Page:Anthology of Japanese Literature.pdf/149

  

 

[Murasaki Shikibu Nikki]



Tenth day of the long-moon month:

When day began to dawn the decorations of the Queen’s chamber were changed and she removed to a white bed. The Prime Minister, his sons, and other noblemen made haste to change the curtains of the screens, the bedcover, and other things. All day long she lay ill at ease. Men cried at the top of their voices to scare away evil spirits. There assembled not only the priests who had been summoned here for these months, but also itinerant monks who were brought from every mountain and temple. Their prayers would reach to the Buddhas of the Three Worlds. All the soothsayers in the world were summoned. Eight million gods seemed to be listening with ears erect for their Shinto prayers. Messengers ran off to order Sutra-reciting at various temples; thus the night was passed. On the east side of the screen [placed around the Queen’s bed] there assembled the ladies of the court. On the west side there were lying the Queen’s substitutes possessed with [or who were enticing] the evil spirits. Which would otherwise have attacked the Queen. Some of the ladies-in-waiting undertook this duty. Each was