Hagoromo
Feather mantle（1916）Certain Noble Plays of Japan: from the manuscripts of Ernest Fenollosa, chosen and finished by Ezra Pound, with an introduction by William Butler Yeats, Cuala, Churchtown, Dundram [EN]
- XIVThe feather-mantle, for whose lack the moon goddess, (or should we call her fairy?) cannot return to the sky, is the red cap whose theft can keep our fairies of the sea upon dry land; and the ghost-lovers in ‘Nishikigi’ remind me of the Aran boy and girl who in Lady Gregory’s story come to the priest after death to be married.
- 65It is the play of a fairy whose feather-robe was stolen by a fisherman at Mio’s pine-clad shore, while she was bathing, and was finally given back upon her promise to dance.
- 125See “The Robe of Feathers,” another lyric drama
- 432This is probably an allusion to the hagoromo or feather robe worn in the No play of that name, wherein an angel alighting on the shore of Japan put off her feather robe, and hung it on a pine tree while she danced in joyous ecstasy, till, frightened by a fisherman, she fled to heaven, leaving her robe behind.
- XVIIIn ‘Hagoromo’ the feather-mantle of the fairy woman creates also its rhythm of metaphor.
- 17HAGOROMO
- 50?Of the plays in this book, “Nishikigi’ has appeared in ‘Poetry,’ *Hagoromo’ in *The Quarterly Review,* and ‘Kumasaka,’ in ‘The Drama;’ to the editors of which periodicals I wish to express my acknowledgment.
- In ‘Hagoromo’ the feather-mantle of the fairy woman creates also its rhythm of metaphor.
- xivThe feather-mantle, for whose lack the moon goddess, (or should we call her fairy?) cannot return to the sky, is the red cap whose theft can keep our fairies of the sea upon dry land; and the ghost-lovers in ‘Nishikigi’ remind me of the Aran boy and girl who in Lady Gregory’s story come to the priest after death to be married.
- 24Iwafune, Hagoromo, Tomoe, Chōryō, Nue, Orochi, Kamo, Kaki-tsubata, Kashiwazaki, Kanawa, Yorimasa, Youchisoga, Tadanori, Takasago, Tamura, Sotobakomachi, Tsurukame, Raiden, Ukai, Uta-ura, Nomori, Nonomiya, Kuramatengu, Kurumazo, Kwagetsu, Yashima, Kenjō, Fujitaiko, Kosode-soga, Tenko, Aioi, Ayanotsuzumi, Aridōshi, Saigyōzakura, Sagi, Sakuragawa, Kinuta, Kiyotsune, Yuya, Miwa, Miidera, Shōjō, Jinenkoji, Shō-kun, Hyakuman, Momiji-gari, Morihisa, Zegai, Sumagenji, Eboshi-ori, Ebira, Ema—52 in all.
- 20Among the most petformed No of this class are: “Yuya,” “Hagoromo,” “Komachi,” “Izutsu,” “Nishikigi,” “Ninin-Shizuka.”
- 36-37We also behold heavenly creatures such as the angel in “Hagoromo,” the dragon, the tengu, and other nature-spirits.
- 31There is Hagoromo-pure delicate beauty, and rendered into accessible loveliness by Mr. Waley, Arthur.
- 37Here are given translations of Hagoromo (described by Mrs. Beck), and of an amusing Kyogen, or farcical interlude played as comic relief between the No, called Hone Kawa or Ribs and Skin.
- 37The nineteen page introduction by Mr. Yeats is followed by translations of Nishikigi and Hagoromo, both of which are described by Mrs. Beck, as well as by two plays not mentioned in her article-Kumasaka and Kagekiyo.
- 38This anthology contains translations into French of Hagoromo ( described by Mrs. Beck), and the Kyogen, Sannin-Gatawa (The Three Defectives).
- 39A scholarly historical, descriptive and critical introduction is followed by the translation of fifteen No and one Kyogen, these being: Atsumori, Ikuta, Tsunemasa, Kumasaka, Eboshi-Ori, Hashi-Benkei, Kotgekiyo, Hachi no Ki, Sotoba Komachi, Ukai, Aya no Tsuzumi, Aoi no Uye, Kantan, Hokazo, Hagoromo, Tanikо̄, Ikeniye, Hatsuyuki, Haku Rakuten,-and the farce Esashi Jūō (The Birdcatcher in Hell.)
- 39It will be seen from the preceding note that Hagoromo has been translated three times into English and once into French, and that certain other No described or referred to in The Ghost Plays of fapan may be read in the English versions of Mr. Pound and Mr. Waley, Arthur.
- 39Of the fifteen No translated in this volume, two – Aoi no Uye and Hagoromo, are described by Mrs. Beck.
- 64(Translations of Atsumori, Ikuta, Tsunemasa, Kumasaka, Eboshi-ori, Benkei on the Bridge, Kagekiyo, Hachi no ki, Sotoba Komachi, Ukai, Aya no Tsuzumi, Aoi-no-uye, Kantan, The Hо̄ka Priests, Hagoromo, Tani-kо̄, Ikeniye, Hatsu yuki, Haku Rakuten, with Introduction and Apendices)
- 33-34The plays in which a beautiful young lady of noble birth is the chief character are Tōboku (The Plum-tree of the Tōboku-in), No-no-miya (The Princess of the Provisional Palace), Hagoromo (The Feather Robe of a Heavenly Maid), Yōkihi (The Beloved Queen Yang in the Fairy Palace), Yuya (The Mistress of Munemori), Matsukaze (The Sisters of the Seashore), and Eguti (The Courtesans of Eguchi), and Izutsu (A Woman and a Well-curb).
- 55Hagoromo (The Feather Robe of the Heavenly Maid)
- 22Let us take Hagoromo (The Feather Robe of aHeavenly Maid) as an example.
- 26For the production of the Noh play the setting which serves in the ordinary theatre is not used, but only when necessary, ornamental stage properties, such as the pine-tree in Hagoromo, or the boat in Huna-Benkei, are carried in.
- 9-10In offering this brochure to the Members of the Brasil Economic Mission, would assure them that it is a great pleasure to me to have the honour of this entertaining them with the production of this Noh play, “Hagoromo “
- 11‘Hagoromo” was composed by Seami, the founder of the Noh, and its theme was taken from: a legend which is called the Swan Maiden Legend and is widely spread all over the world.
- 12This is where the Noh author excells the authors of all other versions in nobility and beauty, and thus “Hagoromo” remains a most lovely and pure version, and is greatly loved and admired by generation after generation.
- 17Thus “Hagoromo” ends, and with Hakuryo, the audience misses the lovely Angel who has returned to heaven.
- Foreword 1-2The program in Kyoto consisted of a lectl;lre Iwao Kongo, head of the Kongo School, a series of demonstrations by him of the various conventions of Noh acting and dancing and a tull performance of the play, Hagoromo (A Robe of Feathers).
- Foreword 2Also included here are literal translations of the texts of Hagoromo and Aoi-no-Uye which were given ta the audience at both performances so as to enable them ta follow the progress of the play word by word.
- 3IL MANTELLO DEGLI ANGIOLI
- 752Le choeur nous informe que la scène du Plumage de la Fèe représente le rivage de la baie de Surunga, au pied du Fusiyama.
- 24* For a different view of this absence of scenery, see Mitford’s “Tales of Old Japan,” vol. i. p. 164, where an interesting analysis is given of a set of lyric pieces acted before H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, including the “Robe of Feathers,” translated below.
- 164* See the ” Robe of Feathers.
- 462He ventures to disinter from this limbo one of the versions then made, called The Robe of Feathers, which is founded on an ancient tradition localised at Mio, a lovely spot just off the Tokaido, near the base of Fuji.
- 5Among some three hundred plays now in existence, there is no other like “The Robe of Feathers” that gracefully carries the delicate, statuesque beauty of composition and sentiment.
- 86The Suit of Feathers is the title of a very pretty conceit which followed.
- 86Looking up, he saw hanging on a pine-tree a fairy’s suit of feathers, which he took home, and showed to a friend, intending to keep it as a relic in his house.
- 86A heavenly fairy makes her appearance, and claims the suit of feathers; but the fisherman holds to his treasure trove.
- 88The subjects of the Nô are all taken from old legends of the country; a shrine at Miwo, by the sea-shore, marks the spot where the suit of feathers was found, and the miraculously forged sword is supposed to be in the armoury of the Emperor to this day.
- 88In the Suit of Feathers, for instance, the fairy wears a hideous mask and a wig of scarlet elf locks: the suit of feathers itself is left entirely to the imagination; and the heavenly dance is a series of whirls, stamps, and jumps, accompanied by unearthly yells and shrieks; while the vanishing into thin air is represented by pirouettes something like the motion of a dancing dervish.
- 137[The Robe of Feathers]
- 462[The Robe of Feathers]
- 32The chorus at the end of the Robe of Feathers is a good example of this easily flowing verse (p. 146) —
- 65Among some three hundred plays now in existence, there is no other like ” The Robe of Feathers ” that gracefully carries the delicate, statuesque beauty of composition and sentiment.