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butterfly！ ＇7＇＇
Chiru…hana ni Karusa arasou Kocho kana！
＇How the butterfly strives to compete in lightness with the falling
flowers！ ＇8＇＇
Chocho ya！ Onna no michi no Ato ya saki！
＇See that butterfly on the woman's path； now fluttering behind her；
now before！＇
Chocho ya！ Hana…nusubito wo Tsukete…yuku！
＇Ha！ the butterfly！ it is following the person who stole the flowers！＇
Aki no cho Tomo nakereba ya； Hito ni tsuku
＇Poor autumn butterfly！ when left without a comrade （of its own
race）； it follows after man （or 〃a person〃）！＇
Owarete mo； Isoganu furi no Chocho kana！
＇Ah； the butterfly！ Even when chased； it never has the air of being in a
hurry。＇
Cho wa mina Jiu…shichi…hachi no Sugata kana！
＇As for butterflies； they all have the appearance of being about
seventeen or eighteen years old。＇9＇＇
Cho tobu ya Kono yo no urami Naki yo ni！
＇How the butterfly sports； just as if there were no enmity （or 〃envy〃）
in this world！＇
Cho tobu ya； Kono yo ni nozomi Nai yo ni！
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＇Ah； the butterfly！ it sports about as if it had nothing more to desire
in this present state of existence。＇
Nami no hana ni Tomari kanetaru； Kocho kana！
＇Having found it difficult indeed to perch upon the （foam…） blossoms
of the waves； alas for the butterfly！＇
Mutsumashi ya！ Umare…kawareba Nobe no cho。 ＇10＇
＇If （in our next existence） we be born into the state of butterflies upon
the moor； then perchance we may be happy together！＇
Nadeshiko ni Chocho shiroshi Tare no kon？ ＇11＇
＇On the pink…flower there is a white butterfly： whose spirit； I wonder？＇
Ichi…nichi no Tsuma to miekeri Cho futatsu。
＇The one…day wife has at last appeared a pair of butterflies！＇
Kite wa mau； Futari shidzuka no Kocho kana！
＇Approaching they dance； but when the two meet at last they are very
quiet； the butterflies！＇
Cho wo ou Kokoro…mochitashi Itsumademo！
＇Would that I might always have the heart （desire） of chasing
butterflies！＇12＇＇
* * *
Besides these specimens of poetry about butterflies； I have one queer
example to offer of Japanese prose literature on the same topic。 The
original； of which I have attempted only a free translation； can be found in
the curious old book Mushi…Isame （〃Insect…Admonitions〃）； and it assumes
the form of a discourse to a butterfly。 But it is really a didactic allegory；
suggesting the moral significance of a social rise and fall：
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〃Now； under the sun of spring； the winds are gentle； and flowers
pinkly bloom； and grasses are soft； and the hearts of people are glad。
Butterflies everywhere flutter joyously： so many persons now compose
Chinese verses and Japanese verses about butterflies。
〃And this season； O Butterfly； is indeed the season of your bright
prosperity： so comely you now are that in the whole world there is nothing
more comely。 For that reason all other insects admire and envy you；
there is not among them even one that does not envy you。 Nor do insects
alone regard you with envy： men also both envy and admire you。 Soshu of
China； in a dream； assumed your shape； Sakoku of Japan； after dying；
took your form； and therein made ghostly apparition。 Nor is the envy that
you inspire shared only by insects and mankind： even things without soul
change their form into yours； witness the barley…grass； which turns into a
butterfly。 ＇13＇
〃And therefore you are lifted up with pride； and think to yourself： 'In
all this world there is nothing superior to me！' Ah！ I can very well guess
what is in your heart： you are too much satisfied with your own person。
That is why you let yourself be blown thus lightly about by every wind；
that is why you never remain still； always； always thinking； 'In the whole
world there is no one so fortunate as I。'
〃But now try to think a little about your own personal history。 It is
worth recalling； for there is a vulgar side to it。 How a vulgar side？ Well；
for a considerable time after you were born； you had no such reason for
rejoicing in your form。 You were then a mere cabbage…insect； a hairy
worm； and you were so poor that you could not afford even one robe to
cover your nakedness； and your appearance was altogether disgusting。
Everybody in those days hated the sight of you。 Indeed you had good
reason to be ashamed of yourself； and so ashamed you were that you
collected old twigs and rubbish to hide in； and you made a hiding…nest；
and hung it to a branch； and then everybody cried out to you； 'Raincoat
Insect！' （Mino…mushi。） ＇14＇ And during that period of your life； your sins
were grievous。 Among the tender green leaves of beautiful cherry…trees
you and your fellows assembled； and there made ugliness extraordinary；
and the expectant eyes of the people； who came from far away to admire
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the beauty of those cherry…trees； were hurt by the sight of you。 And of
things even more hateful than this you were guilty。 You knew that poor；
poor men and women had been cultivating daikon （2） in their fields；
toiling under the hot sun till their hearts were filled with bitterness by
reason of having to care for that daikon； and you persuaded your
companions to go with you； and to gather upon the leaves of that daikon；
and on the leaves of other vegetables planted by those poor people。 Out of
your greediness you ravaged those leaves； and gnawed them into all
shapes of ugliness； caring nothing for the trouble of those poor folk。。。
Yes； such a creature you were； and such were your doings。
〃And now that you have a comely form； you despise your old
comrades； the insects； and； whenever you happen to meet any of them；
you pretend not to know them ＇literally； 'You make an I…don't…know face'＇。
Now you want to have none but wealthy and exalted people for friends。。。
Ah！ You have forgotten the old times； have you？
〃It is true that many people have forgotten your past； and are charmed
by the sight of your present graceful shape and white wings； and write
Chinese verses and Japanese verses about you。 The high…born damsel； who
could not bear even to look at you in your former shape； now gazes at you
with delight； and wants you to perch upon her hairpin； and holds out her
dainty fan in the hope that you will light upon it。 But this reminds me that
there is an ancient Chinese story about you； which is not pretty。
〃In the time of the Emperor Genso； the Imperial Palace contained
hundreds and thousands of beautiful ladies； so many； indeed； that it
would have been difficult for any man to decide which among them was
the loveliest。 So all of those beautiful persons were assembled together in
one place； and you were set free to fly among them； and it was decreed
that the damsel upon whose hairpin you perched should be augustly
summoned to the Imperial Chamber。 In that time there could not be more
than one Empress which was a good law； but； because of you； the
Emperor Genso did great mischief in the land。 For your mind is light and
frivolous； and although among so many beautiful women there must have
been some persons of pure heart； you would look for nothing but beauty；
and so betook yourself to the person most beautiful in outward appearance。
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Therefore many of the female attendants ceased altogether to think about
the right way of women； and began to study how to make themselves
appear splendid in the eyes of men。 And the end of it was that the Emperor
Genso died a pitifu