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flowers！ ＇8＇＇
Chocho ya！
Onna no michi no
Ato ya saki！
＇See that butterfly on the woman's path； now fluttering behind her； now
before！＇
Chocho ya！
Hana…nusubito wo
Tsukete…yuku！
＇Ha！ the butterfly！ it is following the person who stole the flowers！＇
Aki no cho
Tomo nakereba ya；
Hito ni tsuku
＇Poor autumn butterfly！ when left without a comrade （of its own race）；
it follows after man （or 〃a person〃）！＇
Owarete mo；
Isoganu furi no
Chocho kana！
＇Ah； the butterfly！ Even when chased； it never has the air of being in a
hurry。＇
Cho wa mina
Jiu…shichi…hachi no
Sugata kana！
＇As for butterflies； they all have the appearance of being about seventeen
or eighteen years old。＇9＇＇
Cho tobu ya
Kono yo no urami
Naki yo ni！
＇How the butterfly sports； just as if there were no enmity （or 〃envy〃）
in this world！＇
Cho tobu ya；
Kono yo ni nozomi
Nai yo ni！
＇Ah； the butterfly！ it sports about as if it had nothing more to desire
in this present state of existence。＇
Nami no hana ni
Tomari kanetaru；
Kocho kana！
＇Having found it difficult indeed to perch upon the （foam…） blossoms of
the waves； alas for the butterfly！＇
Mutsumashi ya！
Umare…kawareba
Nobe no cho。 ＇10＇
＇If （in our next existence） we be born into the state of butterflies upon
the moor； then perchance we may be happy together！＇
Nadeshiko ni
Chocho shiroshi
Tare no kon？ ＇11＇
＇On the pink…flower there is a white butterfly： whose spirit； I wonder？＇
Ichi…nichi no
Tsuma to miekeri
Cho futatsu。
＇The one…day wife has at last appeared a pair of butterflies！＇
Kite wa mau；
Futari shidzuka no
Kocho kana！
＇Approaching they dance； but when the two meet at last they are very
quiet； the butterflies！＇
Cho wo ou
Kokoro…mochitashi
Itsumademo！
＇Would that I might always have the heart （desire） of chasing butterflies！＇12＇＇
* * *
Besides these specimens of poetry about butterflies； I have one queer
example to offer of Japanese prose literature on the same topic。 The
original； of which I have attempted only a free translation； can be found
in the curious old book Mushi…Isame （〃Insect…Admonitions〃）； and it assumes
the form of a discourse to a butterfly。 But it is really a didactic
allegory； suggesting the moral significance of a social rise and fall：
〃Now； under the sun of spring； the winds are gentle； and flowers pinkly
bloom； and grasses are soft； and the hearts of people are glad。 Butterflies
everywhere flutter joyously： so many persons now compose Chinese verses and
Japanese verses about butterflies。
〃And this season； O Butterfly； is indeed the season of your bright
prosperity： so comely you now are that in the whole world there is nothing
more comely。 For that reason all other insects admire and envy you； there
is not among them even one that does not envy you。 Nor do insects alone
regard you with envy： men also both envy and admire you。 Soshu of China； in
a dream； assumed your shape； Sakoku of Japan； after dying； took your
form； and therein made ghostly apparition。 Nor is the envy that you inspire
shared only by insects and mankind： even things without soul change their
form into yours； witness the barley…grass； which turns into a butterfly。
＇13＇
〃And therefore you are lifted up with pride； and think to yourself： 'In all
this world there is nothing superior to me！' Ah！ I can very well guess what
is in your heart： you are too much satisfied with your own person。 That is
why you let yourself be blown thus lightly about by every wind； that is
why you never remain still； always； always thinking； 'In the whole world
there is no one so fortunate as I。'
〃But now try to think a little about your own personal history。 It is
worth recalling； for there is a vulgar side to it。 How a vulgar side？ Well；
for a considerable time after you were born； you had no such reason for
rejoicing in your form。 You were then a mere cabbage…insect； a hairy worm；
and you were so poor that you could not afford even one robe to cover your
nakedness； and your appearance was altogether disgusting。 Everybody in
those days hated the sight of you。 Indeed you had good reason to be ashamed
of yourself； and so ashamed you were that you collected old twigs and
rubbish to hide in； and you made a hiding…nest； and hung it to a branch；
and then everybody cried out to you； 'Raincoat Insect！' （Mino…mushi。） ＇14＇
And during that period of your life； your sins were grievous。 Among the
tender green leaves of beautiful cherry…trees you and your fellows
assembled； and there made ugliness extraordinary； and the expectant eyes of
the people； who came from far away to admire the beauty of those
cherry…trees； were hurt by the sight of you。 And of things even more
hateful than this you were guilty。 You knew that poor； poor men and women
had been cultivating daikon （2） in their fields； toiling under the hot
sun till their hearts were filled with bitterness by reason of having to
care for that daikon； and you persuaded your companions to go with you； and
to gather upon the leaves of that daikon； and on the leaves of other
vegetables planted by those poor people。 Out of your greediness you ravaged
those leaves； and gnawed them into all shapes of ugliness； caring nothing
for the trouble of those poor folk。。。 Yes； such a creature you were； and
such were your doings。
〃And now that you have a comely form； you despise your old comrades； the
insects； and； whenever you happen to meet any of them； you pretend not to
know them ＇literally； 'You make an I…don't…know face'＇。 Now you want to
have none but wealthy and exalted people for friends。。。 Ah！ You have
forgotten the old times； have you？
〃It is true that many people have forgotten your past； and are charmed by
the sight of your present graceful shape and white wings； and write Chinese
verses and Japanese verses about you。 The high…born damsel； who could not
bear even to look at you in your former shape； now gazes at you with
delight； and wants you to perch upon her hairpin； and holds out her dainty
fan in the hope that you will light upon it。 But this reminds me that there
is an ancient Chinese story about you； which is not pretty。
〃In the time of the Emperor Genso； the Imperial Palace contained hundreds
and thousands of beautiful ladies； so many； indeed； that it would have
been difficult for any man to decide which among them was the loveliest。
So all of those beautiful persons were assembled together in one place； and
you were set free to fly among them； and it was decreed that the damsel
upon whose hairpin you perched should be augustly summoned to the Imperial
Chamber。 In that time there could not be more than one Empress which was
a good law； but； because of you； the Emperor Genso did great mischief in
the land。 For your mind is light and frivolous； and although among so many
beautiful women there must have been some persons of pure heart； you would
look for nothing but beauty； and so betook yourself to the person most
beautiful in outward appearance。 Therefore many of the female attendants
ceased altogether to think about the right way of women； and began to study
how to make themselves appear splendid in the eyes of men。 And the end of
it was that the Emperor Genso died a pitiful and painful death all
because of your light and trifling mind。 Indeed； your real character can
easily be seen from your conduct in other matters。 There are trees； for
example； such as the evergreen…oak and the pine； whose leaves do not
fade and fall； but remain always green； these are trees of firm heart；
trees of solid character。 But you say that they are stiff and formal； and
you hate the sight of them； and never pay them a visit。 Only to the
cherry…tree； and the kaido ＇15＇； and the peony； and the yellow rose you go：
those you like because they have showy flowers； and you try only to please
them。 Such conduct； let me assure you； is very unbecoming。 Those trees
certainly have handsome flowers； but hunger…satisfying fruits they have
not； and they are grateful to those only who are fond of luxury and show。
And that is just the reason why they are pleased by your fluttering wings
and delicate shape； that is why they are kind to you。
〃Now； in this spring season； while you sportively dance through the
gardens of the wealthy； or hover among the beautiful alleys of cherry…trees
in blossom； you say to yourself： 'Nobody in the world has such pleasure as
I； or such excellent friends。 And； in spite of all that people may say； I
most love the peony； and the g