A step farther into the world of Rakugo – a traditional art of story telling so popular in Japan. It’s a unique sort of art where the tellers come in all types and ages – predominantly male though female tellers are occasionally seen performing in commercial houses.
Now, how did this unique art ever emerge? Interestingly, its history dates back to the days of warlords in the 16-17 centuries when the whole country was in utter strife. If the greatest of warlords Toyotomi Hideyoshi sounds familiar to you, it was more or less in his days that the art of Rakugo first emerged.
Sorori Shinzaemon
Make believe you were in the reception room in Hideyoshi’s gorgeous residence, invited to a chat over tea. Presently, Lord Hideyoshi emerges with his entourage – among whom a dainty samurai pacing his way with a fan in his hand – instead of a pair of swords for a samurai.
Now, this samurai, Sorori Shinzaemon by name, has a unique mission of his own to serve Lord Hideyoshi with. With no swords on his waist, he certainly is not here to guard his master. Why a fan?
There, that’s where Rakugo comes in. But how? (Hold your horse; you’ll soon find that out.)
Well, granted an audience, you gracefully bow to Lord Hideyoshi and he returns a few words of welcome and on goes a conversation for a while or two. Then, Lord Hideyoshi beckons Sorori Shinzaemon and murmurs a word or two. Sorori nods, utters a few word of self-introduction and eye-signals his lord for instruction. Hideyoshi smiles to urge him to go on.
Sorori sits up, slaps his thigh with the fan and remarks: “Just an innocent tale to ease your stress, our dear guests….” On he goes:
“Somewhere in Kyoto, there lived a merchant with an exceedingly beautiful girl for his daughter at the marriageable age.
“One day, a business friend of his brought two worthy offers for him to consider to arrange his daughter’s marriage with. His friend says one comes from a rich family of an awfully homely-looking young man and the other from a poor family of an outstandingly handsome lad.
“He thanked for the offers and consulted his wife which to choose; his wife suggested their daughter be left to decide which.
“Asked which to pick, their exceedingly beautiful daughter instantly answered: I shall marry both!”
Sorori, checking Lord Hideyoshi ready for some cool denouement and you full of curiosity what would follow, finished his story, thus:
“The parents responded in unison: But, dear, you cannot marry two men!”
“The exceedingly beautiful daughter again instantly replied: Yes, I can! I would share meals with the homely one in the morning hours and then would move in the evening to the handsome to share the bed with him! Um?”
Lord Hideyoshi rolled on his stomach; so do you, helpless how to stop laughing your guts out.
Now, that’s what Sorori Shinzaemon really was– a jester in the medieval Europe in the employ of autocrats. His likes were everywhere then when the ruling class was in a way stressful enough to resort to the services of such his likes.
In the following episodes, I’ll portray the latter-day art of Rakugo as we all know today, and to offer you my translation of a short popular classic known to every Japanese Rakugo fan made available perhaps for the first time for non-Japanese advocates of this charming art: Rakugo.
amberforest-san,
How sweet of you to have left a charming footmark in my comment-hungry homepage.
I knew it was from you the moment I ran through the lines.
I’ve just added the remaining two episodes, one at a time, for you to chew on.
Don’t you hesitate dropping in from time to time.
Cheerio.
Shimamra
If I, an exceedingly delightful middle-aged reader, were in the exceedingly beautiful daughter’s shoes, I’d marry the awfully homely-looking rich young man. No hesitation. 😉
The exceedingly delightful young-at-heart fan can’t wait for the next post that includes your rendition of a popular classic Rakugo story.