初草のなどめづらしき言の葉ぞ
うらなく物を思ひけるかな
うらなく物を思ひけるかな
- Roma-ji
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Hatsukusa no nado mezurashiki koto no ha zo
uranaku mono o omoikeru kana - English Translation
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Like the first young grass,
Why are these words so strange to me?
So rare and sudden;
Without suspicion till now
I have thought of nothing at all.
- Meaning
- Like the first young grass found in early spring, your words are strangely rare and unexpected; until now I have thought of nothing, without any suspicion, believing only that we were brother and sister.
- Commentary
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49. So Tender and Young
This poem is the younger sister’s reply to the poem composed by her brother: “So tender and young, fresh young grass, fair to lie on—thus it seems to me; that someone will bind it close for a pillow—this I think on.”
It expresses the sister’s surprise and bewilderment at receiving a poem filled with romantic feeling from her brother.
Stories in which an elder brother is drawn to his fresh and beautiful younger sister are also depicted in The Tale of Genji and in the Nurigome-bon, in both cases in scenes where he sees his sister playing the koto.
- Source
- Ise Monogatari
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