Though the contents vary among the transcriptions and published books, most of the story consists of a heroic episode of Akugenta Yoshihira (Wicked Genta, Yoshihira) (MINAMOTO no Yoshihira) and a pitiful story in which Tokiwa Gozen (the name 常盤 is also written with the characters 常葉), the mother of MINAMOTO no Yoshitsune, visits Kiyomori on behalf of her aged mother.
諸本によって内容に異同は大きいが、悪源太義平（源義平）の武勇譚や、源義経の母である常盤御前（常葉とも）が、老いた母のために清盛のもとへと赴く哀憐の話が中心を占めている。