Ten Kiogen in English/The Two Blind Men

Koto.—This is a Koto who lives in this neighborhood. I must call Kikuichi as I have something to tell him. Is Kikuichi there?

Kikuihci.—Yes.

Koto.—You are there!

Kikuichi.—Yes. I am here.

Koto.—I call you only to tell you that I did not go anywhere recently, I feel low-spirited, and today I think I will go out for a picnic somewhere. What do you think about it?

Kikuichi.—You spoke of it out just when I was thinking to propose it to you. Verily it will be good.

Koto.—Then we shall go You make a sasae^[2] ready.

​Kikuichi.—Very well. I have made the sasae already.

Koto.—Now let us go. Here, here, come on.

Kikuichi.—Very well.

Koto.—Say, what do you think? People would think it quite laughable, if they looked upon you and me going to a picnic like this. But we will have a more pleasure at a different place, will we not?

Kikuichi.—No, nobody would think us laughable. You had better be easy in your mind, and go for the picnic.

Koto.—Now, the place has already become exceedingly lonesome. Is this not the suburbs?

Kikuichi.—Indeed, this is the outskirt of the town.

Koto.—Say, my heart is becoming light and gay, since we came out to such a wide and broad place.

Kikuichi.—As you say, things are growing interesting.

Koto.—Say, I have been thinking of speaking to you someday, you cannot be singing little song and telling short story all the time. It would be better to study the Heike.

Kikuichi.—You just spoke of it when I was thinking to speak to you of it. I will be thankful if you ​will instruct me.

Koto.—Happily nobody is here, it appears. I will let you hear one paragraph for your lesson.

Kikuichi.—I am thankful. I will listen.

Koto.—(He begins a recitation.) “And now the Ichi no Tani battle has opened. Every fighter has been running about to do a glorious deed. There was one who ran with his heel cut off. There was one holding his chin in place. It was an orderless battle, and one put his heel on his chin, and one put his chin to his heel. And then a beard grew on the heel, and on the chin two or three hundred chaps have cracked open.”

Kikuichi.—Hey, hey! Well, well! It is a thing one should listen to.

Koto.—Now, let us go! Here, come on, come on!

Kikuichi.—Very well.

Koto.—The world has many who recite the Heike, but only a few who do it skillful. You must study it hard.

Kikuichi.—I will be studious, and I wish to have your instruction.

Koto.—Moreover, when I become a Kengyo, I will make you a Koto.

​Kikuichi.—It would be especially obliging.

Koto.—There is an extraordinary sound of water. Is it a river?

Kikuichi.—Indeed, ’tis the river. We must cross it. What shall we do? What would be best to do?

Passer-by.—This is a man of this neighborhood, who is going over the mountain to attend to some business. Let me go quickly. Well, there are two blind men, who want to cross the river. What will they do? I will just watch them.

Koto.—Say, throw a little stone and see how deep it is.

Kikuichi.—Very well! There! Don burii!

Koto.—Say, that must be deep.

Kikuichi.—It is especially deep.

Koto.—Throw one more yonder!

Kikuichi.—Very well! There! Zubuzubu! Kachiri!

Koto.—That sounds shallow.

Kikuichi.—Indeed, it is shallow.

Koto.—Let us cross! Here, here, come on, come on!

Kikuichi.—Yes, yes. But wait.

Koto.—What?

​Kikuichi.—I will carry you over.

Koto.—No, no. Never mind! You follow me, and cross.

Kikuichi.—I entreat you. It is for such an occasion that you took me with you. Let me carry you over.

Koto.—No, no, you are blind also. It will be bad if you get hurt. We will cross together, hand in hand. Here, here, come on, come on!

Kikuichi.—No, no, I entreat you. It is for such an occasion like this that I am at your service. By all means I shall carry you over.

Koto.—lf you say so, I will be carried over. But while I prepare myself, you go over there, and be ready.

Kikuichi.—Very well.

Passer-by.—Those blind things are clever indeed. They tried the depth by throwing in little stones. I am lucky to be here. I thiuk I will be carried over myself.

Kikuichi.—You hold on to my back tight. Now let us cross over. Well, I hope it will not be deep. We crossed over after all. It was fortunate you could cross safely.

​Passer-by.—Well, well, what a joy! I had unexpected luck.

Koto.—Kikuichi, are you ready? Kikuichi, Kikuichi! What is that? Where has Kikuichi gone? Kikuichi, Kikuichi, say, Kikuichi!

Kikuichi.—What?

Koto.—You say what? Why don’t you carry me over?

Kikuichi.—I carried you across just now.

Koto.—Carried me over? I have been making myself ready, and you did not carry me over at all. You crossed over alone.

Kikuichi.—You have just been carried over there just now.

Koto.—I have just been carried over there? Well, you are a malicious fellow. Quick, come here!

Kikuichi.—What! ’Tis a matter I don’t understand. Here, put yourself on my back, then.

Koto.—Carry me carefully.

Kikuichi.—Now I am going to cross. Well, well, it is quite deep.

Koto.—You carry me carefully.

Kikuichi.—Well, what is this? How deep, how deep, how deep! Oh, heavens!

​Passer-by.—Well, well, it is amusing. This is a matter for which I feel sorry, however.

Koto.—Alas, alas, it’s awful, I am wet through. And I persisted in not being carried over.

Kikuichi.—Well, well, I have done it! I feel sorry. I will squeeze the water out of your clothes. Though I tried to cross carefully, my feet slipped. You wil. pardon me.

Koto.—As it was an accident, we cannot help it! Is the sasae all right right?

Kikuichi.—How it is? Here, the sasae is all right.

Koto.—It is becoming pretty cold. Let us drink a cup or two. Pour it out.

Kikuichi.—Very well.

Passer-by.—Here is luck. Let me drink!

Kikuichi.—Now, then, I will pour it out. Dobudobu, dobudobu!

Koto.—That will be enough. Cold shall be forgotten, if I drink it.

Kikuichi.—So it will be.

Passer-by.—Well, well; how sweet!

Koto.—Kikuichi, why don’t you pour it out?

Kikuichi.—I poured it out just now.

​Koto.—It appeared that you poured it out. But there’s no drop of saké here.

Kikuichi.—Well, I don’t understand. I poured it out just now. Then, drink another cup.

Koto.—Yes, yes, pour it out quick!

Kikuichi.—I understand. Dobudobu, dobudobu!

Passer-by.—Shall I take one more cup? Here is one more cup. Let me drink it. Well, well, what a sweet saké!

Koto.Is’nt that enough? You drink too

Kikuichi.—Am I to drink? Dobudobu, dobudobu! Well, well, this is sweet saké.

Koto.—Say, Kikuichi, why don’t you pour it out? There is no drop of saké here. It appears that you drank it all by yourself, not giving me any at all.

Kikuichi.—Now, you are not an honourable Koto? And you drank meanly alone by yourself. It appears that you have been taking a secret drink.

Koto.—You are a malicious fellow. You do not let me drink, and you take a secret drink. You need not say another word. Pour out one more cup!

Kikuichi.—Very well. But there’s no more saké.

Koto.—What? No more?

Kikuichi.—No.

​Passer-by.—Well, well, how amusing! Let them quarrel with each other!

Koto.—Aita, aita, aita! Say, Kikuichi! You not only gave me a drink, but you beat me. Why?

Kikuichi.—What do you say? Beat you?

Koto.—Yes.

Kikuichi.—I was fixing the sasae, and I never put my hand on you.

Koto.—Never put your hand on me? Who did it, except yourself?

Kikuichi.—Aita, aita, aita! I say, honourable Koto, you not only say many things to me, but you beat me. Why? I am innocent.

Koto.—I never put my hand on you.

Kikuichi.—Never put your hand on me? Who did it except yourself?

Koto.—Aita, aita, aita! Say, Kikuichi, why do you play tricks on me so?

Kikuichi.—I never put my hand on you.

Koto.—Never put your hand? Who did it except yourself?

Kikuichi.—Aita, aita, aita! Why, honourable Koto, you do play tricks on an innocent one?

Koto.—What? Play tricks on you?

​Kikuichi.—Yes.

Koto.—I never put my hand on you.

Kikuichi.—Never put your hand on me? Who did it except yourself?

Koto.—Aita, aita, aita!

Kikuichi.—Aita, aita, aita!

Passer-by.—Well, well, how amusing! Let me play tricks on them in various ways! What is that? It grows into a real quarrel. It would not be good to stay long in such a place like this. I will hurry back home, while I can see my footsteps, I think.

Koto.—I will never forgive you! I’ll not let you escape!

Kikuichi.—So will I, too.

Koto and Kikuichi.—Of course. Of course.

Kikuichi.—Have you enough? Ah, how glad! I won. I won.

Koto.—Say, where are you going, beating your Koto like this? Is there nobody here? Catch him, pray! I will not let him go, I will not let him go.