Ochikubo-26
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
Ukon’no Shoushou would not leave the place of Princess Ochikubo even after the morning comes (usually men should leave the woman still in the dark even if it rains), which will show his affection and attachment to the Princess and also may indicate his will to officially get married to the Princess (generally when men stays at the woman in the morning, he is likely to be found and seen by the woman’s family and other people at her house). How does the Princess feel about his staying late?
Akoki still has to do new tasks on the next morning for her future master to have him ready for a start of the day, but it is not expected and so again she has difficulties in finding the necessities (even daily ones), which is also due to Kitanokata, the stepmother of Princess Ochikubo. She makes the best of the current lacking situation, including those who cooks. She seems to have a shrewd way of speaking to get what she wants and maybe do anything for the benefit of her treasured Princess (just as Tachiwaki does, like husband like wife? Both Akoki and Tachiwaki are excellent servants?).
A woman in the kitchen seems to get ready for a return of the people visiting the temple, who will have dishes using meat and fish; in Japan traditionally people have vegetarian diets on events related to the Buddhism and so probably the Heian people will refrain from taking meat and fish while they visit a temple (and take meat/fish dishes for start of the daily life). The woman whom Akoki finds is also kind, compassionate and generous, which, however, is taken advantage of in Akoki’s achievement of her mission (happiness for the Princess).
After the seemingly successful night of Princess Ochikubo and Ukon’no Shoushou (they have probably gotten better acquainted with each other, talking all night), Akoki again seems to play an important role for official marriage of the Princess and the Prince. In Heian Period maids and servants seem to be essential in proper and decent life of noble men and women. The ceremonies merged into their daily life are all arranged and organized by those who serve around them. In other words, their life cannot be realized without their loyal supporters. Akoki’s significance may be great and can not be overlooked nor made light of.
Culture and Society of Heian Period
The people in the noble society of Heian Period may have made a clear distinction between their ordinary lives and those which are associated with the Buddhism (temple). In that distinction, they may have used their foods; while they have only vegetables, they may adapt their mind and body to the Buddhism (change their mode into that of the Buddhism), and on taking any foods, they may go back to the worldly life. The tradition of that distinction still remains in modern Japan (“Shoujin-Ryouri" and “Shoujin-Otoshi" especially in the ceremonies for the deceased).
Let’s look up the classical Japanese languages below from the text of this episode.
[Classical Japanese Languages Picked Out]
「「あないとほし。心いそぎを、かうしてしたまふがいとほしさ。帰らせたまはむ料に、今少しあらむ」と言へば、「帰りたまはむには、御としみをぞしたまはむ」とて」
（"Ana-Itooshi. Kokoro-Isogi-wo, Kou-shite-Shi-tamau-ga-Itooshisa. Kaera-se-tamawa-n-ryou-ni, Ima-Sukoshi-ara-n" to-Ie-ba, “Kaeri-tamawa-n-niwa, On-Toshimi-wo-zo-Shi-tamawa-n" tote）
いそぎ
Isogi
① hurrying, urgent/pressing business, feel rushed ② preparation, arrangements, getteing ready to/for
かう
Kou
① such ② showing agreement to behavior of others, so, like that, that is right ③ so and so, such and such
して
Shite
① with, together with ② using someone/something, ordering someone to do, making/getting someone do/to do ③ by, by means of ④ and, then, in the state of ⑤ because, for, as ⑥ though, although, but, however, nevertheless, despite ⑦ emphasizing the words stated above
帰る
Kaeru
① return to the former/original position/place ② go/get/come/turn back the same way (one comes) ③ go/come back to the original/former state/conditions ④ (a new season/year) arrive/come around ⑤ overturn, be upset ⑥ (dyed color) fade, discolor ⑦ entirely/completely/almost do something
料
Ryou
① those which are got ready/prepared for a purpose, resources/materials/stuff used for them ② necessary cost/price ③ for, for the sake/benefit of, purpose/objective/aim, reason/cause
今
Ima
① now, present, this time ② new things/goods/items/articles ③ at present, just now, at once, immediately ④ soon, before long, after a while, in the course of time, by and by ⑤ in addition, furthermore, even, still, already, yet ⑥ newly, afresh, this time, next time
としみ
Toshimi
meat/fish(animal food)-eating allowed after a certain period of abstinence, holding a banquet/feast after the Buddhist ceremony service for celebration of a person’s long life, called “Shoujin-Otoshi" which marks the end of food abstinence
The words above are a dialogue of a woman woking at the kitchen and Akoki. The woman seems to be a good-natured person and Akoki may be exploiting that personality of hers. Under the circumstances, the desperate maid may not be able to choose only just and right means; it may be inevitable for the Princess Ochikubo according to her logic.
It seems that Akoki manages to get things needed at the minimum for a stay as normal and comfortable as possible of Ukon’no Shoushou at the place of Princess Ochikubo with the help and cooperation of others. Her sincerity and swift actions should please the Princess and may arouse admiration from Ukon’no Shoushou.
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You can read English version of Ochikubo-Hime for charge. (No refund is available.) ([Caution!] This English version is the same one as that provided for charge in the site of おちくぼ物語 in Japanese https://jacl.it-is-the-tale.com.)
Despite the announcement that the ox-carriage came, Ukon’no Shoushou would not get up, lying with the remark that I will wait until the rain stops. His staying late after the sunrise has prompted Akoki, who acknowledges herself as maid to Princess Ochikubo, to think about preparation for his washing face and breakfast as he should officially become a husband of the Princess; I wonder whether I should ask anyone engaged in cooking at the kitchen for help, but almost everyone has gone to the temple, so how can I get rice porridge made for him but I want to. Akoki decided to go and see the kitchen whether she could do anything anyway. Finding a woman she knows, Akoki told the woman that a man who came to her husband, Tachiwaki, last night was still staying at her place as the rain was falling, so she had to treat rice porridge to the man but she did not have resources. In additon she referred to drinks and hors d’oeuvres such as dried seaweed. “Oh, that’s a burden, isn’t it? You’re pressed with your work as maid and attending to a guest of your husband, aren’t you? There are foods and drinks for those who will come back from the trip. You can have a little." In response to the kind offering, Akoki is playing up to the woman, saying aha, you will cook fish and seafood, won’t you?, and seeing that there would be no trouble getting what she wants, takes up a bottle of drinks and pour them to the brim. “Oh, no! Don’t too much!" shouted the woman anxiously. Ignoring and lightly dealing with the criticism just saying oh, do I?, Akoki puts the dried seaweed wrapped in paper into an available container without reserve and hides them with her clothes, going back to her place. Then she orders her young maid to dish up rice porridge beautifully and goes to find a good small portable table for serving. Lastly she considers which basin should be provided for Ukon’no Shoushou’s washing hands and face; she cannot find any appropriate one available to Princess Ochikubo and so she decides that it can’t be helped that she would use the best one of San’nokimi. On everything ready, she fixes her hair before going to the place of Princess Ochikubo where Ukon’no Shoushou also stays.
Thank you for reading this English version.
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