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Tales of Fukutomi

絵引
Scroll
Archives
A version
福富草紙(ふくとみそうし)
室町時代後期 一巻 紙本着彩 巻子装
縦34.0㎝×横960.8㎝ 全15紙継 絵13段
蓋表「福富草紙絵巻」
側面「室町時代/福富/草子」
印記「弘文荘(朱文方印)」(巻末)
  • Original text
  • Honkoku
  • Shakubun
  • Gendaigo
Display of translation
  • Folding screen
  • Eboshi headgear worn by court nobles
  • Brazier
  • Tea equipment
  • Fruits
  • Sake bottle
  • Fish
  • Chopsticks
  • Chopping board
  • Knife
  • Measure
  • Strickle
  • Straw rice-bag
  • Rice pestle
  • Mortar
  • Winnow basket
  • Fold
  • Folded eboshi headgear worn by court nobles
  • Straw skirt
  • Gaiter
  • Sandals
  • Woven bamboo basket
  • Straw bag
  • Capsule
  • Chamber cover
  • Coin purse
  • Shouldering pole
  • Shallow clogs
  • Paper fan
  • Partitioning screen
  • Cushion
  • Fan
  • Woven straw mat
  • Sandals
  • Paper fan
  • Scroll
  • Shallow clogs
  • Cane
  • Shallow clogs
  • Paper fan
  • Mist
  • Bamboo blind
  • Fence (board fence)
  • Latticed shutters
  • Hood
  • Paper fan
  • Sake bottle
  • Wooden tray (board)
  • Circular seat cushion
  • Whip
  • Paper fan
  • Shallow clogs
  • Withered eboshi headgear
  • Cane
  • Chignon
  • Curtain
  • Dumpling
  • Sandals
  • Bag for flint
  • Lath
  • Display shelf
  • Circular box
  • Wooden tray
  • Pole
  • Infant
  • Well
  • Circular box
  • Bucket
  • Washhouse
  • Ladle
  • Tub
  • Dog
  • Firewood
  • Chignon
  • Rosary beads
  • Hood
  • Tabi socks
  • Sandals
  • Pole
  • Partitioning screen (zejo screen)
  • Dog
  • Infant
  • Clothes stand (bamboo clothes hanger, cord)
  • Cushion
  • Pot
  • Trivet
  • Bowl
  • Ladle
  • Circular box
  • Firewood
  • Sandals
  • Rosary beads
  • Staff with plaited paper streamers
  • Straw hat for women
  • Crow
  • Dog
  • Clothes stand (bamboo clothes hanger)
  • Bowl
  • High clogs
  • Stone for fuller
  • Fence (wickerwork fence)
  • Druggist’s mortar
  • Weight
  • Beam balance
  • Medicine wrapper
  • Medicine wrapping paper
  • Shallow clogs
  • Umbrella
  • High clogs
  • Straw hat for women
  • Formal folding fan made of cypress
  • Sandals
  • Shallow clogs
  • Short sword
  • Bag for flint
  • Straw hat for women
  • Sandals
  • Paper fan
  • Shallow clogs
  • Chignon
  • Shallow clogs
  • Shallow clogs
  • Japanese lute
  • Cane
  • Half-soled straw sandals
  • Cane
  • High clogs
  • Dog
  • Sandals
  • Bow
  • Arrow
  • Shallow clogs
  • Stone wall

Even though he did not plow his own grain, his yard was full of it.

Next door, there lived a very poor man named Bokusho no Tota. In complete contrast to Oribe’s lifestyle, there was no smoke rising from the kitchen stove for neither breakfast nor dinner, there were weeds growing thick on the path for drawing water, a bushwood fence surrounded his property instead of a roofed mud wall, and a woven straw mat was hanging instead of a curtain. It was impossible to spend the entire night in the chilly bedroom (since it was used as firewood for the furnace), and because the eaves and fence were torn down, cold gusts ended up coming in through the gaps.
In the summer, Bokusho’s hemp clothes were shamefully old, he swatted mosquitos away with a broken fan, and he lived each day by making the moonflower that grew in the eaves his luxuriant consolation.

Since he was a child, (Bokusho no Tota) had someone who saw into the future. Tota would take on an older wife who was more than 10 years older than him. She was tall, with rough facial features, a broad mouth, and people called her Oniuba.

One day, Oniuba faced her husband Bokusho, and said to him, “People who escaped from being warriors, farmers, artisans and tradesmen, they were able to do so because they had a single prestigious talent that they were able to use to make their name known in all four directions and get by in this world. Aah, this is so wretched. What kinds of inferior acts did you do in your previous lives that made you have absolutely no talent now? I am so unhappy I don’t know what to do. Even if you cannot read and learn about the different kinds of entertainment, play an instrument, or dance, even the one skill of Fukutomi’s next door, it must be something that you should be able to master by learning. Go there, then, and with great appeal, be faithful and take lessons, look up to the master and become a disciple. This world is a world with miracles, and even if not to that extent, you will master enough to get by in the world. If you become extremely outstanding at a skill, the riches next door will become ours. Even if you were born with a skill, for example, it will be impossible to excel at it without practicing. ‘What polishes a gem is light.’ In any case, go learn something. If you will undertake this, although a relic is precious, what this old woman wants

is time. I want to lay down the foundation for as many chances as possible while I still have good facial complexion.” Bokusho could not help but feel rushed.

Giving in to this reason, Bokusho went next door, and, making himself humble and polite, said “Hear, hear” and said everything that Oniuba told him. Fukutomi came out and said, “Well said. I also took pity on you when I saw what you were doing in the mornings and evenings, and was thinking of teaching you, to make you my apprentice and turn you into a master. A skill, however, is not something that a master can teach, and so days and months passed without coming to you and encouraging you to do this.” Fukutomi welcomed Bokusho, politely and compassionately.
Bokusho sat up straight, smiled, and said, “This will be a blessed friendship between two neighbors. For days and months, Oniuba had pestered me about coming to you, but I had thought that such an important skill could not be taught. I never listened to Oniuba’s advice, much to my chagrin. I will tell Oniuba how benevolent you are, and she will be so happy.” Bokusho brought both of his hands together, saluted Fukutomi, and appealed to him. In Oribe’s heart, with detest and while holding back his curiosity, he thought, “A follower, now?”

“There is an important medicine that is a part of this one skill. The skill starts working once you take this medicine, and that is my secret. I just put myself in such great risk. You cannot tell anyone about this.” As if there was a background behind this, Fukutomi brought out an old scroll, and talked in detail about how the medicine was prepared. Bokusho single-mindedly coaxed Fukutomi, and said, “If that is so, to mark this friendship, by having this medicine work its skill just once. It is so annoying when Oniuba keeps pestering me so I decided to perform a great exploit by coming out here once at an early date.” Fukutomi said, “If that is so,” and went inside his house. Retrieving two black, round pills, he taught Bokusho,
“Do not take these on an empty stomach. Eat a little first, and about 2 hours (4 hours) before you want to perform the trick, use some hot salt water. A mystery will definitely occur. Even if it is late in happening, do not become irritated. If the trick occurs late, pump some water into a tub, and soak your butt in it. Blow out your breath. If you want to make it stop, swallow your breath.
Happy, Bokusho left and returned home, pressing these pills against his forehead. Oniuba, who was waiting, asked him, “How did it go? How did it go? Did you learn something? Did he teach you?”

As Bokusho smiled, (Oniuba), happy, said, “This is what you should do today. Go to Kyoto, and tell them, ‘The master Fukutomi no Oribe, and a certain Mr. Tota. No matter what, I will do what you want me to do.’ Request them for a high commission. I would like to see it here as a test run, but you only have two pills and it would be a waste to do so. Hurry up and get ready to leave.” She insisted.
Thus, from a basket wrapped in skin that was located in the corner of his house, he pulled out an old eboshi headgear for nobles, persimmon-colored hemp garment, light blue-colored outer garment, and four traditional divided skirts (which were clothes for going out), and said, “Do not be afraid. Bend at the waist, look up, and tell them.” He dusted off the headgear, smoothed back the loose hairs around his temple, and turned around. “When you wear the hat, it reminds me of the time when you first went to my parents to become adopted by them. Well, well. You are a fine man. You are a fine man.”
As he was taught, Bokusho swallowed the two pills before leaving. During his journey, his stomach became stiff, started cramping, and starting making noises like thunder.

He endured, however, and put up with it by sticking out his butt. The Lieutenant General of Imadegawa was a young man, and would be entertained by this. (Bokusho no Tota) thought, “I will be able to receive a handsome reward,” and headed that way. Without anyone else there, he would say, “Hear, hear” and ask for a commission.

The Lieutenant General remarked, “This is very interesting.” Around this time, he had a tendency to feel gloomy, and had neglected his studies. He was easygoing, however, and said, “Call Bokusho to the garden.” A circle of seats was laid out where the courtiers usually played football, and various foods and sake were also prepared hospitably. Near the end of the veranda,

his younger sister

Naishinokami, his aunt Amagozen, and his wife Midaidokoro had gathered together and were listening carefully, “ Now? Now?” Tota, though his stomach hurt,

pounced on the food. What an amusing one, what a disgraceful one. His hips were twitching so much

he was no longer able to withstand the pain in his stomach. He left, and the moment he took off his formal divided skirt, he strewed his insides. The white sand in the garden looked just like blooming (bright yellow) Japanese globeflowers. The wind blew suddenly, and the mansion was filled with the smell. There was nothing that could have put more of a damper on this event. As he tried to escape with his butt sticking out, low-level functionaries and attendants came out into the garden. With whips in hand, they struck Bokusho. With a very black butt, he was jerked up and as he was groaning, (the low-level functionaries) pulled his hat and his hair, and finally chased him out of the garden. Severely beaten, the blood streaming down his body looked like mountain streams originating from his head. It resembled the autumn scenery of Tatsutagawa River drawn on brocade. “This farting idiot!”
“What an outrage! Hit him, hit him!”
“What a banquet! The smell of sake is also mixed in”
“It smells bad! It smells bad!”

Bokusho crookedly put on his headgear, which was now squashed flat, and with sleeves that were dyed red, returned home with his weary body. In broad daylight, how embarrassing. Children who were playing blindfolded tag and nokinosuzume started pointing at him and laughing at him. His hipbone that was beaten and his skinned knees were intolerable, and although he wanted to sit down at a town house, his odor was pungent, and no one came near. Step by step, bit by bit, he wondered what he could even compare his journey home to.

Without knowing about any of this, Oniuba stood at the corner of town as the day rose. As she paced up and down, gazed at the main street, and waited impatiently, she saw Bokusho coming from a town over, and thought, “Wow. Look at all those people accompanying him. Coming home with so many people in tow, are they walking him back?

I wonder how funny Bokusho was.”
As he drew closer, she thought,
“He is coming home wearing red sleeves.” Oniuba was elated. Expectantly, she rushed into her house and said,

“Oh, all of these old clothes are so unsightly. Now, I will become a rich person. I will no longer have to wear these torn clothes. Why should I let my son’s wife and grandchildren wear them?”

She started pulling down clothes from the clothes rack, started a fire, and the clothes burst into flames. Her grandchild said, “What a waste!” But she did not hear it. Her daughter-in-law was excited, “Yes, that’s it.” She still could not believe it, and was waiting with her neck stretched. “It’s so smoky. It’s so smoky.

I wonder if this smoke fell in love with Oniuba. Go that way, you persistent smoke. That way.”

Bokusho barely made it home. What looked like red clothing was blood that had stained his head. The bright yellow sleeves

were something that dripped (from his butt). Since she could not touch him, (Oniuba) hung his clothes on a branch, scowled and blocked her nose. Since even his change of clothes was burned, Tota was now naked. Trembling and shuddering, he made excuses,

but they went unheard. (Tota) hugged his own shoulders and knees. Since he was so cold, his black testicles dropped, and he became precisely what his name Bokusho may also mean (small ink).

Myosai from Kita-tono made a sympathy call, but this visit ended in bad omen as she said, “I have nothing to say. Namo amida, namo amida.”

A dog with a keen nose came, barked, and although it had no sentiment, thought, “He will be bitten in the throat and die.”

The nobleman next door (Ogo) peeked through a damaged part in something that resembled a soft barrier, and held back his laughter, but his eyes were glued to the area around Bokusho’s groin.

That night and the following day, there was still pain lingering in Bokusho’s stomach, the smoke from the evening rose up from his butt, and he could feel the chirping of the insects in the field in his stomach. Like an autumn sky that rains sometimes, from which rain may or may not fall, he faltered gently and sparsely. He felt sharp pain in the area around his abdomen. “Oh, my stomach. My stomach.” Even the voice with which he said this was under his breath. Even though Oniuba was hateful, they were joined at the hip, and as she warmed his wrinkled hands and stroked his belly, she smelled a treacherous odor from the inside of his cheek. Even his grinning made her feel displeased. Reluctantly, she laid him face-down, climbed on his back, hung on to the clothes rack, and stepped on his hipbone. Her grandchild who she was carrying on her back was rocked back and forth, and laughed innocently. Urine and drool dripped down Oniuba’s back down to the bottom of her clothes. As she felt it dripping down her thighs, she felt that she was “already sharing the good luck of Bokusho’s upset stomach.”

Her daughter-in-law went out to get a variety of food. Oniuba was sad and did not even look. “Give me, give me. It hurts, it hurts.”

Even so, her bitterness did not subside. Oniuba went out to the river to clean herself, made an offering to the gods, turned towards the south and prayed, “Namu kimyo chorai, god of the three main Kumano shrines. Knock down Fukutomi no Oribe, who shamed my husband Bokusho, while he is still alive, and show him what hardship looks like.” Her rosary beads clicked together as she squeezed them and prayed. That faith, it will be conveyed to the gods. A jungle crow came flying from the direction of Kumano, flapped its wings in front of the offering, and cooed. “My wish will come true.” Oniuba went home.

As the day passed and the evening passed, Bokusho became very weak and could not even go to the toilet. Countless times, he put on some high clogs with high teeth, went out to the garden, leaned against a stone for fuller, and defecated. His throat was dry and he constantly wanted cold water.
“Baba, give me. Baba, give me.” Like a child, he called out to his wife to coax her to bring him water. He became haggard, and even his face, which used to be plump, became emaciated and he developed dark circles around his eyes.
Oniuba thought, “Even his life is now in danger.” She went to Wake no Kiyomaro of the Bureau of Medicine and starting with “Hear, hear,” poured out her grief. Wake no Kiyomaro responded, “There is no distinction of ranks for compassionate families,” and set out to their home immediately. He looked at Bokusho’s symptoms, prepared medicine, and gave it to him. Oniuba felt some relief.

“Fukutomi really schemed something.” It finally clicked. Her hatred started boiling ferociously.

“He will be sorry.” She kept this in mind day and night, and waited.

“The sorrow of people is ultimately what makes the world suffer,” Oribe uttered. He had continued to have bad dreams. When he went to a dream decipherer to interpret his dreams, Oribe was told, “Fast for seven days, close your gates. Do not see anyone.” (However, Oribe) thought, “How constraining. The gods will turn this into something good though,” and left to go visit a temple. (This) was overheard by the devil, who waited among the crowds along the road that morning. Seeing Oribe, the devil snatched him quickly. All kinds of spirits, goblins, and fierce gods must have been the same. There is nothing that is more terrifying.

Since Fukutomi was a man, he broke free from Oniuba’s hand, and escaped. (Oniuba) followed him, however and took a large bite near (Fukutomi’s) chest, and then shook her head from side to side.

Her eyes turned up in the shape of upside-down triangles, her mouth opened as wide as to the bases of her ears. The sight of Oniuba in a rage, it looked as though she had transformed completely into the body of a snake. Some people passing by ran away, exclaiming, “That devil is about to eat somebody. Oh no, how terrifying!” Others stood by and watching, thinking, “How unusual.”

There were two biwa-playing minstrels named Iitsu and Utaichi, who were on their way home from an engagement that lasted the entire night. They saw this, which woke them up, “Whoa. Is that a wolf? Or a foreign dog?” They shuffled their feet and walked away quickly.

The chamberlain said, “That dog has been barking nonstop. Maybe there’s a thief. I’ll shoot him dead.” With his bow in hand, he went to go see what was going on, but he heard the voice of the devil, and returned quietly. This was the story, once upon a time.

Fukutomi no Oribe

Wife of Fukutomi no Oribe

Oniuba (Wife of Bokusho no Tota)

Bokusho no Tota

Bokusho no Tota

Fukutomi no Oribe

Bokusho no Tota

Vassal of Lieutenant General

Wife of Lieutenant General, Midaidokoro

Younger sister of Lieutenant General, Naishinokami

Aunt of Lieutenant General, Amaze

Lieutenant General of Imadegawa

Bokusho no Tota

Bokusho no Tota

Oniuba

Oniuba

Grandchild of Bokusho no Tota

Bokusho no Tota’s daughter-in-law

Nun of Kita-dono, Myosai

Oniuba

Bokusho no Tota

Nobleman next door

Oniuba

Bokusho no Tota

Bokusho no Tota’s daughter-in-law

Oniuba

Bokusho no Tota

Oniuba

Wake no Kiyomaro of the Bureau of Medicine

Oniuba

Oniuba

Fukutomi no Oribe

Biwa-playing minstrel (Tameichi)

Biwa-playing minstrel (Utaichi)

Chamberlain

口:読み取り不能 〔※〕:墨色薄く判別し難い [ ]:諸本から推測
Honkoku:reprint, Shakubun:retranscription of glossed text, Gendaigo:modern language