(Kurotsuka begins at 8:20)
I cannot fathom why a travelling monk such as yourself would like to hear the life story of an old crone like myself, but since you insist so much, I shall tell you. Long ago, I served in a castle as a wet nurse for a certain princess. The princess was the sweetest girl you ever laid eyes upon, and I looked after her as if she were my very own child. As a matter of fact, I once had a daughter I had to let go as soon as she was born. I wholeheartedly devoted my love to the princess; I felt that serving her was my atonement for what had happened to my own child, and my love for her only grew with time.
At any hand, the young princess suffered from an illness. No matter how many great doctors we consulted, the verdict was always that she didn't have much longer to live. I intended to do anything I could to save the life of the princess. Therefore I visited a popular soothsayer to ask if there was a way the princess could be saved. The result of the divination was this: if she ate the liver of an unborn baby she would live. Yes, I am aware of what a horrendous thing that is.
However, I did not care if I myself should land in hell, if only the princess would be saved. I left the castle alone and headed for Ōshū. I set up a crude shack by the river Abukumagawa and waited for travelers lost on their journey. And finally one day, a pregnant woman arrived. She said that she had to find a certain person before her child was born, but that was none of my concern. There was not a chance that I would let this opportunity slip, so I waited until she fell asleep, cut open her stomach and took the liver of the child.
Still euphoric now that the princess would be saved, I looked through her things in order to get rid of them, but for some reason, each of them seemed familiar to me. There were amulets and nightwear I had given my child when I had to let go of her, and a boxwood hairpin I had hidden on her, hoping she would one day wear it. Why was this woman cherishing these things so dearly? Yes, indeed. This woman was my very own child. She was travelling, even though she was pregnant, in hopes of finding her mother — me — before her child was born, so that she could show me the face of my grandchild. I cried and screamed for days on end, until my tears ran dry.
I no longer know how much time has passed since then. I just carry this dreadful burden, not even allowed to follow my daughter, I am still living here as you can see. I am sure that even a priest like you is unaware of what the punishment is for a parent who kills her own child. Yes, I suppose you have heard the poem that people recite around this region?
"Is it true what they say, that Kurotsuka in Michinoku, on the plains of Adachigahara, is the abode of a demon?"
That demon is me.
陰陽座百物語 第弐話「黒塚」
貴方様の様な旅の御坊様が何故この婆の身の上話などを聞きたいと申されるか、私には分かりませぬが、そこまでおっしゃるのでしたらお話致しましょう。遠い昔、私は然る姫君の乳母として御城に仕えておりました。赤子の頃からそれはそれは玉の様に美しい姫君で、私は丸で自分の娘の様にその御成長を願っておりました。その実、私には生まれて直ぐ手放せねばならなかった娘がおりましたのです。姫様に一心に愛情を注ぎ、お仕えする事が我が子への罪滅ぼしの様に感じられ、自然と情は深まって参りました。
しかし姫様は幼い身体で重い病に患われてしまわれたのです。どの様な名医に見せてもこの儘ではもう長くは生きられまいと言われるばかり。私は何としてでも姫様の御命を助け申し上げたいと思いました。そこで、評判の占い師を訪ね、姫様が助かる方法を占ってもらったのです。占いの答えは一つ、まだ生まれる前の胎の中にいる子供の生き胆を飲めば助かる。ええ、勿論それがどれ程恐ろしい事か分かっておりましたとも。
しかし私なら姫様の命が助かれば、例えこの身が地獄に落ちようとなら構わなかったで御座います。私は一人城を出て、奥州へ向かい、阿武隈川の辺に粗末な小屋を構え、道に迷った旅人が訪ねて来るのを待ちました。そして到頭ある時、子を身籠った女子がやって来たんです。女子は稚が生まれる前にどうしても探し出して会いたい人が居ると言うておりましたが、私には係わり合いの無い事。この好機を逃してなるものかと女子が寝入るのを見計らい、その腹を裂き、子供の生き胆を取り出しました。
これで姫様は助かると天にも昇る気持ちの儘、一刻も早く女子の持ち物を始末せねばと調べたところ、出て来た物がどうしてか私の見覚えのある物ばかり。我が子を手放す折に持たせた筈の御守りや寝巻き、何時か身に着けて欲しいと忍ばせた柘植の簪。それを何故この女子が後生大事に抱いていたのか。ええ、そうですとも。この女子こそ私の実の娘だったので御座います。
娘は稚が生まれる前に母の私を探し出し孫の顔を見せたいと願おうて、身重な身体で旅をしていたので御座います。私は泣き叫びました、幾日も幾日も、涙が枯れ果てるまで。
あれからどれだけの年月が経ったか、もう私にも分かりませぬ。唯、この恐ろしい業罪背負って、娘の後を追う事も許されず、私はまだここにこうして永らえて居るのです。御坊様も子を殺した親がどの様な罰を受けるか、知らぬ筈はありますまい。そう、この辺りに長く伝わる歌をお聴きになった事がお有りでしょう。
「陸奥の安達ヶ原の黒塚に鬼籠もれりと聞くはまことか」
その鬼が私で御座います。
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