Orchid butterfly

The title of a Shinnai-bushi piece. The original title is "Wakakinoanagusa." It is a long piece of hamono joruri, and is one of the representative pieces of Shinnai along with "Akegarasu" and "Onoe Idahachi." It was written in the later years of the first Tsuruga Wakasa no Jo (1717-86). When entertainer Ichikawaya Rancho and Sakakiya Konoito of Shin Yoshiwara, who was in a deep relationship with her, were having a lovers' quarrel, Rancho's wife Omiya visited Konoito and asked her to meet in another room and break off her relationship with Rancho. Moved by her sincere feelings, Konoito grants her wish and sends Omiya away promising to sever their ties, but Rancho, who has been listening to the whole conversation, commits suicide with Konoito, although convinced of Omiya's sincerity. This is the only early hamono piece to use the brothel language "...desu rinsu." When you think of shinnai, you think of "Rancho," and when you think of "Rancho," you think of the familiar "desu rinsu" (it is our fate, after all...), and Omiya's kudoki (kudoki-chi) scene where the ties are severed is in fact a typical example of the lifeblood of shinnai, a passage that is always used in instruction, and a highlight for the tayu to demonstrate their abilities.

Based on this original song, "Wakagi Kyumakusa" was adapted and performed by Shimizu Senshoken in a play in Chikugo, Osaka in 1855 (Ansei 2). When it was performed in Tokyo in 1897 (Meiji 30), the performance by Fujimatsu Fujidayu (later the 7th Kagadayu) was well received, and the piece is sometimes performed with his lyrics.

[Kiyohiro Hayashi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

新内節の曲名。本名題(ほんなだい)『若木仇名草(わかきのあだなぐさ)』。長編の端物浄瑠璃(はものじょうるり)で、『明烏(あけがらす)』『尾上伊太八(おのえいだはち)』とともに新内の代表曲。初世鶴賀若狭掾(つるがわかさのじょう)（1717―86）の晩年の作。芸人市川屋蘭蝶と深い仲の新吉原(よしわら)の榊屋此糸(さかきやこのいと)とが痴話喧嘩(げんか)のところへ、蘭蝶の女房お宮が此糸のもとを訪れ、別の一間で会って蘭蝶と縁を切ってほしいと頼み込む。その真情にほだされた此糸は願いを聞き入れ、縁切りを約してお宮を帰すが、この会話を始終立ち聞く蘭蝶は、お宮の真心を納得しながらも此糸と情死する。初期の端物で「……でありんす」の廓(さと)ことばを使っているのはこの作だけである。新内といえば『蘭蝶』、『蘭蝶』といえば「縁でこそあれ……」というくらいなじまれている縁切り場のお宮のクドキは、事実新内の生命であるクドキ地の典型的なもので、手ほどきにもかならず用いられる一節であり、太夫(たゆう)たちが聞かせどころとして力量を発揮するくだりである。

　この原曲から1855年（安政2）大坂筑後(ちくご)の芝居で清水先勝軒が脚色上演した『若木仇名草』があり、97年（明治30）東京上演のおり、富士松富士太夫（後の7世加賀太夫）の演奏が好評を博し、その詞章で演奏されることもある。

［林喜代弘］

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