Onmyōza Hyakumonogatari Story III "Yoshitsune"

(Yoshitsune begins at 16:14)

Having suffered a crushing defeat due to Yoshitsune's surprise attack at Ichinotani, the Tairas retreated to Yashima, an island on the Sanuki sea, in hopes of reorganizing their troops. Unwilling to let them get away, soldiers of the Minamoto clan would have rushed after them, but due to problems such as procuring ships, precious time was fruitlessly running short. That night, accompanied by rain, the wind changed direction from south to north, which drove Yoshitsune into madness. For Yoshitsune himself however, it might have been confidence rather than madness. Still, he sets sail into the raging sea with a hopelessly scanty number of ships and little more than hundred soldiers with him, and heads for the Tairas' position at Yashima.

"Do not fear the storm! Anchors aweigh! Those who hesitate shall be put to the sword right here!"

Helped by a furious tailwind, as if by a miracle, Yoshitsune's troops arrive at enemy territory in an extraordinarily short time. The Tairas are caught off guard and put to rout, just like at Ichinotani. The downfall of the Tairas was drawing ever nigher. Yoshitsune, whose great services in war should have been praised, however serendipitous they might have been, instead ends up, due to the intrigues and falsehoods of various generals and due to his own naivety and imprudence, being slighted by his elder brother Yoritomo. Even in the middle of all this, he only wishes for one thing.

"My brother! If you so wish, I shall give you that all! In return, I want to have your love."

陰陽座百物語　第参話「義経」

一谷で義経の奇襲により大敗を喫した平氏は讃岐の海に浮かぶ屋島に逃れ、軍の再建を計っていた。逃さじとばかりに殺到した源氏は船の入手などに手間取り、いたずらに時が貪られていた。その夜、雨を伴って南から北へと転じた風は義経を狂気へと駆り立てた。義経自身にしてみれば狂気などでは無く寧ろ確信であったかも知れない。しかし、手勢僅か百騎余り、荒ぶる海の中では木の葉にも等しい程の船を出し、平氏の拠点 屋島を目指した。

「嵐を恐れるな！船を出せ！尻込みする者はこの場で斬り捨てる！」

猛然たる追い風を受け、奇跡的にその軍勢は神懸り的な速度で敵地へと臨んだ。結果、虚を衝かれた平氏は一谷同様、這這の体で退却を余儀無くされる。平氏の没落は目前に迫っていた。奇跡的とは言え、その多大なる戦功を賞されてよい筈が、諸将の謀略と欺瞞、そして本人の純粋さと軽率さによって兄頼朝から裏腹に疎まれるばかりの義経はその渦中になっても尚、たった一つの事を望み焦がれていた。

「兄よ！望むならば、その全てを私が呉れてやろう！その代わりに私は貴方の愛が欲しい」