On the 21st day of the Fifth Month Tenroku 4 [973], former emperor En’yū, who was then the sovereign, visited the Princess of the First Order [Shishi 資子] and, following a loss at a game with go counters, on the 7th day of the Seventh Month, the Princess had a fan wrapped in thin cloth and presented to the imperial pantry.
天の川河辺涼しき七夕に扇の風を猶やかさまし
ama no kaFa
kaFabe suzusiki
tanabata ni
aFugi no kaze wo
naFo ya kasamasi
On the River of Heaven’s
Shore, cool
In early autumn
Is this fan’s breeze:
I wonder, should I lend it you more?
On the morning when the messengers departed for the extraordinary Kamo Festival, she sent this to the Principal Wife of the Minister of the Left attached to the flowers used to decorate their hair.
ちはやぶるかもの河辺のふぢなみはかけてわするる時のなきかな
tiFayaburu
kamo no kaFabe no
Fudinami Fa
kakete wasururu
toki no naki kana
Puissant
Kamo’s river shore by
Wisteria waves is
Washed; forgotten
Never will you be!