CHORUS (taking it up) What can he do, that young chap, if I ply my secret arts freely? Be he god or devil, I will grasp him and grind him. I will offer his body as sacrifice to those whom he has slain. So he drew back, and holding his long spear against his side he hid himself behind the door and stared at the young lad. Ushiwaka beheld him, and holding his sword at his side he crouched at a little distance. Kumasaka waited likewise. They both waited, alertly; then Kumasaka stepped forth swiftly with his left foot, and struck out with the long spear. It would have run through an iron wall. Ushiwaka parried it lightly, swept it away, left volted. Kumasaka followed and again lunged out with the spear, and Ushiwaka parried the spear-blade quite lightly. Then Kumasaka turned the edge of his spear-blade towards Ushiwaka and slashed at him, and Ushiwaka leaped to the right. Kumasaka lifted his spear and the two weapons were twisted together. Ushiwaka drew back his blade. Kumasaka swung with his spear. Ushiwaka led up and stepped into shadow. Kumasaka tried to find him, and Ushiwaka slit through the back-chink of his armour; this seemed the end of his course, and he was wroth to be slain by such a young boy. KUMASAKA Slowly the wound-- CHORUS --seemed to pierce; his heart failed; weakness o'ercame him. KUMASAKA At the foot of this pine tree-- CHORUS He vanished like a dew. And so saying, he disappeared among the shades of the pine tree at Akasaka, and night fell. KAGEKIYO A PLAY IN ONE ACT, BY MOTOKIYO PERSONS OF THE PLAY SHITE Kagekiyo old and blind TSURE Hime his daughter, called also Hitomaru TOMO Her attendant WAKI A villager CHORUS The scene is in Hinga. KAGEKIYO HIME AND TOMO (chanting) What should it be; the body of dew, wholly at the mercy of wind? HIME I am a girl named Hitomaru from Kamega-engayatsu, My father, Akushichi-bioye Kagekiyo, Fought by the side of Heike, And is therefore hated by Genji. He was banished to Miyazaki in Hinga, To waste out the end of his life. Though I am unaccustomed to travel, I will try to go to my father. HIME AND TOMO (describing the journey as they walk across the bridge and the stage) Sleeping with the grass for our pillow, The dew has covered our sleeves. (singing) Of whom shall I ask my way As I go out from Tagami province? Of whom in Totomi? I crossed the bay in a small hired boat And came to Yatsuhashi in Mikawa: Ah when shall I see the City-on-the-cloud? TOMO As we have come so fast, we are now in Miyazaki of Hinga. It is here you should ask for your father. KAGEKIYO (in another corner of the stage) Sitting at the gate of the pine wood, I wear out the end of my years. I cannot see the clear light, I know not how the time passes. I sit here in this dark hovel, with one coat for the warm and the cold, and my body is but a frame-work of bones.