Kanahoushi - Kanahoushi

...It consists of a first and second act, the first half of which has the same plot as "Morimuko" (married bride), but the second half is a maikyogen-style production imitating the form of mono-kyogen noh, in which the shite appears holding bamboo, a symbol of mono-kyogen, recites a single chant, and performs the kakeri dance. In kyogen, one's child (male child) is called "kanahoshi," which roughly means a beloved monk, and therefore "hoshi ga haha" means the child's mother, that is, the wife. [Hata Akira]...

*Some of the terminology explanations that refer to "Kanahoshi" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…前場と後場からなり，前半は《貰聟（もらいむこ）》などと同じ筋立てだが，後半は物狂能の形式を模した舞狂言（まいきようげん）風の演出となり，シテは物狂いの象徴である笹を持って登場し，一セイを謡い，カケリを舞う。狂言ではわが子(男児)のことを〈かな法師〉と称するが，これは愛（かな）しい坊主というほどの意味であり，したがって〈法師が母〉は，子どもの母，つまり妻の意である。【羽田 昶】。…

※「かな法師」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報