Tokyo nichinichi shinbun 79-year-old Jinsuke falls in love with 67-year-old Oinu, who lives in the neighborhood. The problem is, Jinsuke's wife has a fit of jealousy. So Jinsuke and Oinu flee into the hills with an earthenware urinal and a bamboo "grandchild hand" backscratcher. The region is famous for its Obasuteyama, where legend has it that old people are taken and left to die. On the trail, Oinu collapses from apoplexy. Story translationForthcoming. |
Commentary
Tentenō, the gesaku (戯作) writer Takabatake Ransen, adds 戯記 (geki) or "frivolous writing" rather than the usual 記 (ki) or 誌 (shi) after his name. He also signs TNS-913b, TNS-1036b, and TNS-1046 this way -- reminiscent of 戯筆 (girefude) or "frivolous brushing" in Yoshiiku's signature on the frontispiece of Kanagaki Robun's Aguranabe.
Forthcoming.