The time? Certainly, it was about noon yesterday, sir. The unfortunate man was on the road from Sekiyama toYamashina. He was walking toward Sekiyama with a woman accompanying him on horseback, who I havesince learned was his wife. A scarf hanging from her head hid her face from view. All I saw was the color ofher clothes, a lilac−colored suit. Her horse was a sorrel with a fine mane. The lady's height? Oh, about fourfeet five inches. Since I am a Buddhist priest, I took little notice about her details. Well, the man was armedwith a sword as well as a bow and arrows. And I remember that he carried some twenty odd arrows in hisquiver.
Little did I expect that he would meet such a fate. Truly human life is as evanescent as the morning dew or aflash of lightning. My words are inadequate to express my sympathy for him.
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Rashomon, and Other Stories by Ryunosuke Akutagawa
Short StoryThis collection features a brilliant new translation of the Japanese master's stories, from the source for the movie Rashōmon to his later, more autobiographical writings. Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (1892-1927) is one of Japan's foremost stylists - a moder...
