Old Japanese Songs 161 



there is the same peculiar suspension of phrase ; 

 and the effect of the quadruple repetition is 

 emotionally impressive : 



Isora ga saki ni 

 Tai tsuru ama mo, 

 Tai tsuru ama mo, 



Wagimoko ga tame to, 

 Tai tsuru ama mo, 

 Tai tsuru ama mo ! 



Off the Cape of Isora, 



Even the fisherman catching tat, 1 



Even the fisherman catching tat, 



[Works] for the sake of the woman beloved, 

 Even the fisherman catching tat, 

 Even the fisherman catching tat! 



But a still more remarkable effect is obtained in 

 the following ancient song by the extraordinary 

 reiteration of an uncompleted phrase, and by a 

 double suspension. I can imagine nothing more 

 purely natural : indeed the realism of these sim- 

 ple utterances has almost the quality of pathos : 



1 Cbrjiiopbrif cardinalis, a kind of sea-bream, generally esteemed 

 the best of Japanese fishes. 

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