A pair of light-hearted wooing songs: these are attributed to the Emperor Ōjin (r. 270-310), although it seems unlikely he composed them.
この蟹や 何處の蟹 百傳ふ 角鹿の蟹 橫去らふ 何處に到る 伊知遲嶋 美嶋に著き 鳰鳥の 潛き息づき しなだゆふ 佐佐那美路を すくすくと 我が行ませばや 木幡の道に 遇はしし孃子 後姿は 小だてろかも 齒竝みは 椎菱如す 櫟井の 丸邇坂の土を 初土は 膚赤らげみ 底土は 舟黑き故 三つ栗の その中つ土を かぶつく 眞火(ひ)には當てず 眉畫き 濃に畫き垂れ 遇はしし女人 かもがと 我が見し子ら かくもがと 我が見し子に うたたけだに 對(むか)ひ居るかも い添ひ居るかも
| kono kani ya iduku no kani momodutapu tunuga no kani yoko sarapu iduku ni itaru itidi sima mi sima ni toki mipodori no kaduki ikiduki sinadayupu sasanamidi wo sukusuku to wa ga imaseba ya kopata no miti ni apasisi wotome usirode pa wodateroka mo pa nami pa pipi pisi nasu itipiwi no wanisa no ni wo patuni pa pada aragemi sipani pa niguroki yuwe mitu kuri no sono naka tu ni wo kabutuku mapi ni pa atezu mayogaki ko ni kakitare apasisi womina kakumogato wa ga misi ko ra kaku mo ga to a ga misi ko ni utatake dani mukapi woru kamo isopi woru kamo |
Hey, this crab! Where’s it from? Crab from far distant Tsunuga. Walking sideways Whither is it bound? At Ichiji Isle And the Isle of Mi, I arrive: A grebe, Taking deep breaths On the rising, falling Road to Sasanami. Slipping Along On the road to Kohata I met a maiden. From behind, She was slender as a shield; Her rows of teeth, Like sweet acorns and water chestnuts; From Wanisa, In Ichihii, the clay: The first dug clay Is bright red; The bottom clay Is reddish black, so, As three chestnut trees, The middle clay- (But not with a fierce Fire baked)- Her eyebrows painted, Thickly painted. The maid I met I knew she would be that way, The girl I saw; I thought she would be this way, Of the girl I saw. What a turnaround! She’s facing me; She’s nestling next to me! |