Nemuri-Oh
This play is based to the folk tale of 'The Princess of Bamboo'. Long, long ago, Mikado, an emperor has gotten an illness and has been sleeping for a long time. The world has covered by the dark. Otomo-no-Dainagon, a young nobleman is worried about it very much. Suddenly King of the moon appears front of Otomo. King of the moon says that human has lost sincerity, and the world has fallen into disorder. King of the moon demands to human to show sincerity, and he says that the dark would disappear then. One day an old man goes to a bamboo grove to collect bamboo shoots, and he finds a bamboo tree illuminated at the middle part. He wonders what is inside. He carefully cut the bamboo and is astonished to find a pretty baby inside. He picks her up and brings her back to his home. He and his wife make up their minds to raise this baby as a gift from God. The baby was growing up rapidly and became a beautiful lady who is called princess Kaguya. Everyone knows her because she is graceful and beautiful. Many young men hear her reputation, and propose marriage to her. However, she refuses any proposal. Finally, five noblemen are left, and one of them is Otomo. Princess Kaguya demands a gift to each five candidates, and every gift is an unreasonable request. She demands a dragon's ball to Otomo. Four noblemen think that it isn't reasonable to throw his life for love. They bring a fake as the gift, and she refuses all of them. However, Otomo goes to search for a dragon's ball. And he has been searching for it for two years. Princess Kaguya is worried about Otomo, because she loves him. She asks to King of the moon to allow giving a dragon's ball to him. Princess Kaguya is a daughter of King of the moon and is a dragon in real. King of the moon says if she gave her ball to Otomo, she must die on the earth. It means that she has to come back to the moon. She accepts it, and King of the moon allows it finally. Otomo has been waiting for a dragon for two years on the sea. Suddenly, storm has come, and Otomo sees a dragon at last. He fights against a dragon, and finally he gets a dragon's ball. Nevertheless, he falls into the sea. Otomo and a dragon's ball have disappeared. Princess Kaguya is exhausted at home, because that dragon was she and she lost her dragon's ball. Then, Otomo comes there. He didn't die, because a dragon's ball he had saved him. Princess Kaguya and Otomo are glad to see each other. But she has to come back to the moon. She thanks for Otomo to have shown her his sincerity, and she flies to the moon. After that, Otomo visits the Court bringing a dragon's ball. Otomo puts a dragon's ball on Mikado's closed eyelid. Then Mikado has waked up. Mikado says that he had a very long dream, and that he was King of the moon in the dream. He has been watching all of the world as King of the moon, and he saw Otomo to show his sincerity. Mikado says that the dark would disappear. Mikado has a daughter, princess Tsuki-hime. He suggests Otomo to marry her. Tsuki-hime is similar to princess Kaguya. So Otomo accepts to marry princess Tsuki-hime. And they all lived happily ever after. (2002,4,27) |
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