Page:Tales from old Japanese dramas (1915).djvu/217

Rh of his poems included in the Senzai-Shū or "Anthology for a Thousand Years," which his master was then collecting at the ex-Emperor's Go-Shirakawa's command, he should never regret falling in battle. With this determination he went stealthily back to Kyōto. When he arrived there, he called on Shunzei, and applied for the privilege of presenting a number of his best productions.

The poet expressed his hearty sympathy, and promised to think the matter over. After this Tadanori retraced his steps towards Ichi-no-tani. Shunzei did indeed fully recognize Tadanori's poetic talent. He thought that some of his poems deserved a place in the anthology. He could not help remembering, however, that as the Minamotos, the mortal enemies of the Tairas, were in the political ascendancy, and the latter had been declared "rebels," it might possibly offend the Minamotos if he were to grant Tadanori's request. Shunzei, therefore, thought it prudent to ask Yoshitsuné's opinion concerning the matter, and accordingly, he sent his daughter Kikuno-Mayé on the mission.

Yoshitsuné received from the young lady the