Pathway to Japanese Literature

Sasanoyahara Plateau is a highland in the very center of the Kitakami Highlands, composed of bluish-black slick serpentinite and hard olivine rock.

At the base of several valleys extending in all directions from the plateau’s edge lie villages of just five or six houses each.

When spring came, numerous horses were brought from various valleys in Kitakami and entrusted to the people of these villages.
And then they were released into the upper fields.
By the end of August they had all returned to their respective owners.
For by September the plateau's grasses had already begun to wither and frost descended.

Even during April when pasturing began, up to half the month the plateau remained locked in fog and clouds.
Truly this plateau's expanse served as the persistent collision zone for winds and moisture - those from the eastern seas clashing with those from western regions - so clouds rain thunder and fog could arise at any moment.
Thus travelers heading toward this plateau from the banks of the Kitakami River would gradually begin to spot Thunder God monuments here and there as they drew nearer.
Now these travelers were few in number - apart from those who handled horses there were apothecaries forestry officials students searching for fossils surveyors and the like - a mere handful.

This year too, the sky had already become filled with crystalline autumn particles scattered everywhere.

Clouds tore apart, wind blew, and summer vacation had only one day remaining.

From the day after tomorrow, Tatsuji would once again don the small straw sandals he had made himself, cross two valleys, and go to school.

He had finished all his homework, and had grown thoroughly tired of both catching crabs and playing at making charcoal.
Tatsuji leaned against the hinoki cypress in front of the house and thought.

(Ah.
The most enjoyable things during this summer vacation were going with Grandfather to take the foals up to the upper fields, and then—no question about it—the sword dance.
We wore hoods adorned with black rooster tails and those old-style red sleeveless jackets.
Then we put on hakama with stiff boards sewn in, tightened our leggings and straw sandals until they bit into our skin, and surrounded by lanterns boldly proclaiming SASANOYAHARA SWORD DANCE TROUPE in big characters, marched to town with everyone to perform.
Da-da-dasko-da-da!
We danced! We really danced!
In the crimson glow of the town's gateway bonfires, we made our swords flash and clash.
When I paired up with Mr. Narao during those routines, our blades went clang-clang for real!)

Ho, there, strike,

Long ago in Tatsukoku, the Evil Road King,

In the pitch-black darkness of the two-ri cavern,

Crossing over are dream and Black Night God,

The head was carved and buried in a vermilion bucket.

Did it!
Did it!
Da, da, dasko, da-da,

Blue mask—this scarecrow—

Receive the blade—ippu kapu—

In the depths of the night wind—the spider dance,

Spewing stomachs creak and grind.

Huh.
As if…)

“Tatsuji.
“You there?”
“Tatsuji.”
Tatsuji’s mother called out from inside the house.

“Yeah, I’m here.”
Tatsuji ran off.

“Good boy—Grandfather and Elder Brother are cuttin’ grass right at the upper field’s entrance, so take their lunch up there.
“Alright?”
“Then take the cow along too, let ’er graze and come back.”
“Alright?”
“And don’t you go strayin’ from your brother up there.”

“Yeah, I’ll go ’n’ come back.
“I’ll go ’n’ come back.”
“I’m puttin’ on my straw sandals now.”
Tatsuji leaped up.

Mother wrapped the two bentwood chests and Tatsuji’s small lunchbox each in paper, then bundled them all together into a large wrapping cloth. While Tatsuji was getting ready and shouldering the bundle, Mother led the cow out from the stable.

“Then I’ll be off,” said Tatsuji as he took hold of the cow.

“Mind yourself on the way.
“And don’t go straying from your brother up there.”

“Yeah.”
Tatsuji broke a poplar branch from beside the fence, peeled off its green bark in spirals to fashion a whip, and quietly herded the cow as he gradually made his way up the path toward the upper fields.

“Dā-dā, Suko, Dā-dā.

The night’s hood is the black tail of a rooster,

The moonlight was………,

“Hup, walk, hup!”

The sun was blazing down fiercely.
Yet there was something like a weary bluish tinge in that light, and though cold winds occasionally flowed in like ribbons from somewhere, it was still quite hot.
Because the cow kept stopping, Tatsuji grew a little irritated.

“Up you go and eat some good grass.”
“Walk faster!”
“Hup!”
Idiot.
“Hup!”

But every time the cow saw a patch of beautiful grass, it would lower its head, loll its tongue out, and start munching.

(It's strange they say the tongue's the best part of cow meat. All slimy and dripping with drool. Plus there's black speckles all over. Walk. Hey.)

“Walk.”
“Hup!”
“Walk.”

A few white clouds appeared in the sky.
And they had already climbed quite a distance.
The valley village lay far below, and the roof of Tatsuji’s wooden hut shone white.

The path entered the woods, and Tatsuji arrived at that beautiful spring.
It was that spring—the one gushing cold water with a burble from pure white limestone.
Tatsuji wiped his sweat, crouched down, and scooped up water to drink many times over.

The cow didn't drink from the spring, but instead slurped noisily at the puddle water in the moss.

When Tatsuji and the cow started moving again, the spring groaned as if to signal something, and the cow also lowed deeply.

“Might rain,” Tatsuji muttered, looking up at the sky.

Passing through shrubs at the forest’s edge and crossing small crumbling rock fragments time and again, Tatsuji had now drawn near to the plateau’s entrance.

Flashing and darkening, beyond the hills folded layer upon layer, the Kitakami fields stretched out like a dream, blindingly azure.
The river flowed, glittering silver like the belt of Kasuga Daimyojin.

And Tatsuji and the cow arrived at the entrance to the plateau.
Beneath a large oak tree, the elder brother’s rope-woven bag had been tossed down, and many bundles of grass lay scattered all around.

The two horses snorted, their nostrils quivering, when they saw Tatsuji.

“Brother!”
“You there!”
“Brother!”
“I’m here!”
Tatsuji wiped his sweat and shouted.

“Hey!”
“Yeah!”
“Stay there.”
“I’m coming now!”

From a hollow far ahead came the voice of Tatsuji’s elder brother.
Even though the cow saw plenty of grass, it didn’t seem particularly pleased.

The sun abruptly brightened, and Tatsuji’s elder brother emerged from the grasses over there, laughing.

“Good, you’re here.”
“And you brought the cow along too.”
“You’ve got the lunch. Good timing.”
“Today, come noon, it’ll cloud over for sure.”
“I’ll gather a little more grass and finish up, so you stay right here.”
“Grandfather’s coming now.”

Elder Brother was about to head off when he turned around and spoke again.

“If you get hungry，go ahead and eat the lunch first．Tie the wrapping cloth to that horse and leave it there．I’ll come back around noon．”

“Yeah. I’ll stay here.”

And Tatsuji’s elder brother went away.
Thin clouds completely spread across the sky, and the sun turned into a white mirror, racing in the opposite direction of the clouds.
The wind rose, and the uncut grass rippled like waves across the field.

For some reason, the cow suddenly bolted off toward the north.
Tatsuji, startled, chased after it with all his might while turning toward his brother and shouted.

“The cow’s getting away!”
“The cow’s getting away!”
“Brother!”
“The cow’s getting away!”

Parting the tall grass, the cow ran onward without pause.
Tatsuji chased after it frantically until he could go no farther.
Gradually his legs grew strangely stiff until he could no longer tell whether he was still running of his own will.
Then his surroundings turned deathly pale and spun wildly about until at last Tatsuji collapsed into the deep grass.
The cow's white markings flickered one final time before vanishing.

Tatsuji lay on his back and stared up at the sky.
The sky blazed blinding white as it whirled madly, while thin mouse-gray clouds streaked swiftly across its expanse.
And all around came a loud metallic clanging.

Tatsuji finally managed to get up and, gasping for breath, started walking in the direction the cow had gone.
In the grass, there appeared to be traces of the cow’s passage—something like a faint path.
Tatsuji laughed.
And then,

(Hmph.
Ah well, it's just standing plunked somewhere,) he thought.

So Tatsuji followed its traces with all his might.
Yet those path-like traces, before he had gone even a hundred paces, lo and behold—amidst imposingly tall thistles—split into two, then three, until he couldn’t tell which was which at all.
Tatsuji resolutely advanced along the middle one.
However, even that path would sometimes break off or swerve sideways through steep places where no cow could walk.
Even so, Tatsuji,

"(Ah well, over there in the grass, the cow's facing this way, standing quiet as can be.)" he thought, forging steadily onward.

The sky grew terribly dark and heavy, and the surroundings began to blur hazily.
A cold wind began to sweep across the grasses, and now the clouds and fog, torn into tatters, went rushing swiftly past before his eyes.

Ah, this was getting bad. All the bad things were going to come gathering now, Tatsuji thought. Indeed, just as he had feared, the traces of the cow’s passage suddenly vanished in the grass.

(Ah, this is bad, this is bad.) Tatsuji's heart pounded in his chest.

The grasses bent their bodies with crackles and rustles.
The fog thickened especially dense, and his clothes had become thoroughly soaked.

Tatsuji shouted with all his might.

“Brother!
“Brother!
“The cow’s getting away!
“Brother!
“Brother!”

There was no response.
Particles of dark, cold fog—like chalk dust falling from a blackboard—danced everywhere, and the surroundings fell utterly silent, steeped in gloom upon gloom.
From the grass came the drip drip of falling droplets.

Tatsuji tried to hurry back to his grandfather's place and turned around quickly.
But somehow this didn't seem like where he'd come through earlier.
First off, there were way too many thistles, and rock fragments he hadn't seen before kept rolling under the grass.
Then finally an enormous valley he'd never heard of suddenly appeared right before his eyes.
The silver grass rustled loudly—there it was, disappearing into the fog like a bottomless chasm.

When the wind came, the silver grass plumes stretched out countless slender hands and waved them busily,

“Ah, Mr. West! Ah, Mr. East!
Ah, Mr. West.
Ah, Mr. South.
Ah, Mr. West!” they seemed to be saying.

Tatsuji was so embarrassed that he closed his eyes and turned away.
And he hurriedly turned back.
A small black path suddenly appeared amidst the grass.
It was formed by numerous horse hoofprints.
Tatsuji, in a frenzy, let out a short laugh and strode vigorously down the path.

However, this unreliable path kept shifting—now narrowing to about five inches wide, now swelling to three feet—and what’s more, it seemed to be swirling around in circles.
And when he finally reached the large burnt chestnut tree at the summit, it hazily split into several branches.

That place was likely a gathering spot for wild horses; through the fog, it appeared as a circular clearing.

Disappointed, Tatsuji started back along the black path.
Unfamiliar grass plumes swayed quietly, and whenever a slightly stronger wind came—as if something somewhere had given a signal—the entire field of grass flattened their bodies to avoid it, thinking, Here it comes!

The sky flashed and screeched shrilly.
Then right before his eyes in the fog appeared a large black shape like a house.
Tatsuji stood frozen awhile doubting his own vision, yet since it still so resembled a dwelling, when he warily crept closer to look—it was a cold large black rock.

The sky spun white in dizzying whirls as the grasses shook off their droplets all at once.

(If I mistakenly descend the plateau on the opposite side, I'll be as good as dead.) Tatsuji half-thought, half-muttered.
Then he shouted.
“Brother! Brother! Are you there?”
“Brother!”

The light returned.
The grasses all released a breath of joy in unison.

“The electrician’s boy from Isado Town had his arms and legs tied up by the Mountain Man, or so they said,” came the words someone had spoken long ago, clear now in his ears.

And then, the black path suddenly vanished.
The surroundings fell completely silent for a brief moment.
Then a very strong wind blew in.

The sky flapped and snapped like a flag, and sparks crackled and sputtered as they burned.

Tatsuji collapsed in the grass.

All of that seemed like events within a hazy mist.
As for the cow having run away—in the end, I couldn’t tell whether it had been a dream or not.
Had the wind even been blowing at all?

Tatsuji was walking along the dusky prefectural road with everyone.

An orange moon rose quietly from the mountain they had come from.
The burning fires in Isado Town flickered red.

“Alright, is everyone ready?”
Someone shouted.

Tatsuji had finished tying the thick white sash and stomped the ground vigorously.
Mr. Narao shouted toward the sky.

“Da, da, da, da, dascodadada.”
Then, the adults struck the taiko drums.

Tatsuji drew his sword and leapt up.

“Da‚ da‚ da‚ da.
Da‚ Sco‚ Dadada.”

“That’s dangerous! Who drew their sword? It’s too early—we haven’t even reached town yet!” Seisuke‚ wearing a monstrous blue mask‚ barked imperiously.
Many red lanterns were lit‚ and Tatsuji’s elder brother brought a lantern and walked alongside him.
Elder brother’s legs were jelly-like‚ tinged with a dreamlike hue‚ and absurdly long.

“Da‚ da‚ da‚ da.
Da‚ Sco‚ Dadada.”

At the mayor’s house on the edge of town, the gate fire had not yet been lit.
Everyone entered the dark front garden surrounded by a yew hedge.

Small，lovely children came out and watched with laughter.
Finally，the adults began in earnest.

“Hoh，there，begin!”
Da，da，da，da.
Da，Sco，Dadada.
Boom boom.

“Night winds churn, cypress trees sway wildly,

The moon showers down: waves of silver arrows,

Whether striking or meeting one’s end—a single life,

The sword’s creak—no moment to fade.
Hoh, ho, hoh, hou!”

The sword glinted a harsh blue.
The pear tree leaves were restlessly stirring in the moonlight.

“Da, da, Sco, Dadada, Do, boom, Do, boom.”
“The sword is lightning; the rustling silver grass ignites…”

The groups split into two, and the swords clattered.
Blue Mask emerged and, flailing like a drowning man, frantically leaped about.
The children began to cry.
Tatsuji laughed.

The moon suddenly became a malicious single eye.
Then it turned as white as a silver cup and vanished completely.

The teacher’s voice could be heard. That was right—school had already started, Tatsuji thought.

That place was a classroom.
The teacher seemed somewhat thinner.

“Everyone.
The enjoyable summer vacation has already ended.
From now on comes autumn’s pleasant season.
It’s truly the year’s best time for study.
Starting tomorrow you will all apply yourselves diligently again.
Has everyone completed and brought today’s assignments?
Those who have done so please raise your hands.”

Tatsuji and Mr. Narao were the only two.

“Don’t forget to bring yours tomorrow, everyone.”
“Even if there are those who haven’t finished theirs entirely, they must still bring it as it is.”
“Those who haven’t completely finished, raise your hands.”

No one raised their hands.

“That’s correct.
“You’re all fine students.
“What did everyone do during vacation?
“Of those things，what was most interesting?
“Tatsuji.”

“It was when I went to gather the foals with Grandfather.”

“Very well.
“That’s excellent.”
“Mr. Narao.”
“What did you find most enjoyable during your vacation?”

“The sword dance.”

“Was it the sword dance that you performed?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Where did you perform it?”

“In Isado and here and there.”

“I see.
“Well, that’s acceptable.”
“You may sit down.”
“Everyone.
“Are there any others who performed in the sword dance?”

“Teacher, I performed too.”

“Teacher, I performed too.”

“Tatsuji, you as well?”
“Very well.”

“Everyone.”
“The sword dance is by no means a bad thing.”
“However—though of course none of you would do such a thing—you must not take money for it.”
“Because everyone here is an excellent student.”

“Teacher.”
“I didn’t take any money.”

“Very well.”
“That’s correct.”
“And then…”

Tatsuji opened his eyes.
Everything was a dream.
Cold fog and droplets fell on his forehead.
The sky was filled with fog, and nothing was visible.
It would abruptly brighten and darken.
A bellflower-like figure bent its body and looked after Tatsuji.

And Tatsuji dozed off again.
There, the fog became like lukewarm bathwater.
A lovely girl called out to Tatsuji.

“Come here. I’ll give you something nice.”
“Here.”
“It’s dried apples.”

“Thank you. Who are you?”

“I’m nobody.”
“Let’s go play over there together.”
“You’ve got a donkey.”

“I don’t have any donkey.”
“I do have a regular foal.”

“A regular foal’s too big—no good.”

“Then—do you hate birds?”

“Birds?
“I love them!”

“I’ll give you one.”
“I’ve got a siskin.”
“How about I give you one siskin?”

“Yes.
“I want it.”

"I'll give it to you."
"I'll bring it now."

"Yes. Hurry!"

Tatsuji ran as hard as he could toward home.
He ran single-mindedly through beautiful green fields and small streams.
The field felt strangely hazy and looked like stretched rubber.

Tatsuji’s house stood right in the middle of the field before he knew it.
He hurriedly opened the basket and gently grabbed the small bird.
And as he tried to turn back,

“Tatsuji, where are you going?” Tatsuji’s mother said.

“I’ll be right there,” Tatsuji said as he looked at the bird, only to find it had already turned into a pale green fresh pastry.
It was a dream after all.

The wind blew, and the sky was dark and silver.

“The electrician’s son from Isado Town—stagger, stagger, stagger, stagger, stagger,” someone called out from somewhere.

Then for a while, the sky hummed ominously.

Tatsuji dozed off again.

The Mountain Man poked his bright red face out from behind a nara tree for just a moment.

What’s there to be scared of?

“Hey, Mountain Man! Come on out! I’ll cut you down!” Tatsuji drew his short sword and assumed a stance.

The Mountain Man, thoroughly frightened, came crawling on all fours across the grass.
His hair rustled in the wind.

“Please, I beg your pardon.”
“I ain’t gonna do nothin’ bad.”

“Okay. Then I’ll forgive you.”
“Go catch a hundred crabs.”

“Hmm.
“A hundred crabs.”
“Just that much? That’ll do?”

“Then go catch a hundred rabbits.”

“Hmm. If I kill ’em and bring ’em, that’ll do?”

“Nope. Don’t you dare. You must keep them alive.”

“Hmph. Hmph.”
“Yes, sir.”

While off guard, Tatsuji was suddenly seized by the leg by the Mountain Man and knocked down.
The Mountain Man pinned Tatsuji down and took his sword.

“Brat.”
“Come on.”
“From now on you’re my servant. Come.”
“This sword’s a good one, huh.”
“The tempering’s done real proper-like.”

“You idiot.
“I ain’t becomin’ your servant or nothin’.
“Kill me if ya dare!”

“Quite the tough brat, eh? If yer comin’, then come!”

“I’m not going.”
“Alright then, I’ll just take you by force.”

The Mountain Man tucked Tatsuji under his arm.
Tatsuji swiftly retrieved his sword and thrust it into the Mountain Man's flank.
The Mountain Man thrashed about wildly, spewed white foam in great gouts, and died.

Suddenly everything turned pitch black, and thunder began to roar fiercely.

And Tatsuji opened his eyes again.

The gray fog swept swiftly, swiftly by.
And there, right before his eyes, the cow stood looming.
The eyes, afraid of Tatsuji, were turned sideways.
Tatsuji shouted.

“Ah, you’re here!”
“You dummy.”
“You.”
“C’mon, move.”

Amidst the sounds of thunder and wind, the faint voice of his elder brother could be heard.

“Hey.”
“Tatsuji.”
“I’m here.”
“Tatsuji.”
“Tatsuji.”

Tatsuji joyfully jumped up.

“Hey!”
“I’m here! I’m here!”
“Brother!”
“Hey!”

Tatsuji untied the reins from the cow’s neck and began to lead it.

The black path had abruptly reappeared amidst the grass.
And Tatsuji’s elder brother suddenly stood before his eyes.
Tatsuji clung on.

“I looked for you.
“You came all the way to a place like this.
“Why’d you stay quiet over there without sayin’ a word?”
“Grandfather’s real worried.”
“C’mon, hurry up and walk.”

“The cow ran away, y’know.”

“The cow ran away.
“Hah, so that’s how it was.”
“What’d you get so scared of?”
“You’re completely soaked.”
“Here, put on my raincoat.”

“Not cold at all. Brother’s raincoat’s too big and drags around, so I don’t need it.”

“I see.”
“Alright, alright.”
“First off, walk.”
“Grandfather’s waitin’ by the fire, so...”

They went up and down two gentle slopes.
Then, following the large black path, they walked for a while.

Lightning flashed faintly white a couple of times.
The smell of burning grass wafted through the air, and smoke drifted gently within the fog.

Tatsuji’s elder brother shouted.

“Grandfather.
“He’s here, he’s here!
“Tatsuji’s here.”

Grandfather was standing in the fog,

“Ah, so that’s how it was. I was worried, so worried.
“Ah, thank goodness.”
“Oh, Tatsuji.”
“You must be cold. Come on in,” he said.

At the base of a large chestnut tree half-scorched by fire, there was a small enclosure made of grass, and a red fire flickered and burned.

His elder brother tied the cow to an oak tree.

The horse also whinnied sharply.

“You must be cold, huh.”
“Huh?”
“You must’ve cried quite a bit, huh.”
“Come on, come on, eat the dango.”
“Eat. Huh?”
“I’m roastin’ these here now, y’see.”
“Just how far did you go?”

“It’s the descent entrance of Sasagenone,” answered Tatsuji’s elder brother.

“That was dangerous.”
“Dangerous it was.”
“If you’d gone down t’other side, that would’ve been the end of you.”
“Come on, Tatsuji.”
“Eat the dango.”
“Hmph.”
“You’re eating like a horse.”
“Come on, come on, eat this too.”

“Grandfather. We should go gather some grass for here now,” said Tatsuji’s elder brother.

“Nah. Wait a bit longer. It’ll clear up soon. I need to eat my lunch too. Ah, I was worried. I went down to Torako Mountain’s foot to check. Haah, everything’s fine now. The rain’ll stop too.”

“The weather was really good this morning though.”

“Yeah. It’ll get better again. Oh, the rain’s leaking in. Put some grass on the roof.”

The elder brother went out. The ceiling rustled noisily. Grandfather looked up at it, laughing.

The elder brother came back in again.

"Grandfather."
"It's brightened."
"The rain's cleared."

“Uh-huh.”
“Right.”
“Come on, eat lunch and then go gather some grass patches.”
“Tatsuji.”
“Eat your lunch.”

The fog suddenly parted.
Sunlight suddenly streamed in.
The sun had shifted slightly westward, and several patches of wax-like fog, left behind in retreat, reluctantly gleamed.

Sparkling drops fell from the grasses, and all the leaves, stems, and flowers were absorbing the year’s final sunlight.

The distant azure wilds of Kitakami now laughed dazzlingly as though having ceased their tears, while the chestnut tree across the way cast forth a blue halo.