The beauty of Princess Kaguya spread far and wide, from one to ten, ten to a hundred, reaching more and more people. All men in the world, whether rich or poor, longed to marry Princess Kaguya. Merely hearing of her made men’s hearts flutter, and their desires burned bright, hoping even for just a glimpse of her. However, even those living near her home, let alone next door, were not granted the sight of her beauty, much less other men. Those enamored with her looks often stayed up all night, secretly drilling holes in walls to peek through in solace. This is when the act began to be called an affair. Yet, most wandered aimlessly at night, aimless and without a method. They tried to glean information from her family, but were often hesitant and indecisive, and no one paid them any attention. Despite hitting a dead end, they weren’t discouraged, especially the noble sons, who lingered around endlessly.
Those who realized their hopelessness stopped visiting. But five notable figures continued their visits incessantly, dreaming day and night. These were Prince Izana, Prince Kuramochi, the Right Minister Abe no Mimushi, the Great Counselor Ootomo no Miyuki, and the Middle Counselor Ishikawa no Maro. Upon hearing of Princess Kaguya’s fame, they were deeply stirred, entranced, and lost sleep over it. They often loitered near her home to no avail, sent letters without reply, and some claimed lovesickness, sending poems of unrequited love, yet still received no response. Knowing all attempts were futile, they persisted regardless of harsh winters or stormy summers. One day, a man summoned the old man and requested deeply, “Please let me marry your daughter.” The old man replied, “She is not my daughter, I cannot decide for her.”
Time flew by swiftly. These men returned home still haunted by her. Some sought divine help to marry Kaguya, others prayed to forget her, but to no avail. They reverted to their original thoughts: Although the old man said so, could she really remain unmarried? They resumed lingering near her home to show their sincerity.
Seeing this, the old man said to Kaguya, “You were born a divine reincarnation, not my child. But I raised you with great effort. Can you consider my small effort and heed my advice?” Kaguya replied, “I will listen to anything you say. But you say I am a divine reincarnation, I know nothing of it. I only know you as my real father!” The old man said, “Ah, that’s even better! I am of old age, I might pass any day. I want to tell you: In this world, men must marry, and women must wed. It is the rule of human life, to strengthen families and prosper generations. Even you should follow this path.” Kaguya responded, “It is true, but I am unwilling.” The old man continued, “Listen, even though you are a divine reincarnation, you are still a woman. While I live, let’s just live on. If I die, what will you do? Those five men, yearning for you persistently, have declared their intentions to marry you. You should decide soon and choose one to wed. What do you think?” Kaguya replied, “Ah, these people are so mundane. To hastily wed without knowing one’s heart, if their feelings change later, it would lead to regret. No matter how high their status or how good-looking, I refuse to wed without knowing their heart.”
The old man nodded in agreement and asked, “Then, whom do you wish to wed? Those five seem very sincere.” Kaguya answered, “I don’t have any special requirements, just a small wish. Since all five are sincere, and none stand out as better or worse, I hope whoever can bring me my favorite thing will be the most sincere, and I will marry him. Please tell them this.” The old man agreed, “Indeed, this is a good method.”
In the evening, all five came, some playing flutes, some singing songs, some reciting poems, some playing mouth harps, some clapping with fans. They did so to lure Kaguya out. The old man addressed them: “Gentlemen, you have visited this desolate place tirelessly for so long, I am undeserving! I am like a candle in the wind, my days are numbered. Therefore, I have spoken to our girl to consider choosing a husband among you five earnest men. She said, ‘How can I know the depth of their love?’ A fair point. She also said, it’s hard to judge who is better among you five. So, whoever can bring her the thing she loves most will show the deepest love, and she will marry him. I think this method is good, and you won’t resent me for it.” The five agreed, “Indeed,
