Pit Workers in the Old Days #5: Detested Things (Croaking of Crows, Cut Flowers, and Wearing Clogs in the Pit)
1958 - 1963

Mukashi no Yamabito #5: Imimono (Karasunaki, Nenashigusa, Getabaki)
[Pit Workers in the Old Days #5: Detested Things (Croaking of Crows, Cut Flowers, and Wearing Clogs in the Pit)]
21.2 x 30.3 cm Ink Painting

1. Everybody hates hearing the croaking of crows in the morning, and pit workers (yama no hitodachi) at that time were especially depressed to hear them croak.
2. Miners hated arranging cut flowers or plants without any roots underground (in underground stations etc.). (It was supposedly because such flowers and plants reminded miners of Buddhist funerals in which they were used.)
3. Entering pits in geta (Japanese clogs) was prohibited. (It was supposedly because underground slopes were contaminated by them and it was also dangerous to wear them underground.)

Song Lyrics
"Kawai-kawai" to naku ka to omoya,
"Aho-aho" to naku karasu.
Iro ga kuroi to nikumi wa senu ga,
karasukuchi yue hijideppo yo.

The "Caw-caw" croaking of crows sometimes sounded
like "Kawai-kawai (Cute-cute)" or "Aho-aho (Ass-ass)" to me.
Their black feathers do not make me hate them,
but their beaks are so sharp like drawing pens that I don't want to be near them.

(It is said that the crow is the messenger of Kumano Gongen [avatar of Buddha] in Kishu [Wakayama Prefecture] and that they croak loudly, knowing of someone's death three days before it will come to pass. That is why miners lost their temper over the croaking of crows.)


Translation Assisted by Mr. Nathan Johndro

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