The Story of Yokozabo - The Story of Yokozabo

Japanese: 横座坊物語 - よこざぼうものがたり

A story from the Muromachi period. Author unknown. Possibly written in the early to mid-15th century. Chinese style, 1 volume. The same story as the kyogen play Yokoza. After losing the Meitoku Rebellion, an elderly monk who retired to Higashiyama rescued a calf from difficult labor and placed it in the Yokoza (upper seat) of his house, naming it Yokozabo and loving it, until it was stolen by the ruffian Akutaro. When he went to retrieve it, he was given a difficult task: he would only get it back if the cow roared and sat down after he called out three times. He called out twice, but the cow did not respond. The monk explained the situation, citing numerous examples of birds, animals, fish, and birds that show gratitude, and finally called out "Ika Yokozabo," and the cow broke the rope and roared with joy.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

室町時代の物語。作者不明。15世紀初中期の成立か。漢文体，1巻。狂言《横座》と同話。明徳の乱に敗れて東山に遁世した年輩の僧が難産の子牛を救い，住家の横座(上座)に置いて横座坊と名づけていつくしんでいたが，狼藉悪太郎に盗まれた。とり返しに行くと，3声喚ぶうちに牛が吼え座ったら返すと難題をかけられ，2度呼んだが牛は答えない。僧は禽獣魚鳥が恩を知る例を縷々（るる）と挙げて説き，最後に〈いかに横座坊〉と喚ばわると牛は綱を引き切り，吼えて悦んだ。

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

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