The Delicious Poison (Busu) A Tard Kaja play ‘Translated by Don Kenny ‘Tard Kaja ("fist servant”) is a kyogen character par excellence. He and his master are all the characters necessary for a play, but he often appears in tandem with his fellow servant Jiro Kaja (“second ser- ‘vant”), Sometimes Tard Kaja is clever enough to outwit his master verbally or phys- ‘cally, bt at other times his ignorance leads him astay. In Tare Kaja, or “servant,” plays (also called shim, “small landholder” pieces), the shite plays Taro Kaja. In ‘ther pieces, such as the Yamabushi piece The Snail, Tard Kajais played by the ado. Unlike the waki role in most noh plays, however, secondary roles in kyogen are ‘often secondary in name only, with the interactions among the characters usually ‘te basis ofthe humor. ‘The plot of The Delicious Poison is similar to that of Tied to a Stick (Boshiba), ‘which a master attempts to safeguard his saké in his absence. In Tied to a Stick, physical rather than psychological restraints are used. These two popular plays best sepresent kydgen’s version of master-servant conflict. The plots in several other plays featuring Taro Kaja involve task that the servant is ordered to perform: in The ‘sherted Cramp (Shibiri) he attempts to get out ofa shopping expedition by claim- ‘ng to have cramps, and in Three Poles (Sambon no hashira), Taro Kaja and his fel Jow servants figure out how two men can carry three poles ‘The stage business used in The Delicious Poison is particularly effective. The ‘servants repeatedly fan the air to prevent the “poison” ftom affecting ther: as they ‘advance toward and then retreat from the barrel, one of them waves his fan hori ~ontally, the other, vertically. Tard Kaj's “death,” the eating of the sugar, the de- stetion of the master’s treasures, and the sobs of “regret” all are enacted with the lish use of onomatopoeia. The climax ofthe play isa song describing the servants’ “attempted suicide.” These characters clearly deserve to be chased off the stage, but ‘ene is inclined to hope that they escape severe punishment. Unlike most kydgen plays, The Delicious Poison has an identifiable literary236 | The Noh and Kyégen Theaters source: a story in Shasekishi, a thirteenth-century collection of tales (setsuwa) com piled by the monk Muji. Don Kenny’ translation is from a performance script of ‘Nomura Mansaku (b. 1931) of the Izumi school. The translation was originally pub- lished in Kenny's 1989 anthology The Kydgen Book. An annotated Japanese text from the Okura school is avilable in Koyama 1960. Don Kenny translates kygen plays as performance scripts for English produc- tions, specifically those of the Kenny and Ogawa Kydgen Players. He attempts to re- lect and replicate the archaic style and stylization of the original texts by avoi ‘overtly colloquial English (especially phrases with regional or historical connot tions) and by translating literally many of the idioms (most of which do not exist in ‘modetn Japanese) rather than replacing them with more common English phrases (of similar meaning, He transliteates purely onomatopoeic sounds directy into the Roman alphabet eHARACTERS sserre: Tard Kaj apo: master oano: fist Kage musicians: None A Play in One A ‘The master, Tare the rear of the si waster: Lamy for which Im order them (He goes to TARO Kis Sum master: Thees TARO KAIA: At aster: You cx TARO Kaus: Acy summoned 4R6 KAIA (Sto TARO KAJA: And sind ava: Wi wasveR: You cx no great is beyond the = TARO Rasa: ASS Kaja? sino asa: Ob Bork: «ill master: No, = Bath of wow ‘TARO Kaun: If orn: We will waste: Wait sor: With alls ‘The master takes has put atthe 7 aster: Listen for that!‘CHARACTERS ssurre: Tare Kaja 400: master musicians None ee ee erect eeeeeeeee ser A Play in One Act ‘The master, Taro Kaj, and Jiro Kaja enter down the bridgeway. The servants st at ‘the rear of the stage, and the master goes to the shite spot. wasren: Lam a resident ofthis neighborhood. Today I have a matter to attend to, for which | must travel beyond the mountain. I will cll my two servants and order them to watch the house while [am gone, Tard Kaja, are you there? (He goes to the waki spot.) TARO KAA (Standing): Herel masten: There you are. TARO KAJA: At your service, sir. waster: You came quickly. First call Jiro Kaja. TARO KasA: As you say, si, (To Jité Kaja) Here, here, jird Kajat You are summoned. 41R0 KasA (Standing): You say 'm summoned? TARO KasA: And you must come quickly. 2180 aaa: With all my hear. (To the master) Jto Kaja is at yous service, si aster: You came quite quickly. The matter Ihave called you here about is of ‘no great import. Today I have a matter to attend to for which I must travel beyond the mountain, Both of you must stay and watch the house TARO KAA: As you say, sit. But one ofthe two of us. (To Jind Kaja) Right, irs Koja? JRO KAJA: Oh, oht OTH: . will be most happy to attend you. ‘aster: No, no, Today I have a particular reason for not requiting an attendant. Both of you must stay here and watch the house with care, TARO KAJA: IF that is the case 20TH: We will do as you say, sir seasreR: Wait right there for a moment, all our hears ‘The master takes a large cylindrical lacquerware container, which «stage attendant ‘has put at the rear of the stage, and places it on the floor at center front, masren: Listen welll Over there isa poison called Bust. Prepare your hearts for thatt