月の明るい夜、源氏、常陸宮邸を訪ね、命婦の手引きで姫君 (末摘花)の琴を聞く。庭前に紅梅。

On a moonlit night Genji visits Hitachi no Miya's residence and, guided by a lady-in-waiting, hears the princess (Suetsumuhana) play the koto; red plum blossoms stand in the garden.

源氏、 常陸宮邸に忍ぶと、身をやつした姿ですでに来ていた頭中将を見いだす。邸内では末摘花、琴を弾く。

Stealing into Hitachi no Miya's residence, Genji finds To no Chujo already there in disguise; inside, Suetsumuhana plays the koto.

二人は、一つ車で左大臣邸へ向かう。源氏、車の中で笛を吹く。

The two share a carriage toward the Minister of the Left's residence; Genji plays the flute inside.

冬の夜、末摘花邸を訪ねた源氏が格子を叩くと、女房が灯をとって迎え入れる。

On a winter night Genji visits Suetsumuhana's residence and knocks at the lattice; a lady-in-waiting brings a light to welcome him.

源氏、常陸宮邸の橘の木の雪を随身に払わせる。

Genji has his attendant brush the snow off the orange tree at Hitachi no Miya's residence.

源氏、二条院に戻り、紫の君と絵を描き、さらに自分の鼻に紅を塗ってみて紫の君を驚かせる。

Back at Nijo-in, Genji paints with Murasaki, then smears rouge on his own nose and startles her.

亡き常陸宮の遺児が荒れ果てた邸で孤独に暮らしていると聞き、好奇心を抱いた源氏と頭中将は競って言い寄る。源氏が先んじて契りを結ぶが、後朝の雪の朝に改めて見た彼女は、座高が高く痩せ細り、紅花で染めたように鼻先が赤く垂れ下がった不器量な姫君（末摘花）であった。幻滅しながらも、その誠実で古風な人柄を見捨てられない源氏は、以後も終生援助を続ける。

Drawn by rumors of an orphaned princess living in seclusion in a decaying palace, Genji and To no Chujo compete to woo her. Genji succeeds in consummating the courtship, only to discover in the daylight of a snowy morning that she is remarkably plain, with a long nose dyed red like a safflower (Suetsumuhana). Despite his dismay, her naivety and antique fidelity touch Genji, and he promises lifelong care.

suwetsumuhana

Scenes