The Tales of Ise（伊勢物語） Written in Heian period(710-1192) First act
Once upon a time, a man with his first crown went hunting in the village of Kasuga in Nara, Kyoto, where he had a domain. In that village, there lived two sisters who were very charming. This man saw them through a fence. The sisters were more beautiful than he had imagined, and not unlike in the old capital, so he was at a loss for words. He cut the hem of a hunting robe he was wearing and wrote a poem. His hunting robe was made of shinobuzuri.
Like the wild pattern on the young purple robe of Kasugano, I have been so disturbed by you all.
he said this quickly. He thought it was timely and profound.
Like the turbulent pattern of the shinobusuri in Mutsu, whose fault is it that I am in such agony?
This is the sentiment of the song. People of the past used to do things like this.
むかし、男初冠して、奈良の京春日の里に、しるよしして、狩りに往にけり。 その里に、いとなまめいたる女はらから住みけり。この男かいまみてけり。 思ほえず、ふる里にいとはしたなくてありければ、心地まどひにけり。 男の、着たりける狩衣の裾を切りて、歌を書きてやる。 その男、信夫摺の狩衣をなむ着たりける。
春日野の若紫のすりごろもしのぶの乱れ かぎりしられず
となむ おひつきて言ひやりける。ついでおもしろきことともや思ひけむ。
陸奥のしのぶもぢ 摺り誰ゆゑに乱れそめにし 我ならなくに
といふ歌の心ばへなり。昔人は、かくいちはやき みやびをなむしける。