Old Japanese Songs 177 



Kokonotsutose, 

 Kono ura mamoru kawa-guchi nd 

 Myojin riyaku wo arawasuru. 



Kono tai-ryo-bune ! 



Firstly (or " Number One "), 



The first ship, filled up with fish, squeezes her way 

 through the river-mouth, with a great shouting. 1 



O this ship of great fishing ! a 



Secondly, 



From the offing of Futaba even to the Togawa, 8 the 

 ships, fast following, press in, with a great shouting. 



O tins ship of great fishing t 



Thirdly, 



When, all together, we hoist our signal-flags, see how 

 fast the cargo-boats come hurrying I 



O this ship of great fishing ! 



Fourthly, 



Night and day though the boiling be, there is still too 

 much to boil oh, the heaps of iwashi from the three 

 ships together! 



O this ship of great fishing ! 



1 Q-yagoe. The chorus-cry or chant of sailors, pulling all together, 

 Is called yagoe. 



8 Tai-rjfS bune, lit. : "great-fishing:," or " great-catching-ship." 

 The adjective refers to the fishing, not to the ship. The real meaning 

 of the refrain is, " this-most-successful-in-fishing of ships." 



* Perhaps the reference is to a village at the mouth of the river To- 

 gawa, not far from Choshi on the Tonegawa. The two rivers are 

 united by a canal. But the text leaves it uncertain whether river or 

 village is meant. 

 12 



