Pathway to Japanese Literature

Once, on a morning thick with mist. The Prince, seizing the moment when everyone had briefly disappeared, nimbly jumped down from his glass-paneled chamber onto the lawn. And then he hurriedly put on his large blue hat adorned with Hummingbirds and dashed off in that direction.

“Your Highness. “Your Highness.” “Where are you, Your Highness?” “Well, Your Highness...” And so, the elderly retainer seemed to be shouting while turning this way and that in the chamber. The Prince stood still in the fog, laughing breathlessly, and glanced briefly in that direction before turning back again. Gripping his sword sheath to muffle any sound, he dashed onward and onward toward the minister’s house. All the grass of the lawn, having soaked up the morning mist, appeared blue and cold.

The walnut tree of the minister’s house suddenly loomed large and dark from within the mist. Beneath that tree, the figure of a child stood gazing intently at the Sun beyond the fog. The Prince called out. “Hey. Morning. I’ve come to play!” That small figure moved as if startled and came running toward the Prince. That was the Minister’s son, the same age as the Prince. The Minister’s Son, delightedly turning his face bright red,

“Good morning, Your Highness,” he said. The Prince asked rapidly. “Have you been here all along? What were you doing?”

The Minister’s Son answered.

“I was watching the Sun. The Sun cannot be looked at without mist—it’s too bright.” “Yeah. When the mist veils it, the Sun looks like a silver mirror, don’t you think?” “Yes, and it also looks like a large opal plate.” “Yeah. Right. I have such a large opal. But my opal doesn’t shine that much. I’m going to search for a better one this time. Won’t you come along too?” The Minister’s Son fidgeted nervously.

The Prince immediately asked the Minister’s Son again. “Hey, you. Where could I find gemstones better than things like the ruby jars I have?”

The Minister’s Son said. “I’ve heard there are ruby paint dishes at the foot of the rainbow.” The Prince said rapidly.

“Hey, let’s go get them. Let’s go.” “Right now, Your Highness?” “Yeah. But diamonds are better than rubies. I have a good yellow diamond. And this time I’ll bring back an even better one. Hey, where do you think diamonds are?” The Minister’s Son tilted his head and thought for a moment before replying.

"Diamonds are probably at the top of the mountains." The Prince nodded. "Yeah." "That must be right." "Let's go search for them." "Okay?" "Let's go."

“Is it acceptable not to inform the King?” asked the Minister’s Son, blinking his eyes worriedly.

At that moment, from within the fog behind them,

“Your Highness, Your Highness, where are you? “Your Highness!”

And the voices of elderly retainers could be heard.

The Prince, tugging insistently on the Minister’s Son’s hand, said hurriedly in a low voice. “Come on, let’s go. Come on, hurry. They’ll catch up to us.”

The Minister's Son nodded resolutely while tightening the belt strap from which his sword hung. Then the two of them ran through the fog faster than the wind toward the forest.

*

The two of them ran steadily through the foggy field. Far behind them, the retainers' voices could faintly be heard again. The Prince laughed breathlessly, “Come on, let’s run a bit more. No one will catch up to us anymore.”

As the Minister’s Son passed under a small birch tree, he dropped his large blue hat. Then, he hurriedly picked it up and ran with all his might.

Everyone's voices could no longer be heard. And the field gradually became an uphill slope.

The two of them finally stopped running and, breathing in hurried gasps, trampled through the grass with heavy footsteps as they walked onward.

Before they knew it, the fog had smoothly thinned, and sunlight began to shine through in a golden hue. Before long, as the wind swept away the fog with a gust, dew sparkled and brown grass ears like foxes' tails rippled across the field.

When they suddenly noticed, from this side of the distant white birch tree, a dazzling rainbow stood shining high in the sky. The white birch trunk was crimson as if about to burst into flame.

“Look, the rainbow! Let’s hurry and get the ruby dish. Hurry up and come here!”

The two of them started running again. However, the closer they got to that birch tree, the more the beautiful rainbow gradually retreated into the distance. By the time the two of them reached the white birch tree, the rainbow was nowhere to be seen. “The rainbow stood from here, didn’t it?” “I wonder if the ruby dish fell here.” They used their feet to part the smoky brown grass tufts and looked, but the ruby dish was nowhere to be found there.

“Hey, when the rainbow fled over there, it dragged the ruby dish along with it, didn’t it?” “I think that must be the case.” “Where on earth did the rainbow go?” “Well...”

“Ah! It’s over there!” “There it is!” “Now it’s way over there!” The Minister’s Son looked in that direction. From beyond the pitch-black forest, the rainbow had cast its great bridge of dreams high into the sky. “So it’s beyond the forest then.” “Let’s go see.” “It will probably run away again.”

“Let’s go check it out. Hey, let’s go.”

The two of them started walking again. And they had already reached the oak forest.

The forest interior was pitch-dark and eerie. Nevertheless, the Prince pressed onward undeterred. As they passed a thicket, monkey brambles thrust out countless green hooks, grasping at the Prince's garments to restrain him. Even when he tried to break free, they wouldn't release their hold. The Prince grew so vexed that he drew his sword and sliced clean through the thicket. And so they pressed deeper into the forest—on and on—treading through plush mosses and shade-clinging vines.

The forest trees overlapped, making it dimly lit, but beyond that, it seemed the very sky itself was growing dark.

They could tell this too by how a single beam of blue sunlight that had been piercing into the forest vanished abruptly, leaving the surroundings growing hazy. The fog came again. The forest interior soon turned a hazy white. They could no longer tell which direction they had come from.

The Prince sighed. The Minister’s Son also looked around intently, but the fog flowed thickly through the area, leaving only the tree right before his eyes dimly visible. The two of them found themselves at a loss and stood with their arms linked. Then, in a small, lovely voice, someone began to sing.

“Pitter-patter, pitter-patter, trill-trill, ton. The fog falling in the forest, ant-sized beanbags, triangular hats, Issun-bōshi’s tiny balls”

The fog hopped and danced in pitter-patter steps. “Plip-plop, plip-plop, trill-trill, ton. The fog falling in the forest, black oak acorns, the cold milk of the oak’s hard nuts.” The fog came down plip-plop. And for a while, everything fell completely silent. “Who could it be? Hmm? Who’s singing like that? Sounds like two or three people.” “Who could it be?” “Who’s singing like that?” “It seems like two or three people.” The two of them glanced around restlessly, but there was no one anywhere.

The voice gradually grew higher. It sounded like a skillfully played grass whistle. “Plip-plop, plip-plop, trill-trill-trill. The mist falling in the forest, The droplets gradually grew larger, Now the droplets go plop.” The fog came swirling down in thick waves, and from all around the trees came the plip-plop sounds of droplets. “Plip-plop, plip-plop, trill-trill-trill. The mist falling in the forest,

"The mist falling through the woods would soon turn to drizzle, Every tree cloaked in blue coats. ‘Plip-plop, plip-plop, plip-plop, shan.’" The fog transformed into fine rain, falling plip-plop. The Minister’s Son stood dumbfounded, his eyes perfectly round.

“Who could it be?” “That just now.” “They’re the ones who made it rain, huh?”

The Minister’s Son answered absentmindedly. “Yes, Your Highness. Your garment is covered in burrs.” And he took the green burdock burrs one by one from the Prince’s black velvet coat.

The Prince suddenly shouted.

“Who is it? The one who just sang—come out here!”

Then, to their astonishment, the two blue-glowing hummingbirds that had been adorning the large blue hats of the Prince and his companion buzzed *Burururu-burr!* and flew down before them. And they said in unison: “Yes. Is there something you require?” “Was that song just now yours?” “Why did you make it rain so much?” The Hummingbirds called out like skilled grass whistles.

“That is Your Highness. You are our most esteemed master. We merely sang while gazing at the sky. By gazing at the sky, we could discern whether the fog would turn to rain.” “And why did you sing and fly around like that?” “Yes. From here onward, this has become a place where we may sing and fly. Allow us to guide you.”

The rain fell plip-plop, plip-plop. As they spoke, the Hummingbirds flew toward the far side. Perhaps due to the steel ribs embedded in their backs and chests, their flight appeared slightly unnatural.

The prince and his companion followed after them.

＊

The surroundings suddenly brightened. The rain, which had been falling in a pitter-patter, suddenly turned into large drops and came pouring down.

The Hummingbirds, like blue fish in water—glistening wetly and smooth—flew circling busily above the two’s heads, *Zaa-za-za-zazaa za-zazaa za-zaa—* *“Rain fall pour down drought-quenching rain,* *Topazes sapphires diamonds.”* they sang.

Then, the atmosphere around them suddenly took on a strange quality.

The rain changed into hail and came clatter-clatter-clatter-clattering down.

And the two of them stood atop a beautiful grassy hill surrounded by forest. However, the two of them were utterly astonished. What they had taken for hail was in fact all diamonds, topazes, and sapphires. Oh, how gorgeously dazzling that rain was! Beyond the rain, the sun cast off its thin green shadows and shone pure white, while on this side, the gemstone rain produced countless tiny rainbows. The diamonds collided violently, emitting blue phosphorescence.

The gemstone rain fell upon the grass, clinking and clattering. It was meant to ring out. The gentian flowers were constructed from carved amazonite and split amazonite, their leaves made of smooth chrysocolla. The yellow grass spikes were glittering cat’s eye stones; the ground-covering plum blossom-like flowers had petals of milky opals holding faint rainbows; the plant’s leaves were jasper; its buds bore beautiful amethyst tips. And among them all, the most splendid was a small wild rose bush. The wild rose’s branches were polished with brown amber and purplish aragonite, its fruits deep crimson rubies.

If one were to inquire into the black soil that formed that hill, it must have been verdigris or lapis lazuli. The two of them stood there dazedly, struck by the rain of light, utterly astonished.

The hummingbirds, repeatedly struck by gemstones and nearly falling, nevertheless continued flying busily, busily about, Clat-clat-clatter, clatter-clatter, clatter-clatter-clat—

"Rain fall, pour down, drought-quenching rain, The radiant cloud endured without cease. As they sang, the rain's sound swelled yet louder, and all around shimmered anew with brilliance."

Then, the Hummingbirds flew increasingly slowly, Clat-clat-clatter, clatter-clatter, clatter-clatter-clat— Mountain cease, cease, drought-quenching rain, The sky was polished turquoise. As they sang, the rain abruptly ceased. The last two or so diamonds glittered down from that polished turquoise sky.

“Hey, this gentian flower is even more beautiful than your father’s finest cup.” “Its cup is piled full of Topaz!”

“Yes, it is splendid.”

“Yeah.” “I’ll fill my handkerchief with this topaz.” “But I wonder if diamonds might be better than topaz.”

The Prince took out his handkerchief and spread it open, but with everything glittering so dazzlingly all around, he somehow felt that gathering them now seemed utterly foolish. At that moment, the wind blew in. The gentian flower bent its body with a crystalline chime, tilting its amazonite flower-cup downward. The Topaz spilled out with a tinkling sound, falling onto the lily of the valley’s leaves below, then glittered and rolled away, disappearing into the depths of the grass.

The gentian flower then creaked as it stood upright, let out a sigh of relief, and began to sing. “The Topaz dew spills with a tinkling chime, Glittering as it falls—Sang, Sangarin, Though we dwell on the Hill of Light, What makes our sorrow climb?”

In the deep blue sky, the hummingbirds sang “Tzaril, Tzaril, Tzarilrin, Tzaril, Tzaril, Tzarilrin” as they darted about above the two boys and the gentian flowers. “I wonder what makes the gentian flowers so sorrowful.” The Prince said while wiping the sweat from his face with the handkerchief he had once spread out in an attempt to wrap the Topaz.

“Well, I don’t know.” “No clue.” “It’s so beautiful. Look—this plum blossom-like flower here is just like a rainbow.” “It looks like a billowing rainbow is welling up.” “Ah, right! There’s a drop of diamond dew inside!” Indeed, the plum blossom-like flower quivered and trembled so intensely that the single drop of diamond within its blossom shone beautifully in hues of orange and green—as if about to cry out—its light flickering across the flower’s petals in indescribable splendor.

At that very moment, the wind arrived, so the plum blossom-like flower bent slightly and spilled the diamond dew with a light scatter. The dew emitted one final prickling blue light and sank into the depths of the jasper leaves. The plum blossom-like flower stood up with a crystalline chime and flickered briskly once more. Could it be that particles of the diamond’s intense light still lingered on its petals? And both the circling and cries of the hummingbirds in the sky suddenly grew more and more violent. The plum blossom-like flower cried out so sharply and loudly that it seemed about to fling off both its petals and calyx.

“The glitter’s ebb and flow, the blessings of light The rainbow quivers The sun weaves light still, O sorrow. The blue sky is old Light shattered The wind’s creak, The sun weaves light still, O sorrow.”

The wild rose tree quietly sang, shedding crystal droplets drop by drop from its red fruits. “The rainbow weeps,

The glitter weaves Hill of Light’s This sorrow. Beneath the ice, Blind fish Hill of Light’s This sorrow. Twilight clouds, Wandering bird Hill of Light’s

“This sorrow.”

At that moment, the Hill of Light rustled softly with a sweeping sound across its surface, and the grass and flowers all shook their bodies, bent over, shed shimmering gemstone dew, and stood up with creak-clang, ring, creak. And in unison, they cried out high into the sky. “The Ten Powers Diamond has not come again today The gemstones of grace do not fall today either. If the Ten Powers' gemstone does not fall,

The Hill of Light too is a pitch-black night

The two stood arm in arm, rigid as posts, but the prince finally seemed to notice and slightly bent his body,

“Hey, you all—what’s making you so sad?” he asked the wild rose tree.

The wild rose reflected scattered points of red light onto the prince’s face as it...

“It’s exactly as we just said. The Ten Powers Diamond still hasn’t come.”

The Prince shielded his eyes with his hand against the prickling golden light shooting up from the base of the lilies of the valley across the way,

“What kind of thing is the Ten Powers Diamond?” he asked.

The wild rose shook its body in joy. “The Ten Powers Diamond does not twinkle annoyingly like ordinary diamonds.”

The Jade Lily of the Valley glowed like a night when a hundred moons had gathered and spoke from across the way. “The Ten Powers Diamond does sometimes sparkle.” “It can also be faintly cloudy.” “There are days when it glimmers faintly.” “At times it is as dark as a cave.” The serene amazonite gentian swayed its body in rhythm—saahn, tsaan, saahn, tsaan—as if it could no longer keep from dancing while it spoke.

"The Ten Powers Diamond is softer than a spring breeze—sometimes round, sometimes egg-shaped. If it becomes particles smaller than mist, it will bury both sky and earth." The Plum Blossom-like Flower spoke, raising a rainbow born of midday laughter. “It can instantly divide into countless particles and then gather back into one.” The hummingbirds’ circling was so rapid that they appeared only as a hazy ring of blue light emitting a blurred, continuous buzz.

The wild rose, too overwrought and clattering, cried out, “The Ten Powers Diamond becomes buried in the dampness of black manure at times. Then within the bodies of trees and grass, it shivers with a moonlight hue and pulses a faint bluish-white rhythm. And then it makes human children’s apple-like cheeks glow.”

And everyone cried out together.

“The Ten Powers Diamond has not come today. The Ten Powers Diamond still has not fallen. Oh, Ten Powers’ grace that fills heaven and earth— “Descend upon us!” Suddenly, the hummingbirds let out a piercing shriek—a keen so sharp it seemed the steel ribs in their backs might have snapped. Startled, they looked in that direction and saw the sky begin to shine anew as if reborn, and the hummingbirds descended straight onto their hats. Following the hummingbirds, two gemstones flashed down onto their blue hats, then fell among the flowers.

“It’s here! It’s here!” “Ah, it’s finally come!” “The Ten Powers Diamond has finally descended!” cried the flowers, shining as if about to take flight.

The trees, the grass, the flowers, and the blue sky all sang out loudly together.

“Flames of ruin welling up Though earth and humankind may enshroud, This is a tranquil land, The people of light are filled with radiance. Heaven and earth are filled with light

………………"

Suddenly, the voices seemed to vanish into some other world. And eventually, the Ten Powers Diamond descended all over the hill. All the flowers, leaves, and stems had now transformed splendidly, as if awakening. From the blue sky showered down upon the entire hill a faint, faint sound of music, waves of light, a fragrant pure aroma, and the transparent wind’s words of praise. Because the Lily of the Valley’s leaves were now truly soft, faintly glowing green grass.

The Plum Blossom-like Flower now bore simple, true petals. And the Ten Powers Diamond filled every single immense cell within the wild rose’s red fruits.

The Ten Powers Diamond was none other than dew. Ah, and the Ten Powers Diamond was not merely dew. The blue sky, the shining sun, the wind racing across hills, the flowers' fragrant petals and stamens, the grass's supple stems—all these hills and fields bearing them, the princes' velvet coats and tear-glittering eyes—all of them—every single one—were the Ten Powers Diamond. That was the Ten Powers Diamond. That was the Ten Powers' precious sarira. Who, then, was that Ten Powers? I had only just heard its name. The two had also only just heard its name. But why was it that these two youths, as young as goshawks, knelt so reverently upon the grass with fingers clasped upon their knees?

Now, from beyond the tranquil forest at the base of this light, the voices of retainers searching for the two could be heard approaching.

“Your Highness! Your Highness!” “Are you here, Your Highness?” “Are you here, Your Highness?” “Your Highness!”

The two stood up.

“Hey! Here we are!” the Prince tried to shout, but his voice came out hoarse. The two, their sparkling black eyes turned from the azure sky toward the forest, quietly descended the hill.

From within the forest, the retainers emerged, rejoicing and laughing joyfully as they came running over.

The Prince also tried to shout and run, but a single monkey-catching bramble suddenly extended a small blue hook and caught it around his leg. The Prince crouched down and quietly removed it.