The Badger's Belly Drum

The Badger's Belly Drum

(Tanuki no Hara Tsuzumi)

Badger

Hunter

HUNTER I am a famous hunter. Some time ago I went out into the fields and shot two or three badgers and found it most entertaining sport. I was recently on the track of a pregnant badger, but my arrow missed her. Today I have decided to go out to hunt her once more. Truly, among all the pastimes in the world, nothing is more enjoyable than killing. So I sincerely hope that I will enjoy success. Well, here I am in the fields already. And this is the spot where badgers always appear. First I think I will hide in the shadows and wait.

BADGER (Singing.)

The ancient mound where I have lived

For all these years,

The ancient mound where I have lived

For all these years,

I leave behind and go out into the world.

(Speaking.) I am a badger who resides in this neighborhood. There is a man nearby who is particularly fond of killing. As he comes out every day to hunt the likes of me, I must take the greatest care when I venture forth to visit the village. Nothing could cause one more difficulty than this. Recently my husband went to visit the village, and for some reason or other, he has been gone for two or three days. Thus I feel most uneasy, but as I am in a delicate condition, there is no way I can go out to seek for him as myself. My concern is so great that I decided to disguise myself as a nun and go out to seek for him. Now that I have completed my disguise, I must hurry on my way to the village. (Singing.)

From the home I love,

From the foot of the mountain, I venture forth,

Allowing my feet to lead me where'er they will,

Thus do I find myself now nearing the village.

(Speaking.) Well, here I am already, close to the village. Oh, I must say, how happy I am that I have not met a single person along the way. But at the same time, it makes me feel most lonely. At times like this, when there is not so much as a shadow of a person about, it is best to go on one's way singing. (Singing.)

Little distance is there

Between Buddha and living things,

Even Nasu's Lady Holly

And her spouse love each other

Much the same as do

All other living things today.

(Speaking.) Over there I see the light of a fire. Perhaps it is the torch of a hunter. (Moving in a different direction.) Oh, I must say, what a fright it gave me. Now, I wonder where my husband might be. He really has me worried. (Singing.)

Seeking my husband,

I venture forth from my home,

Leaving all behind,

Out into the unknown field,

I go to find him.

HUNTER Now it has become so dark that one cannot see the face of another. This s the time that badgers always appear. What is this? I have never before seen this nun at the nunnery nearby. And what could have brought a nun out at this hour of the night?

BADGER I am a nun who lives in the nunnery nearby and I observe the one hundred and fifty admonitions. But who might you be?

HUNTER I am a hunter who comes out here every night to enjoy myself killing.

BADGER Well then, you must be the hunter I heard of.

HUNTER Most certainly.

BADGER Well, I must say, of all the types of entertainment, enjoying oneself by killing living things is a most frightful entertainment indeed.

HUNTER It is a matter of no great import, but among the things to be killed, I enjoy killing foxes and badgers most.

BADGER What is it that makes you enjoy killing badgers so much?

HUNTER First I make a stew from their flesh and eat it.

BADGER Hoi!

HUNTER I skin them and make loincloths of their hides or sell them to people who want to use them to make leather bellows; and I crush their bones to make medicine. Thus I throw away nothing at all from their bodies.

BADGER How irreverent, oh, how irreverent! As it is said that it is a crime to even observe the act of killing, how can you involve yourself in such rapacity? I know a frightful tale, I will tell it to you, so you must listen well, and give up killing entirely afterwards.

HUNTER What sort of story might it be? First tell it to me.

BADGER With all my heart. (Chanting in a narrative style.) Long ago, the Shakyamuni Buddha expounded his great laws on the sacred Mountain of Eagles in the Land of India. Among all of the admonitions he gave to one and all, he placed special emphasis upon the admonition to abstain from the five sins of killing, stealing, fornicating, prevaricating, and drinking. And among these five, he placed the admonition against killing in the first place. The reason for this designation being that retribution for killing falls not only upon he who kills, but also it can cause parents to lose children, children to be separated from parents, husbands to have their wives stolen from them, and wives to leave their husbands. And in particular, animals are most deeply attached to tender feelings and earthly passions. Thus their sadness at parting is far greater than that of human beings, and their malice toward one who causes them to part with their loved ones grows with the passing ages, causing them to demand retribution from not only the one who did the killing, but from all the generations of his ancestors to come, not only in this world, but for all eternity. Is this not indeed a frightful thing? Thus I admonish you to abandon even so much as the thought of killing anything from this day forward.

HUNTER Well, I must say, what a frightful tale you have told. I have never so much as dreamed of such a situation. I am indeed determined to abandon entirely the killing of anything from this moment forward.

BADGER I say, I say, what a commendable thing you say. So you really mean to say that after hearing the tale this nun has told you, you are determined to abandon killing entirely?

HUNTER Indeed I am determined to abandon it.

BADGER That is a most circumspect decision. Be sure to keep your determination to abandon killing without fail for ever from this moment forward.

HUNTER I assure you that after hearing such a frightful tale, I am entirely resolved to abandon killing entirely.

BADGER If that is the case, I must hurry on my way.

HUNTER My abode is not far from here. Will you not come with me and let me serve you a cup of tea?

BADGER I am most grateful for your kind offer, but today there is a defilement. Let us meet again upon another day.

HUNTER Then are you going so soon?

BOTH Fare you well, fare you well.

BADGER There are indeed those of fine intent in this world. Upon hearing my frightful tale of edification, he entirely abandoned killing. Well, I must say, what a commendable person. Oh, how happy, how happy I am. I really deceived him. I have never been so happy. I can now go anywhere at all without the slightest worry. I will seek for my husband with a quiet heart. I heard that that hunter caught a badger just recently. I wonder if it was my husband. What a worrisome thought. Oh, how frightful. I hear a dog coming this way barking. I'll just hide myself in this hut.

HUNTER That nun admonished me most severely against killing. And just after we parted a dog began barking loudly at something or other. I wonder if perhaps there is a fox or badger lurking about. I really do not know what to think of this. (Discovering the BADGER.) Now I've got you! You'll not get away!

BADGER Oh, how sad I am. Spare me my life, oh, please spare me.

HUNTER Now that I get a better look, I see you are the nun I met just now. Why are you crouched down here?

BADGER I was so frightened by the barking of that dog that I hid myself here.

HUNTER So you must be that female badger I have been hunting for. And you almost fooled me with your disguise. Now I'll just catch you by hand and skin you alive.

BADGER Oh, wait, please wait!

HUNTER Wait for what?

BADGER All of that I told you about losing husbands and pining after children was from my own experience. Some days ago my husband set out to visit the village, and he has still not come back to our home at the ancient mound. I was so worried that I came out to search for him. And on top of that, I myself am in a most delicate condition. I do not regret so much losing my own life, but I so pity the child that is still in my belly. Please spare me my life.

HUNTER Hey, you rascal! I have shot at you and missed time after time, and you have just entirely deceived me. You won't get away! This time, I'll shoot you dead for sure.

BADGER Oh, wait, please wait!

HUNTER Wait for what?

BADGER It is not only human beings who lose their way lost in thoughts over a lost child. And in particular, animals are most deeply attached to tender feelings and earthly passions which they never forget for all eternity. Please, I beg you earnestly to spare me my life.

HUNTER Speaking the way you do, you make me feel pity too. If that is the case, I will spare your life. But I have heard that there is a thing called the Badgers Belly Drum, though I have never heard it. So if you beat your drum for me, I will spare your life.

BADGER What is that? If you will spare my life, indeed, I will beat my belly drum for you. But do you truly promise, then, to spare my life?

HUNTER There is no difference between human beings and animals when it comes to sadness in parting between parents and children. If only you promise not to try to run away, I will spare your life.

BADGER For what purpose would I lie to you? I will beat my belly drum for you.

HUNTER Then I will spare your life, so remove your disguise and beat it for me quickly.

BADGER With all my heart.

HUNTER In that case, I will relax here and watch you.

(The BADGER does a somersault, in the process of which a quick change from nun to badger is effected. Then she dances and beats her belly drum. The HUNTER expresses his enjoyment during the first part, but he finally gets a bit bored.)

HUNTER The more I think of it, the more I hate to spare her life. I know what I'll do. (He puts an arrow in his bow and aims at the BADGER.) You hateful rascal, I'll not let you go! (The BADGER quickly disappears.) What is this? (He drops his bow and arrow.) She was right here just now. What has happened to her? (The BADGER reappears and begins to run away.) Oh, there she is, there she is. The badger is running away! I have missed her once again. (He chases off after the BADGER.) I'll catch you yet, I'll catch you yet! I'll catch you yet, I'll catch you yet! I'll catch you yet, I'll catch you yet!

(Source: Kyogen Shusei, 167-169), Nogaku Shorin, 1974)