English poem
Comic Song
by Lafcadio Hearn (1850–1904)
(Province of Shinano)
Ano yama kage de Hikaru wa nanja?-- Tsuki ka, hoshi ka, hotaru no mushi ka? Tsuki demo naiga; Hoshi demo naiga;-- Shuto no o-uba no me ga hikaru,-- (Chorus) Me ga hikaru!
In the shadow of the mountain What is it that shines so? Moon is it, or star?--or is it the firefly-insect? Neither is it moon, Nor yet star;-- It is the old woman's Eye;--it is the Eye of my mother-in-law that shines,-- (Chorus) It is her Eye that shines!