Page:Tales from old Japanese dramas (1915).djvu/218

158 tanzaku inscribed with one of Tadanori's masterpieces which read:

The hero was struck with admiration at the poem. He said to Kikuno-Mayé:

"I have no objection to inserting such an excellent poem in the Senzai-Shū, my young lady. But there is a little matter I must think over before I can give any definite answer. Kindly leave this tanzaku with me. I will send my answer to both of you and Sir Tadanori, before long."

Taira-no-Atsumori was an extremely handsome and refined young nobleman, sixteen years of age. His mother Fuji-no-Kata had been an inmate of the ex-Emperor Go-Shirakawa's harem. While she was in his service, her health had become