行脚していた夢窓国師は、深い山奥で道に迷い、日も暮れかけた時、庵を見つける。そこに一人いた老僧に教えられてようやく小さな村に行き着き、村長の家で泊めてもらうが、深夜になって村長の息子が言う、「先ほど父が亡くなりました。村の掟に従い、村人は、死者があった夜は全員村を離れなくてはなりません。そうしないと、必ずたたりがあります。しかしあなたは旅でお疲れでしょうし、この村の者ではなく、お坊様ですから、お望みならここにお留まり下さい」。夢窓は村長の家に一人残り、村長の亡骸を前に読経しながら弔いの行を勤める。

While on a pilgrimage, Master Musou lost his way deep in the mountains, and when it was almost dark, he found a hermitage. An old monk there taught him the way to a small village, where he was lodged in the house of the village headman, but late at night, the headman's son said, "My father has just died. According to the village law, all villagers must leave the village the night of the death. If you don't, there will always be retribution. But you must be tired from your journey, and you are a monk, not a member of this village, so stay here if you wish. Ｍusou remained alone in the village chief's house, reading sutras in front of the chief's corpse as he performed his mourning ritual.

#朗読

#怪談

#LafcadioHearn