大和物語

やまとものがたり

新編国歌大観 V.416　新編日本古典文学全集１２

A collection of poem-tales by an unknown author (or authors), mid 10th century. The translations here are my own based on the 新編日本古典文学全集; the Japanese text of the poems is taken from the 新編国歌大観.

86

Around the first day of the new year, Kanemori visited the Grand Counselor's house and they chatted over various things. For no particular reason [the Counselor] said "write a poem," and [Kanemori] immediately came up with this:

けふよりはをぎのやけはらかきわけてわかなつみにとたれをさそはむ (GSS 3)

[the Counselor] praised this as incomparably excellent, and wrote this response:

かたをかにわらびもえずはたづねつつ心やりにやわかなつままし

On Kata Hill if the ferns have not put forth their buds, let us go search for young shoots to cheer us up.