SHITE Will you enter? This is my cottage.
PRIEST This is your house? Very well, I will hold the service in your house; but I see no picture of Buddha nor any wooden image in this cottage, nothing but a long spear on one wall and an iron stick in place of a priest's wand, and many arrows. What are these for?
SHITE (thinking) Yes, this priest is still in the first stage of faith. (aloud) As you see, there are many villages here: Zorii, Awohaka, and Akasaka. But the tall grass of Awo-no-ga-kara grows round the roads between them, and the forest is thick at Koyasu and Awohaka, and many robbers come out under the rains. They attack the baggage on horseback, and take the clothing of maids and servants who pass here. So I go out with this spear.
PRIEST That's very fine, isn't it?
CHORUS You will think it very strange for a priest to do this; but even Buddha has the sharp sword of Mida, and Aijen Miowo has arrows, and Tamon, taking his long spear, throws down the evil spirits.
SHITE The deep love.
CHORUS —is excellent. Good feeling and keeping order are much more excellent than the love of Bosatsu. 'I think of these matters and know little of anything else. It is from my own heart that I am lost, wandering. But if I begin talking I shall keep on talking until dawn. Go to bed, good father; I will sleep too.' He seemed to be going to his bedroom, but suddenly his figure disappeared, and the cottage became a field of grass. The priest passes the night under the pine trees.
PRIEST I cannot sleep out the night. Perhaps if I held my service during the night under this pine tree....
(He begins his service for the dead man.)