19-21 (2)

by Mizukami Kyouka

For a while, he looked dejected.

"Your reverence, you must be very tired. Would you like to rest immediately?"

"No, not at all. I'm not sleepy in the least. I just washed myself, so I feel completely refreshed."

"That running water is very effective for any illness. When I was struggling and became nothing but skin and bones, half a day immersed there would make me feel rejuvenated. Of course, when winter comes, the mountains will be completely frozen, and the rivers and cliffs will be covered in snow, but only the spot where your reverence enjoyed bathing will not have its water hidden. Water always springs forth from there.

Various creatures, such as monkeys and night herons with broken legs, come to bathe, so much so that their footprints create paths on the cliff. So, it must be that the water is effective.

If you are not too tired, I would be delighted if you would talk with me like this. I am terribly lonely. I am truly sorry, but being secluded in these mountains, I feel as if I have forgotten how to converse, and I feel uneasy.

Your reverence, if you are sleepy, please do not hesitate to rest. There is no special bedroom, but in return, there isn't a single mosquito. In town, when people from the upper cave stay in the village and are offered a mosquito net to sleep under, they sometimes don't understand how to enter it and demand a ladder, causing a commotion.

You can sleep in late without hearing the sound of bells, roosters crowing, or dogs, so you can rest assured.

This person also grew up in these mountains from birth, so while they know nothing, they are good-natured and require no special attention at all.

Nevertheless, they do know to treat visitors with different customs with respect and bow, but they haven't greeted you yet, have they? Lately, perhaps their body is sluggish, or they seem a bit lazy. No, they are not foolish at all. They understand everything perfectly well.

"Now, please greet the monk. You haven't forgotten how to bow, have you?" she said, leaning in familiarly, peering into his face, and urging him on.

The idiot swayed, placed both hands on the ground, and bowed deeply as if his spring had broken.

"Yes," I said, feeling a lump in my throat, and lowered my head as well.

As he remained bowed, his muscles seemed to give out, and he started to fall sideways, but the woman gently supported him and helped him up.

"Oh, well done."

She continued, looking as if she wanted to say "splendid."

"Reverend, I believe you can do anything, but this person's illness cannot be cured by a doctor's hand or even that water. Since both his legs cannot stand, whatever I teach him is useless. And look, even a simple bow is as difficult as you see.

He learns if taught, but it must be very difficult and tiring. Thinking it would only cause him physical pain, I let him do nothing, and gradually he forgot how to move his hands and speak. Still, he still knows two or three songs. Now, please sing one for our guest."

The idiot looked at the woman, then stared at my face again, and shook his head as if shy of strangers.