This Kagekiyo saw, This Kagekiyo saw, and crying out "How clamorous!" He struck out with his sword That in the evening sun flashed brilliantly. Th' opposing warriors at once gave way, And he pursued, that they should not escape.
This is deplorable for every one! 'Tis mutual shame alike for the Gen clan And for the Hei clan to look upon So shouted I--thinking to stop one man Is easy, and so underneath my arm Carrying my sword--"A warrior am I Of the great Hei clan, Kagekiyo Some call the Boisterous," and thus crying out To seize them I pursued them. Then I caught On Mihonoya's helmet, but it slipped. Again I caught, but once again it slipped And thus three times did he escape, though I Determined that he should not flee, for he, He was the foe that I had chosen. Eiya! As with the whole strength of my arms I pulled, and as I hauled the cape broke off, And part stayed in my hand,[44] but he escaped. When at some distance from me, he turned back And said, "Now thou art mighty strong of arm Although thou didst allow me to escape." Then Kagekiyo answered back, "The strength Lies in the neck bone of Mihonoya." So smiling, did we part to left and right.[45]
He who has told the tale of olden days-- Days ne'er forgotten--is now sadly waned And e'en confused in mind. Ah, what a shame! The end of all this woe of life is near, For in this world at most my time is short. At once return,[46] and when I am no more I pray thee deign to offer prayers for me. That in dark places there shall be a light For this blind man, and over evil roads A bridge. So will I look upon thy prayers. "I stay," said he, and she "I go," His ears retained but her one word "I go." And thus between the parent and the child This was the legacy at last exchanged-- Between the parent and the child exchanged.
[29] Page 53--Kagekiyo's full name is _Aku-Shichibioe Kagekiyo_. _Aku_--literally means "wicked"; but sometimes has a special meaning of "wild" or "boisterous," as in the present case, where it intimates that the man is rough in manners and strong in arms.
[30] I have put this all in one metre, making no difference between the "words" and "song." (See p. 33.)
[31] Page 56--In the original it reads, "Kamegaegayatsu in Kamakura"; but as this will not fit into any possible metre the first word is left out.