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　　　Tsuyu Kosode Mukashi Hchijo

Background Information

This play was written by Kawatake Mokuami, and was first performed in 1873. It based on a real incident that happened in 1747. Okuma who was a daughter of a lumber dealer Shirakoya in Nihonbashi plotted to kill her husband with a clerk Chuhachi. Okuma and Chuhachi were arrested and put to capital punishment. In this drama, Chuhachi is Chushichi.

Story

Act-1

Scene-1; Shirakoya shop at Edo

Cast

Shirakoya is a big lumber dealer. However Shirakoya is in a serious business slump, after the shop owner died. The owner's widow Otsune thought to make her daughter Okuma marry to a wealthy man who would bring a dowry in order to survive the shop. Zanhachi found a suitable wealthy man. Zenhachi appreciated Shirakoya very much, because his niece Okiku has worked for Shirakoya for years. So he would have liked to do something for Shirakoya. Then Zenhachi brings betrothal gift to Shirakoya. Although Otsune is very glad of it, there is a problem. Her daughter Okuma didn't know about her marriage.

Okuma sees betrothal gift, and wonders who will marry. She asks it to her mother Otsune. Otsune asks Okuma to marry to a wealthy man to get a dowry. There is no other way to recover a serious business slump of Shirakoya. And Otsune says that if Okuma refuses to marry, she will die. Although Okuma is surprised very much, she doesn't have any way to refuse it. Okuma accept to marry unwillingly at last.

Okuma has a secret lover Chushichi who is a clerk of Shirakoya. When Chushichi comes back to Shirakoya, Okuma is crying. Okuma asks Chushichi to take her to somewhere together. But Chushichi hesitates it, because he feels a debt of gratitude to Shirakoya. After Okuma left there, Chushichi was thinking about it.

Shinza is a hairdresser. He doesn't have his own beauty salon, so he goes to busy customer's houses or shops. Shinza came to Shirakoya today, and overheard the lovers' conversation. Shinza made Chushichi aware of himself. Chushichi doesn't have enough time to have his hair set, so he just asks Shinza to smooth his hair. This scene is very interesting, because Shinza shows his techniques as a hairdresser to audiences.

During Shinza is smoothing Chushichi's hair; he says that he intends to help Chushichi to take Okuma to somewhere together. Shinza suggests Chushichi to make Okuma stay in his house for a while. Although Chushichi was surprised, it was the fact that he had nowhere to go with Okuma. Finally, Chushichi accepted Shinza's idea.

Scene-2; Near Eidai Bridge

Cast

At that night, it is raining. A palanquin that Okuma is in goes ahead to Shinza's house. After the palanquin, Shinza and Chushichi come near Eidai Bridge under Chishichi's umbrella together. Shinza takes the umbrella from Chushichi, and the strap of Chushichi's wooden sandal has cut then.

Chushichi asks Shinza to wait until he can repair the strap, because Chushichi doesn't know where Shinza's house is. Shinza refuses it. But Okuma is on the way to Shinza's house. Shinza says that Okuma is his own lover, so there is no reason that Chushichi needs to know his house. Chushichi is confused, because Shinza changed his attitude against Chushichi. And Chushichi asks Shinza to take him to Shinza's house again and again. Shinza didn't intend to help Chushichi from the beginning. Shinza hits Chushichi, and crosses Eidai bridge alone.

Chushichi is disappointed, and he decides to die. And he takes small rocks into his sleeve as weights. Genshichi who is so-called boss passes there on his way. When Chushichi is going to throw himself from the bridge, Genshichi stops it. After that, Chushichi told about his situation to Genshichi.

Act-2

Scene-1; Shinza's home

Cast

The next morning, Shinza came home from a public bath. A fishmonger brings a bonito that is the first one of this summer. It was thought the most stylish in Edo at that time to eat the first bonito, and it was very expensive. Shinza buys it. A fishmonger shows cutting a fake bonito to audiences.

Well, Okuma is in a closet at Shinza's home now. Shinza raped Okuma last night again and again, and she was crying all night along. After that, Shinza felt her noisy, and he shut her up in a closet. Okuma is silent now. Katsuyakko, a pupil of Shinza, lives with Shinza. Shinza orders Katsuyakko to cook bonito sashimi. He intends to wait a messenger from Shirakoya drinking sake with bonito sashimi.

Then, Genshichi comes there with Zenhachi. Genshichi heard this situation from Chushichi last night, and went to Shirakoya this morning. And he undertook to get back Okuma from Shinza. Shirakoya entrusted 10 ryo, about 1000 dollars, to Genshichi as ransom of Okuma. Genshichi shows the money to Shinza. At the beginning, Shinza seemed to respect Genshichi, but he changed attitude after he saw the money. Shinza throws the money back to Genshichi.

It was a kidnapping actually. But Shinza says that Okuma is his lover, and she came to his home herself. It would be a trouble for Shirakoya, so he intends to accept Shirakoya's suggestion. But the money was too small amount. Shinza can't receive it as compromise settlement money, not ransom. Shinza even says that he can sell her as a prostitute. Genshichi was angry very much. And Genshichi feels even that he can't control himself anymore. Genshichi leaves there, and Zenhachi takes the money and follows him. There is the landlord's wife Okaku there. She takes Zenhachi to her house, but Genshichi goes away alone.

Scene-2; Landlord Chobei's home

Cast

Chobei is the landlord of Shinza, and he knows the Okuma is Shinza's home now. Zenhachi told Genshichi's mismanagement. Chobei asks Zenhachi how much Shirakoya can give to Shinza actually. Zenhachi says that he entrusted 30 ryo from Shirakoya, but Genshichi thought not to need more than 10 ryo to give Shinza. Chobei thinks that 30 ryo is enough to settle the problem. Chobei asks his wife Okaku to take a palanquin to Shinza's home, and he also leaves there with Zenhachi.

Scene-3; Shinza's home again

Cast

When Chobei and Zenhachi arrived Shinza's home, he was drinking with bonito sashimi. Chobei is envious of the first bonito, so Shinza says that he gives a half of bonito to Chobei. Chobei says that he has 30 ryo from Shirakoya, and that Shinza should accept it as compromise settlement money. Shinza refused it. He didn't think 30 ryo was enough. Shinza starts talking about himself.

Shinza has a tattoo on his arm as a criminal. So people should be afraid of him, and Shirakoya isn't an exception. Shirakoya wants to keep Okuma's situation secret, so that they should spend much money. Shinza intended to make Chobei scare him, but he was wrong. Chobei says that Shinza must not have told about his crime. If Shinza refused the money, Chobei would accuse his new crime to the police. Chobei says that Shinza must be in trouble. Chobei demands to Shinza to accept the money. Shinza accepts it finally.

Shinza orders Katsuyakko to take Okuma out from a closet. Okuma rolled from a closet, and she smoothed her kimono right away. A palanquin arrived to outside Shinza's home already. Okuma thanks Chobei and Zenhachi very much. Shinza said that 'Come here again!' Okuma runs to a palanquin, and leaves there as soon as possible.

Then, Shinza says Chobei to give the money 30 ryo to him soon. Chobei lines 15 gold coins up on the floor, and says that he gets a half of bonito. Shinza didn't understand what Chobei meant. Chobei does the same thing again. And he says the same thing again, he gets a half of bonito. Shinza understood at last. Chobei meant that he got 15 gold coins, 15 ryo, as a commission.

Shinza thinks that 15 ryo is too expensive as a commission, but Chobei doesn't care of it. Moreover, Okaku says that Shinza has arrears 2 ryo as the rent of house. Chobei takes 2 ryo from 15 ryo that are lined on the floor. Shinza is very surprised, and he takes all the money right away, but 13 ryo.

A neighbor of Chobei comes there running, and says that a thief has broken into Chobei's house. Everyone is surprised. Okaku falls over the floor, and Chobei runs back home with a half bonito. Everyone laughed the greedy persons. (2003,5,10)