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JAPANESE PLAYS AND PLAYFELLOWS
"Mukōjima,
Cherry-blossom,
Sliced dumpling,
Boiled eggs,
Girl, come here!
Drinking, sleeping,
Heigh-ho! Tra-la-la!"
This is neither poetry nor literature. It reminds one of the primitive war-song, which Mr. Aston quotes in his "History of Japanese Literature" as being sung by the Imperial Guards:
"Ho! now is the time;
Ho! now is the time;
Ha! Ha! Psha!
Even now
My boys!
Even now
My boys!"
In conclusion, let me say that an exhaustive study of Dodoitsu would assuredly yield richer results than the writer has been able to obtain by the casual gleaning of such songs as fell in his way from the lips of geisha or student.
