Tag Archives: Ōtomo no Tanushi

MYS II: 128

A futher poem sent by the Elder Maiden of Ishikawa to  Ōtomo no Tanushi.


wa ga kikisi
mimi ni yoku niru
asi no ure no
asi yamu wa ga se
As I have heard
So it does seem to be:
As the reed tips
Pierce your legs, my darling,
Get well soon!

The above poem was presented by the Elder Maiden of Ishikawa to Chūrō, when she visited him on hearing that his legs were troubling him.

MYS II: 126

A poem sent by the Elder Maiden of Ishikawa to Ōtomo no sukune, Tanushi (Tanushi was the second son of Lord Ōtomo, the Saho Major Councillor. His mother was Lady Kose).


miyabiwo to
ware pa kikeru wo
yado kasazu
ware wo kapeseri
osono no miyabiwo
A courtly man
I did hear you were, yet
You would not let me stay, and
Sent me home,
You lackwit dandy!

Ōtomo no Tanushi was also known as Chūrō. He was miraculously good-looking and incomparable in his elegance, so much so that anyone who saw or heard him was deeply moved. There was a woman called the Elder Maiden of Ishikawa. Wanting to become his bride, she grieved over how she always lived alone. She entrusted all her feelings to a letter, but was unable to locate an appropriate messenger. So, she came up with a scheme and, disguising herself as a poor old woman and carrying an earthen pot, went to where Tanushi was sleeping. She put on a hoarse voice and, tottering as she walked, knocked on his door, and said, ‘I am your elderly neighbour to the east. I have come to ask if you would let me have some fire.’ Chūrō, not realising in the darkness that she was in disguise, had no thought that he should let her in and have anything else to do with her, gave her fire as she had asked and sent her on her way home. The following day, the Elder Maiden, embarrassed to ask Tanushi to marry her without a go-between, and upset that her plan had not worked, wrote this poem and sent it to him – or so it is said.