Crab Yamabushi - Kaniyamabushi

The title of a Kyogen piece. Yamabushi Kyogen. A Yamabushi (shite) who has completed his training at Mt. Omine and Mt. Katsuragi is proudly returning home with his attendant Goriki when he encounters a strange creature. He cautiously asks about it and is told that it is a playful spirit that lives in the heavens with two eyes, never touches the ground, has two big feet and eight small feet, and moves left and right, and is a playful spirit. He then realizes that it is a crab spirit (wearing a mask of wise virtue). The strong one attacks with his kongo staff, but is instantly pinched between the ears. The Yamabushi desperately chants and prays to save him, but it has the opposite effect. Eventually, even the Yamabushi has his ear pinched, and the crab spirit pushes the two screaming people down and enters. Stories in which a crab spirit appears and asks riddles are found in folk tales from all over the country, and this work uses this material to create a tale that puts to rest the boasting of spiritual powers common to Yamabushi Kyogen.

[Mitsuo Yuya]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

狂言の曲名。山伏狂言。大峰山(おおみねさん)、葛城(かつらぎ)山での修行を終えた山伏（シテ）が、供の強力(ごうりき)を連れて自慢たらたら鼻高々の帰路、異形(いぎょう)の者に出会う。おそるおそる尋ねると「二眼天にあり、一向地に着かず、大足二足小足八足、右行左行(うぎょうさぎょう)して遊び者の精にてあるぞとよ」と答えるので、蟹の精（賢徳(けんとく)の面を使用）だとわかる。強力が金剛杖(こんごうづえ)で襲いかかるが、たちまち耳を挟まれる。それを助けようと山伏が懸命に呪文(じゅもん)を唱え祈るが、かえって逆効果。ついには山伏まで耳を挟まれ、蟹の精は悲鳴をあげる2人を突き倒して入る。蟹の精が現れて謎(なぞ)かけをする話は各地の民話に残されており、それに材をとりながら、山伏狂言共通の法力自慢をぎゃふんといわせる話にまとめた作品。

［油谷光雄］

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