4. TOMO INLET
KAGEKIYO
MURASAKI
TWO BOAT-WOMEN
THREE TRAVELERS
TWO BOYS FROM THE VILLAGE
ONE GIRL FROM THE VILLAGE
An inland sea, the harbor at Tomo. The ocean off in the distance, a strait
with no mouth. A small island closer to shore. The sky is overcast, it looks
as if it might begin to snow at any minute. Shikoku is not visible.
The boat-women’s small boat is near the shore.
A light snow starts to fall. Children from the village dance playfully.
In the inlet at Tomo women divers fish for bream in the sea at Tomo
women divers draw in their nets they are so dear they are so dear.
For their sisters women divers fish for bream for their sisters women
divers draw in their nets they are so dear they are so dear.
(The curtain rises.)
The fish climb the wind blows striking the bucket-drum striking the
bucket-drum how I wish it would clear how I wish it would clear.
Kagekiyo walks on stage while the children are dancing, then stands still.
GIRL: Look! A biwa-hashi, a biwa-hashi!
FIRST BOY: Gosh, it’s sad, isn’t it—a blind priest.
KAGEKIYO: What’s sad? The eyes of my heart see the things I want to
see precisely as I want to see them. The flourishing capital, bravery at war,
