Post by Otagiri Tatsuzou on Oct 6, 2004 19:00:27 GMT -5
Speaking of the warrior Tametomo ...
Who is challenged by a "wild boar of a warrior" ...
Tametomo replies to the challenge...
Hougen Monogatari, translation by William R Wilson
Kagetsuna spoke: When Takenori besought his ancestor, Lord Hachiman, at the time of the Later Three Years War, at the citadel of Kanazawa in Dewa, saying "When struck by my lord's arrow, there is no such thing as impenetrable helmet or armour. May I see for certain the power of my lord with the bow?" Yoshiie piled up three suits of armour of good leather and hung them on a tree branch, and when he shot all six layers, they feared him as a manifestation of a demon. From that time the warriors were all the more devoted to him, it is said, but I have only heard it told. Is such strength with the bow now before my own eyes? Dreadful!
Who is challenged by a "wild boar of a warrior" ...
He set out, accompianed by one common menial. He wore armour braided in black leather and a helmet with the same braiding and with five neck-plates a little toward the back of his head. Eighteen arrows with dyed feathers were in his quiver; he held a black lacquered bow bound with rattan, and rode a deer brown horse with a black saddle. He pulled up before the gate: Though I don't amount to much, I am a follower of the Lord of Aki, a dweller in Iga Province, Yamada Kosaburou Koreyuki, aged twenty-eight years. I am the grandson of the Yamada Manorial Steward Yukisue who, in the reign of the Cloistered Emperor Horikawa, on the twenty-eighth of the first month of Kashou 3 (1108), at the time of the hunting-down of the Lord of Tsushima Yoshichika, charged in the van of the late Lord of Bizen, and was recognized by the Court. He was indeed a man of high fame, who captured uncountable numbers of bandits and robbers and was often on the battlefield. I would like, pray, to have a look at the cadet Hachirou, of whom I have heard.
Tametomo replies to the challenge...
When he said this, Tametomo said, "It's certain that that fellow is speaking with an arrow ready to go. I'll have him let fly the first, and shoot him down as he is fitting his second arrow to the bow string. It's all the same, I'll show the enemy the power of my bow by shooting a place where the arrow will stick and stop." With this, he rode out on a pale dapple grey horse with a fold ornamented saddle. As he galloped forth and announced himself, "Here is Chinzei Hachirou Tametomo," Koreyuki's arrow, held ready from before, was released with a swish and a high twang of the bow string. Like a stich, it cut through the armour skirt on Tametomo's left side. The first arrow having missed, Koreyuki was fitting the second to his string when Tametomo drew his bow of Yamada Kosaburou's saddle, passing through the armour skirts and hitting the rear saddle bow, and the point stuck out more than three inches on the other side. For a moment he seemed to be staying in the saddle, held up by the arrow. Then when he fell headlong to his left, the arrowhead remained in the saddle, and the horse galloped toward the river bed. Common servants quickly ran up and, putting their master on their shoulders, went back to their own lines. The warriors on the attack saw all this, and still less were there to go against the gate.
Hougen Monogatari, translation by William R Wilson
