Tale of the Reed-Cutting

Japanese: 蘆刈説話 - あしかりせつわ

This story is based on chapter 148 of the Tales of Yamato. A husband and wife living in Settsu Province are so poor that they decide to separate and make a living separately. The woman leaves her job at the Imperial Court to become the wife of a nobleman, while the man lives a life of extreme poverty, cutting and selling reeds. After many years, the woman finds him, but he is ashamed of his situation and disappears, leaving behind only a poem. The current Noh play Reed Cutting (the fourth piece), the Otogi-zoshi story Ashiya no Saushi, and Junichiro Tanizaki's novel Reed Cutting (1932) are all inspired by this story.

Source : Heibonsha Encyclopedia About MyPedia Information

Japanese:

《大和物語》148段を元とする話型。摂津国に住む夫婦が貧しさのあまり，いったん離別してそれぞれに暮らしを立てようと決め，女は宮仕えから高貴の主の妻になるが，男は蘆を刈って売り歩く極貧の生活を送る。年月を経て女に捜し出された男は，我身を恥じて和歌だけを残して姿を消す。現行の謡曲《蘆刈》（四番目物）や御伽草子の《あしやのさうし》，谷崎潤一郎の小説《蘆刈》（1932年）は，いずれもこれに着想を得ている。

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