come on, come on!

Taro.—Very well. Oh, you gave me your help like this, and there’s nothing happier.

Friend.—You must try not to be discovered, atlhough it is unnecessary to tell you.

Taro.—Dou’t worry about that! I will never be discovered.

Friend.—This is Uyeno already. Where would be a good place?

Taro.—Well, where would be good?

Friend.—Now, that will be a good place. Well, then, come here, and make yourself look like a Niwo!

Taro.—Very well.

Friend.—Well, well, you look a real Niwo. I will tell people loudly about you. You wait for their ​coming to worship.

Taro.—Very well.

Friend.—Oh, say, say, all you people hear what I say! Here in Uyeno the divine Niwo has fallen. You devoted people come and worship!

First man of the Crowd.—You all hear?

All the Crowd.—Yes.

First man.—Did you all hear that the divine Niwo had fallen in Uyeno?

Second man of the Crowd.—Yes, I heard it.

First man.—Now, then, let us go to worship!

Crowd.—That will be good.

First man.—Come, now, come, now.

Crowd.—Very well.

First man.—It is a rare thing to have Niwo fallen here.

Second man.—As you say, it is a strange thing.

Taro.—I fancy that some worshippers should come by this time. Well, they must be these that I see there. I will gesticulate in haste.

First man.—Well, this is Uyeno already. Now, where is it?

Second man.—Now, where will it be standing?

​First man.—Oh, say, here it is standing.

Second man.—Doubtlessly, so it is.

First man.—Now let us worship!

Crowd.—We shall do so.

First man.—First, you make your cash offering!

Crowd.—Very well.

Fisst man.—Guard me to be free from sickness and evil, and make my life long!

Second man.—Guard me to make me rich and prosperous! Guard me to make my house peaceful and safe!

First man.—Bestow on me strength! I will make a contribution with this sword.

Second man.—I too will contribute this.

First man.—Well, well, isn’t this the divine Niwo?

Second man.—Indeed, this is the divine Niwo.

First man.—Now, let us start back!

Crowd.—That will be good.

First man.—We will tell the other people about this, and make them come and worship.

Crowd.—Verily that will be good.

First man.—Now, on, come on.

Crowd.—Very well.

​Taro.—(He laughs.) Well, how glad! This is a tremendous contribution. Now, I will take it to him in haste, and let him see it. Oh, lord, are you in?

Friend.—What is it? Had you worshippers?

Taro.—Why, such worshippers! Not only with cash contributions, even things like these were contributed to me.

Friend.—Well, that’s lucky. You make them your capital to start with!

Taro.—Oh, yes, I will start with them. Now, let me leave them in your charge.

Friend.Yes, I will take charge of them.

Taro.—Now, then, I would like to do it again.

Friend.—Oh, no, it would be unnecessary for you to try again.

Taro.—Don’t worry! I will never be discovered. Pray, let me go again!

Friend.—No, no, it would be unnecessary.

Taro.—Pray, let me go again!

Friend.—Then do as you please.

Taro.—I am grateful to you now.

Friend.—I will let you have the dokko^[1] this time.

​Taro.—I am mightily thankful.

Friend.—I let you take it. And be sure not to be discovered.

Taro.—Oh, no, don’t worry! I will never, be discovered.

Friend.—You go quick!

Taro.—Very well.

Taro.—Well, well, I am thankful. Let me hurry! He made such a good plan. There’s nothing more lucky. Now, I am in Uyeno here. I will make gesticulations of “Unno Niwo”^[2] this time. I wonder whether there be no worshipper yet. Now, there come the worshippers.

First man of the Crowd.—Are you all there?

Crowd.—Yes, we are.

First man.—We are told that some divine Niwo has fallen here in this Uyeno. What do you think of going and worshipping it?

Second man.—Verily that will be good. We will accompany you.

First man.—Then, now, we will go. Come on, now, come on!

Crowd.—Very well.

​First man.—Isn’t it a wonderful matter?

Second man.—As you say, it’s wonderful.

First man.—Oh, why, this is Uyeno.

Second man.—Indeed, it’s Uyeno

First man.—Where is it fallen?

Second man.—Well, where should it be?

First man.—Here it is!

Second man.—Indeed it is standing here.

First man.—Let us worship!

Crowd.—Very well.

First man.—First, you make your cash offerings!

Crowd.—Very well.

First man.—Now, now, worship!

Crowd.—Very well.

First man.—Guard me to make me richer and freer!

Second man.—Guard me to make my descendants prosperous!

First man.—Oh, say, it’s extraordinarily admirable.

Second man.—Yes, it is.

First man.—It does look just like a real human being.

Second man.—Yes, it is.

​First man.—Oh, say, come here.

Second man.—What is it.

First man.—What do you think? Look at its honourable eyes! They are moving. Does nobody here take notice of them?

Second man.—Indeed, it is as you say. Its honourable hair too moves.

First man.—Well, it is a matter I cannot understand. There are professional avaricious priests for the matter like this. What do you think? I will tickle it to see whether it be genuine or not.

Second man.—Verily that’ll be good.

First man.—Come, now, nearer, all of you!

Crowd.—Very well.

First man.—It is done extraordinarily admirable.

Second man.—Yes, it is.

First man.—Somehow I see that its honourable hair moves.

Second man.—Beside, its honourable eyes move.

First man.—It’s just like a man.

Second mau.—It’s as you say.

First man.—Koso, koso, koso.

Crowd.—Koso, koso, koso.

​Taro.—(He laughs.) I am sorry.

First man.—Here, you, such a rascal!

Taro.—Pray, pardon me!

Crowd.—Where go you, you deceitful fellow? Is there nobody to stop him? Catch him! We will not let him escape.