Ochikubo-21
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
Akoki tried to dissipate misunderstanding of Princess Ochikubo by reasoning with her; Akoki has no cause for fooling her mistress. In fact, what is the good of it for Akoki? Her loylaty to her mistress is true and sincere. Far from cheating anyone, Akoki is honest and straightfoward and does not doubt or suspect anyone or anything; that is why she has been taken in by her husband, Tachiwaki. And now she is blaming herself for the tragedy of her mistress, in other words, the fact that she could not see or notice the plot. But is it her fault? Is she really wrong? It is Tachiwaki (and Ukon’no Shoushou) that should be held responsible for it. She is just a victim of them.
Ochikubonokimi (Ochikubo-Hime, Princess Ochikubo) is severely hurt. Her damage is so serious that she may not be able to respond to call of her loyal maid. She may be caught in a dilemma between a grudge against and mercy for her long-time friend. Or does her mercy exceed the just-arisen grudge? Is her grudge just temporary? Now her agony makes her lose a rational mind but she is essentially compassionate and understanding. As time goes by, she will return to the original state. Or the scar left in her heart by Ukon’no Shoushou may hinder such recovery? Will she turn into a different personality? The sin of Ukon’no Shoushou may be grave.
Akoki may be on the verge of losing her irreplaceable dearest one; Princess Ochikubo is not just a mistress for her but her virtual sister and best friend or more than that (notwithstanding the fact that she chose the Princess rather than her actual relative). It is generally said that the tie with relatives (through blood) will be stronger than that with other persons (without blood relations); will the bond between Princess Ochikubo and Akoki break and crumble easily in an instant (after it’s been building over the years)? Is it really so fragile?
Let’s look up the classical Japanese languages below from the text of this episode.
[Classical Japanese Languages Picked Out]
「おしはかりはことわりなれど、「このけしきをだに見てはべらば」と、よろづに誓ひゐたれど、「（中略）心憂く、ここらの年ごろ仕うまつりはべりて、かくうしろめたきことはしはべりなむや。」
（Oshihakari-wa-Kotowari-Nare-do, “Kono-Keshiki-wo-dani-Mite-Habera-ba" to, Yorozu-ni-Chikai-Itare-do, “(partly omitted) Kokoro-Uku, Kokora-no-Toshigoro-Tsukou-Matsuri-Haberi-te, Kaku-Ushirometaki-Koto-wa-Shi-Haberi-nan-ya.）
おしはかり
Oshihakari
wild guess, conjecture, surmise
ことわり
Kotowari
① reason, sense, logic ② judgment, decision, ruling ③ explanation, excuse, reason, ground ④ apology ⑤ refusal, rejection, decline ⑥ reasonable, right, natural
けしき
Keshiki
impression/appearance of things upon directly seeing ⇒ (human) ① complexion, look, manner, attitude, air ／ (nature) ② scenery, scene, sight, situation, condition, state
①→③ intention, mind, heart
①→④ mood, temper, humor, kindness, goodwill, friendliness, love, affection, favor, patronage ⑤ sign, indication, omen, symptom
②→⑥ unusual odd/strange/queer state/impression, eccentric feeling ⑦ a little, a bit, slightly, part
だに
Dani
① at least, only just ② even
よろづ
Yorozu
① ten thousand, many, a lot of, various kinds/types, every sort of, different, a variety of , all kinds of ②all things, everything ③ for/in everything, all, entirely, completely, altogether
誓ふ
Chikau
make a firm promise before God/the Buddha
年ごろ
Toshigoro
① for years (until now), for several years, for years ② apparent age, age, generation
仕ふ
Tsukou
① perform business/serve a man(woman) of high standing beside him(her) ② assume/take an official post, go into goverment service, work as an government official
うしろめたし（←うしろめたき）
Ushirometashi（← Ushirometaki）
get worried by one’s back shown ⇒① worried, uneasy, erratic ② untrustworthy, unreliable ／③ feel guilty, have a guilty conscience, shady, questionable
These are the words of Akoki who tried hard to get Princess Ochikubo believe her innocence. First, Akoki accepted the Princess’ grudge against her, determining that it is natural if the Princess doubts that her closest maid has anything to do with the intrusion. And then she expressed and conveyed her true and sincere heart purely dedicated to the Princess, saying that if she knew or grasped such a vicious stratagem in advance, I would have certainly taken actions to prevent and thwart them for the safety of the Princess. Her eagerness probably turns into those words so that the Princess would forgive her. But no response from the Princess caused Akoki to speak more: “How could I engage in any act leading to agony of my dearest Princess after I’ve never done anything that tortures or torments you? How could I deceive my treasured Princess now as I’ve only devoted myself to you with all my heart until this day? It is improbable, doesn’t it? " Akoki may think that reasoning should dissolve the Princess’ misapprehension. The logic of Akoki seems to be that there should be no reason for her neglect in the Princess’ danger and thus the Princess ought to or should be able to believe, have a faith in (the excuses of) Akoki. In that way her desperate appeal is founded on the reason that there should be no merits or motives for Akoki to expose the Princess to the horrible tragedy (indeed she shared and felt the fear together with the Princess).
Although the faithful maid goes through a hard time with Princess Ochikubo, Akoki still always has in her mind what should be done for happiness of the Princess. And just upon this tragic incident, she seems to determine that the Princess should choose and resort to Ukon’no Shoushou. She thinks that if Ukon’no Shoushou truly loves the Princess, it would be good for her Princess. And she actually persuades the Princess. Can Princess Ochikubo accept such choice (or rather Ukon’no Shoushou)? Could she love the man who frightened and humiliated her to death?
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Akoki presented Princess Ochikubo the letter from Ukon’no Shoushou which she received together with the letter from her husband, Tachiwaki. “I have a letter for you, my dear Princess. Last night I fell sound asleep until morning against my will. But you will not believe me no matter what I say." Admitting that naturally Princess Ochikubo should suspect her involvement, Akoki appealed to the Princess in vain, affirming that she would have never ever failed to do this and that if she had caught any sign of such plot and unbearably facing the dead silence and the still doll. “You’re having a suspicion against me as I fear. That’s a wrong guess. How could I betray you, your Highness, after I’ve been serving you for years. It is for you that I’ve declined to go despite the fun which everyone should enjoy. If you would not take my sincere heart… If you would not hear my true words… You would not want me and I should disappear from your sight. I humbly ask your permission for my leave forever," said Akoki, bursting into a cry. Feeling pity for the desperate best friend, the Princess let her misery out in a great lament; “It does not matter whether or not you were involved, how could I tolerate such an intrusion? It has never ever occured to me that anyone would resort to such a violent means. First I wondered what I have done to cause such a catastrophe in pouring tears and then I’m filled with shame at the fact that this disgraceful appearance has come into the view of a total stranger. If my dearest mother was alive, I would not go through this ignominious incident." “That’s right! Your late mother would not have you undergo such a reprehensible outrage in any way. But your Highness, Ukon’no Shoushou should have known the brutality of your stepmother against you. If I were you, I would not care. Now that he met you, I would be grateful if Ukon’no Shoushou will show true love for you," said Akoki, making a strenuous effort to find solace for her treasured Princess.
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