Kwaidan Page #4

If they have any reason to

complain about you

I'll treat you as you deserve!

HOICHI, THE EARLESS

The time had come.

It was dawn on March 24th

in Year 1 of the Genryaku era (1185)

The armies of the Genji

and Heik clans were determined

to fight one last time at Dan-no-ura,

off Kyushu

in the Shimonoski Strait.

Procurator Kanzo from Kumano

had hoisted the Kongo-Doji flag

and placed on the frontline

the boats belonging to Kawanano Michinobu,

inhabitant of the Province of Lyo.

He'd decided to side with the Genji

with his warriors, on board

two hundred ships.

The Genji and their allies thus

created a mighty navy

comprising of three thousand warships

with the aim of encircling the Haik navy.

The Genji an Heik couldn't wait

for the hostilities to start.

Both armies flung themseves at each other.

It is a well-known fact that the Genji army

had been put under the high command

of General Yoshitsun from Genji.

At Dan-no-ura of

Shimonoseki Channel

the last battle was fought between

the Genji and the Heike clans.

The Heike were defeated in many

battles and escaped to the west.

And here. the clan perished

with the infant emperor.

Notonokami Noritsune knew

this was his last day.

The Genji samurai

were no match for him.

He wanted to cross swords with

Yoshitsune. the Genji commander.

"Come on. Yoshitsune!" he called.

The high waves prevented them

from landing the shore.

And the Genji ships blocked the

one possible escape to the sea.

They waited with arrows

in their bows.

The crew were all dead

and the Heike ships had

no where to go.

Some sank. some went adrift.

The long contest between

the two samurai clans

was reaching its end.

Lady Nii saw the end

of the battle.

She held the infant emperor

in her arms.

"Woman though I am. I won't let

my enemy kill me.

I'll escort His Majesty

to the next world.

If you have loyalty. follow me. "

And that sea and its shores

have been haunted for

seven hundred years.

Thousands of strange crabs

called Heike crabs

which have human faces

on their backs are found there.

After Amidaji temple was built

at Akamagahara

to console the dead

samurai's souls

many strange things took place.

Hoichi!

Hoichi!

Here you are.

Be careful not to fall

into the well, Hoichi.

Yes.

The Priest wants you to take care

while we're away.

We're going to perform a service

at the house

of a dead parishioner.

Yes.

There's a piece of watermelon

for you in the kitchen.

Eat it while it's cold.

Yes. Thank you.

All right.

I told him to take care.

He's new here. I'm afraid.

I think he'll be all right.

Who is it?

Are you back, Priest?

No one would visit here

at this hour of night.

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