Hotaru
Title
Chronology
Position in the Genji
In this chapter Genji gives one of Tamakazura's suitors, his brother Hyobukyo no Miya (His Highness of War) a glimpse of her by the light of fireflies.
Synopsis
Around the time of the early summer rains, a letter arrives for Tamakazura from Hyobukyo no Miya, so Genji has her write a reply. Wanting to escape from Genji, Tamakazura finds Hyobukyo no Miya increasingly attractive. When he visits her one evening, Genji releases a bagful of fireflies behind the screen separating her from his half-brother, softly illuminating her silhouette and providing a glimpse of her face. Hyobukyo no Miya is deeply attracted to her beauty, which is greater than he had expected, so he sends a waka poem to express his love to her. (Due to this episode, Hyobukyo no Miya came to be nicknamed "Hotaru no miya," Prince Hotaru). The motif of setting loose fireflies so that they shine their light on a woman has been derived from Episode 39 of the Ise Monogatari (The Tales of Ise).
Meanwhile, Genji's own attraction to Tamakazura keeps tormenting him - and he keeps tormenting her with his unending wooing.
At a festival on the fifth day of the fifth month, many decorative paper balls are sent to Tamakazura. Genji holds horseback archery events and banquets at the Natsu no Machi section of the palace and spends the night at Hanachirusato's.
Before long, the rainy season arrives, and the Rokujo ladies alleviate their boredom by reading romantic tales. Raised in the country, where no such tales were available, Tamakazura reads them with avid curiosity. Genji gives critiques of the tales that Tamakazura is absorbed in, holding a famous discussion with her on the nature of fiction. He argues that it is fiction, rather than history, that is the more true to life (we hear Murasaki Shikibu's opinion here!).
Around that time, Tamakazura's real father, To no Chujo, is told by a dream diviner that his daughter by Yugao has been adopted by someone else. Never imagining that she is living with Genji, he sets out to look for her.
Genji-e