Quiver Monkey - Kyogen Performance

Catalog note / 解説

From an album of Kyogen performances, "Kyogen-ga Taikan", "Utsubozaru" (Quiver Monkey). The lord brought along Taro-kaja for hunting. He saw a monkey trainer with his trained monkey. Since decorating arrow quiver with monkey skin was in fashion at that time, he told the monkey trainer to give the monkey to him. Monkey trainer resisted the demand. But the lord started to threaten him with bow and arrow, he had to agree to give up his beloved monkey. The monkey trainer was in tears and began to sing the last farewell song. The monkey, not knowing what was going on, innocently started dancing. The lord was deeply moved by the performance and decided to spare the monkey's life.