HATSUYUKI
(EARLY SNOW)
By KOPARU ZEMBŌ MOTOYASU (1453-1532).
PERSONS
- EVENING MIST, a servant girl.
- A LADY, the Abbot’s daughter.
- TWO NOBLE LADIES.
- THE SOUL OF THE BIRD HATSUYUKI (“Early Snow”).
- CHORUS.
Scene: The Great Temple at Izumo.
SERVANT.
I am a servant at the Nyoroku Shrine in the Great Temple of Izumo. My name is Evening Mist. You must know that the Lord Abbot has a daughter, a beautiful lady and gentle as can be. And she keeps a tame bird that was given her a year ago, and because it was a lovely white bird she called it Hatsuyuki, Early Snow; and she loves it dearly.
I have not seen the bird to-day. I think I will go to the bird-cage and have a look at it.
(She goes to the cage.)