Chapter 34: Yanta Part III

This is the tale of Sakura-ko, Flower of the Cherry, who was the beautiful dancer of Gim. She was a geisha, born a samurai’s daughter, which sold herself into bondage after her father died, so that her mother might have food to eat. Ah, the pity of it! The money that bought her was called Namida no Kané, that is “the money of tears.”

She dwelt in the narrow street of the geisha, where the red and white lanterns swing and the plum trees flourish by the low eves. The street of the geisha is full of music, for they play the samisen there all day long.

Sakura-ko played it too; indeed she was skillful in every lovely art. She played the samisen, the kotto, the biwa, and the small hand-drum. She could make songs and sing them. Her eyes were long, her hair was black, her hands were white. Her beauty was wonderful, and wonderful her power to please. From dawn to dusk and from dusk