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.
KAGEKIYO
This is deplorable for every one—
CHORUS
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.
END OF “KAGEKIYO”