In the reign of Retired Emperor Ichijō, when the Empress contributed to the Gosechi Dances, on the last day she presented 12 girls of her retinue, all, down to the lowest, dressed in aozuri; when one of them, Hyōe by name, was tying her scarlet belt, she asked someone to do it up for her; hearing this, Captain Sanekata, saying he would do it, recited, “Leg-wearying/The mountain spring waters/Are frozen, yet/What belt/Will melt it, I wonder?” On hearing him, Sei Shōnagon composed this in reply:
うは氷あはにむすべるひもなればかざす日影にゆるぶばかりを
| uFa koFori aFa ni musuberu Fimo nareba kazazu Fikage ni yurubu bakari wo |
The ice above is Light as foam-and lightly tied Is this belt-so Shining sunlight Alone will loosen it! |
Sei Shōnagon
清少納言
This incident occurred at the Gosechi Festival of 993, as recounted in section 85 of the Pillow Book, Sankanbon text (McKinney).