Long ago, a man went wandering in the province of Musashi. And, in that province lived a certain lady. Her father thought to match her with a common man, but for her mother, only a man of the highest rank would do. Her father was a man of low rank, but her mother was of the Fujiwara family. Thus it was that she wanted a man of high rank for her daughter. So, she composed a poem and sent it to the man. They lived in the district of Iruma on the Miyoshino estate.
みよし野のたのむの雁もひたふるに君がゝたにぞよると鳴くなる
| miyosino no tanomu no kari mo FitaFuru ni kimi ga kata ni zo yoru to naku naru |
In fair Yoshino, Even the geese upon the rice fields, Alone For you do Yearn and cry. |
The man replied:
わが方によると鳴くなるみよし野のたのむの雁をいつか忘れん
| wa ga kata ni yoru to naku naru miyosino no tanomu no kari wo ituka wasuren |
For me Yearning and crying In fair Yoshino The geese upon the rice fields: Can I ever forget them? |
In the provinces they have still not ceased to do such things.