Ochikubo-5
This site gives it a try to read, understand and enjoy a story written in classical Japanese more than a thousand years ago.
Tale of Ochikubo-Hime is a Japanese version of Cinderella which should entertain readers of all ages.
Your joining in this try will be highly welcomed and greatly appreciated.
(Please be informed that this site provides content based on the personal views and opinions of the author of this site.)
Dictionaries and books generally used in this site
『落窪物語』（Tale of Ochikubo）（稲賀敬二）（Inaga Keiji）（新潮社 2017）（Shinchosha）
『全訳読解古語辞典（第五版）』（小型版）（Dictionary for Classical Japanese for Reading and Interpretation, 5th edition, pocket type）（鈴木一雄 小池清治 倉田実 石埜敬子 森野崇 髙山善行）（Suzuki Kazuo Koike Seiji Kurata Minoru Isino Keiko Morino Takaki Takayama Yoshiyuki）（三省堂 2021）（Sanseido Co., Ltd.）
『ルミナス和英辞典（第2版）』（Luminous Japanese-English Dictionary）（小島義郎 竹林滋 中尾啓介 増田秀夫）（Kojima Yoshiro Takebayashi Shigeru Nakao Keisuke Masuda Hideo）（研究社 2006）（Kenkyusha Co., Ltd.）
『ニュースクール英和辞典（第二版）』（Kenkyusha New School English-Japanese Dictionary, 2nd edition）（廣瀬和清 伊部哲）（Hirose Kazukiyo Ibe Satoshi）（研究社 2019）（Kenkyusha Co., Ltd.）
The original text of Tale of Ochikubo can be found in the website below:
（https://www.komazawa-u.ac.jp/~hagi/txt_ochikubomonogatari.txt）
First of all, we see the characters of this episode of Tale of Ochikubo-Hime.
Characters of this episode
Tachiwaki is the husband of the maid to Ochikubo-Hime, Akoki. He seems to talk anything, including those which he hears from his wife, to his close high-ranking nobleman called Ukon’no Shoushou.
Tachiwaki’s mother is a nurse for a little child later called Ukon’no Shoushou. Tachiwaki grew up with Ukon’no Shoushou as they shared the milk of Tachiwaki’s mother. Their good relationship allows frank and candid talks between them.
Ukon’no Shoushou is a son of Sadaishou who is known to the world. He is a bachelor and seems to make it a rule to meet any noble lady to consider marriage. So he ordered that Tachiwaki should bring Ukon’no Shoushou to the Princess’s place at once.
Ochikubonokimi (Ochikubo-Hime, Princess Ochikubo) is talked about by those who are worried about her. Especially, Akoki’s concern is sincere and serious.
Akoki is the maid to Ochikubo-Hime. She sometimes speaks in the interest of Princess Ochikubo. She also even seems to judge and choose who may or should meet the Princess. She may believe that her mission is to protect the Princess and her happiness.
The nobleman called Ukon’no Shoushou who grew up with Tachiwaki under the care of his mother was looking for a nice and fine noble lady as his future wife, asking around for any information including rumors among the Heian noble society. In the course of such try, he knew about Princess Ochikubo through Tachiwaki. The misfortune falling on her may have caught the attention of Ukon’no Shoushou; he immediately made an attempt to go and meet her, which was prevented at that time as both Tachiwaki and Akoki considered the state of Princess Ochikubo, surmising that the Princess would not like getting into such relations.
Culture and Society of Heian Period
The noblewomen in Heian seem to only wait for their lovers in their places. Their pains, sorrows and complaints due to such a position may be reflected in their traditional Japanese poetry (waka). Even their grudge is also conveyed to those who made them cry, through waka which is limited to a certain length so that their crying is also limited to that extent at least for communication. The noblemen in Heian were seemingly free to go anywhere anytime. The power to decide any relations may belong to the men. In addition, knowledge and skills in waka seem to be directly linked to the ability to build relations between men and women. Thus, those who have good knowledge and high skills in waka may tend to be considered favorably as being good at love affairs. Great composers of waka may be treated as excellent in romances. Such culture may have brought about Heian literature (at the sacrifice of women).
Let’s look up the classical Japanese languages below from the text of this episode.
[Classical Japanese Languages Picked Out]
「あはれ、いかに思ふらむ。さるは、わかうどほり腹ななりかし。」
（Aware, Ikani-Omou-ran. Saruwa, Wakoudohoribara-nanari-kashi.）
いかに
Ikani
① (reason) why, how ② (state/ways) how ③ (emphasizing extent) how much/serious/far/many, etc.
④ (showing surprise and other emotions) what, how
⑤ no matter how/what
In this case above, いかに may be used in meaning that Ukon’no-Shoushou guesses what a loneliness Princess Ochikubo suffers.
思ふ
Omou
① think, feel ② love, adore, cherish ③ worry, grieve, deplore ④ look back on. recall ⑤ want, wish, hope ⑥ guess, suppose, estimate
In this case above, 思ふ may be used in meaning that Ukon’no-Shoushou guesses Princess Ochikubo should worry/grieve.
さるは
Saruwa
(based on the preceding sentence) ① those which are described above are ③ besides, moreover, in addition to ④ although, however
①⇒② in fact, actually
In this case above, さるは may be used in meaning that although she is now placed in terrible conditions, the lineage of Princess Ochikubo is related to the royal family.
Apart from the Tale of Ochikubo-Hime, a variety of topics relating to the Heian Period are discussed in this series.
「ありがたきもの 舅にほめられる婿。また、姑に思はるる嫁の君。」
（Arigataki-mono Shuuto-ni-Homerareru-Muko. Mata, Shuutome-ni-Omowaruru-Yome-no-Kimi.）
（What rarely happens: fathers-in-laws who praise sons-in-laws; and mothers-in-laws who like daughters-in-laws.）
This is the first part of the passage 72 of Makura-no Soushi. Such fathers-in-laws and mothers-in-laws probably do so according to their natural emotions for no good reason. Therefore, they may not be able to be controlled or changed by any efforts on the side of sons-in-laws and daughters-in-laws. In additon to those above, Sei Shounagon says that no person is perfect and no matter how great someone seems and no matter how carefully someone pays attention they never have no faults and they will be spoken ill of or criticized. Sei Shounagon may console Empress Teishi who may be exposed to unjust criticism. Some people would find faults with those who seem to be happier just out of envy or jealousy . So you do not have to be affected by such irrelevant condemnation. Likes and dislikes are often unreasonable beyond logic out of control of anyone. No matter what others might say, you can be free from any care.
Passage 5 of Makura-no Soushi
What Sei Shounagon may want to write the most in Makura-no Soushi may be Passage 5. It is about the episode when Empress Teishi stayed at the house of a low-ranking officer, not her parents’ house, for childbirth (probably according to the order of Fujiwarano Michinaga). The tragedy itself is not written in Passage 5, but Sei Shounagon seems to make fun of the officer in revenge. That may be what was the best she could do. Tale of Ochikubo-Hime seems to contain the episode associated with Passage 5 of Makura-no Soushi in Part 2. That is guessed to be the tragedy Empress Teishi sufferd. While Makura-no Shoushi has over 300 passages, Passage 5 is placed at the head of her essays, easy to notice and read for Empress Teishi (readers). What causes Sei Shounagon to write Makura-no Soushi may be that tragedy of Empress Teishi. Her strong emotions and will may be conveyed through the essay.
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