Kakunojou No Temariuta
From IrohaWiki
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What is a temariuta?
Literally temariuta means temari song. It would be sung while playing with the temari ball.
Traditionally, temari were often given to children from their parents on New Year's Day. Inside the tightly wrapped layers of each ball, the mother would have placed a small piece of paper with a goodwill wish for her child. The child would never be told what wish his or her mother had made while making the ball. Temarikai.com
The Lyrics
ひとつ 日暮れに願かけて Hitotsu - higure ni gan kakete ふたつ 札所に月見草 Futatsu - fudasho ni tsukimisou みっつ みそらが明けるころ Mittsu - misora ga akeru koro よっつ 夜泣きの子を負うて Yottsu - yonaki no ko wo oute いつつ いつまでつけばよい Itsutsu - itsumade tsukeba yoi むっつ 迎えに来ぬ母に Muttsu - mukae ni konu haha ni ななつ 内緒で恨み言 Nanatsu - naisho de uramigoto やっつ やまんば来ぬうちに Yattsu - yamanba konu uchi ni ここのつ 子を捨て山越えて Kokonotsu - ko wo sute yama koete とおで 鬼子になりました Too de onigo ni narimashita
source: Iroha-heya
Interpretations
There are several interpretations of what the lyrics could exactly mean. A translation and extensive commentary is available at this blog entry.
The song is about how a mother leaves her two children behind at a temple after praying there at dusk. The elder child finds an evening primrose and it withers as the magnificent sky dawns. He bounces a temari ball while carrying the younger child as it cried during the night. The child wonders how many times he has to bounce the ball before his mother returns, but after noticing she has abandoned him he throws bitter words at her in his mind. He leaves his younger sibling at the temple and crosses the mountain before the mountain hag comes. In the end he's no one's child (or a child of the demons).
Inserts
Following is a list of where the Kakunojou no Temariuta is featured in the anime.
- In each episode preview a musical piece with the Temariuta's melody is played in the background music.
- In episode 1 the instrumental version is played during the Troupe's introduction.
- In episode 7 Kakunojou sings the first two lines of the lyrics to Akizuki, although with a different melody.
- In episode 12 the Kakunojou no Temariuta (original) sung by Takako Shirai is played as Akizuki and Kakunojou are facing each other, but do not say anything. Nearby Kobako and Benimaru are playing with temari balls. First five lines were played.
- In episode 16:
- Akizuki sings nearly three lines while Kakunojou is in a bed near him, who he presumes to be asleep. Kakunojou joins him at akeru and he stops singing, as she continues until the fourth line. She asks him where he had heard that song. Akizuki replies that it is probably an ordinary temariuta, but she wonders if it is so.
- Kakunojou sings the first line of the Temariuta to Gotou Sounousuke as they are resting. After clarifying to him it's not a lullaby she proceeds to hum the melody.
- In episode 17 Kakunojou sings, but Akizuki cuts her off in the second line telling her to stop. She claims the song has something to do with him.
- In episode 19 she sings the first three lines to little children while bouncing a temari ball at the hospital.
- In episode 20 Akizuki daydreams about Kakunojou playing temari with Benimaru and Kobako, she sings until 'futatsu' and after turning around she's seen with a mad expression slashing with her sword.
- In episode 21 Kakunojou finally sings the full lyrics. Her expression gradually changes while realizing how somber the lyrics are. (Before this Akizuki is seen looking at a child with a baby sibling, and during the fifth line he's seen walking with a pensive face.) After the last lines Kakunojou flashbacks to the happenings at the end of episode 18.
Versions
- Kakunojou no Temariuta: The original found on the Ai no Tsurugi (single) by TAKAKO & THE CRAZY BOYS
- Yuuyake no Kaze: A harp and violin (?) version found on the first OST composed by Hideyuki Fukasawa. In the middle the song strays from the original melody.
- A flute and shamisen (?) version heard in each next episode preview.
