The Snow Mountain Story, 2/3

Sei Shonagon (translator Ivan Morris)

The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon

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On the first day of the year it again started snowing heavily. I was happily thinking how the snow would gather on the mountain when Her Majesty said, 'This has come at the wrong time. Leave what was there before and brush away all the new snow.'

Very early on the following morning, as I was going from the Palace to my room, I saw a man who looked like a head retainer. He was on his way to the Empress's Office and was shivering with cold. On the sleeve of his night-watch costume, which was as green as a citron leaf, I noticed a piece of paper, also green, attached to a pine twig.

'Who sent this?' I asked him.

'The High Priestess of Kamo,' he replied.

( So very, very long )

[to be continued]

Paper original