THE COMRADE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2982, 20 January 1917, Page 3

THE COMRADE

• & JAPANESE WAR SONG,

i Sir,—Pardon mo, though a stranger to you, for taking liberty to address •you these few lines. The war song "Comrade," which 1 enclose herewith, is one of tho» most popular and wellknown war songs among those produced at the time of the recent war in the Far East. During theso ten years, and still at present, we can hear our schoolboys, girls, and also high school lads sing this song very attractively at any lonely part of the country in Japan. In translating this Japanese song into English, I am afraid that the forms and euphony of the song is spoiled on account of my poor knowledge of English language. But, as for the meaning of it, I believe I have given the true sense. pretty well, so I hope you will rectify the euphony when you find out any wanting part. We learned the fact in the daily newspapers that, on every part on the front of this greatest war, especially in the field of Gallipoli, Persian highland, or in Central Europe, in uncivilised_ or partly civilised countries in the tropics, thousands of romances, more compassionative than those described in this song, occurred, experienced already and repeated still by our brave comrades of Alliances. And also in your country this kind of song, I think, has already been sung or is being sung now by boys and girls. But at the best chance of this war, if I can introduce you even to a part of our national loyalty and patriotism for our Empire, for the Mikado (the Emperor of Japan), under the great principles, of the humanism, sacrificing ourselves at any time our country needs us with a smile. This point, I suppose, will give to all of you a strange interest, and then, if they will start to Btudy our nationality, social constitutions, ancient histories, and so on, I would feel very happy. This has caused*'me to translate this war song in spite of my poor knowledge of English. About the musical note, I leave it to you, aB there is a quite different tune between English and Japanese songs, and so I cannot understand it well. Greeting the prosperity of your* paper and the editor's good health, I have to finish my sentence.—l am, etc.. Yours respectfully, A JAPANESE SEAMAN, Auckland, January 16.

The war song is as follows: — Ear distant away from our beloved country, hero, On the remote, solitary plain of South Manchuria, Under the beams of the setting sun, with smile, Stand my mate in tho glory of God, in peace. 'Tis the moaning' memories to remind him, as for me, Who rushed among tho foo and forced to retire, 1 ■ Still yestereve—at the van on tho front, Oh I is buried my valorous mate here. 'Twos at tho height of our charge against the foe, - My mate, cross with always einco left our home, Foil down upon the ground, all ■of a sudden, And'to help, in a moment, I came upon him. Even though tho military law grave upon us, ■ Can't to abandon my injured mate alone, And keeping him in my arms, shouting "Bo resolute!" Made temporal bandago under a hail of furious shells. On the battle cry by our corps against the foe, \ Raising his painful face and faintly to say, "With tears in eyes, 'In time, join to tho line, For the honour of . our beloved Empire; never mind of me." Weighing his matters very heavy on my heart, Tot should bo on tho lino, in tho front, "Be quiet! Keep ease; again here I will; Adieu,'my pal!"—'twas final farewell. On my way back to see him, how it goes? As we made a fine' success and enemy fall back, Through the field, bloody grass bending in the breeze, i With a hone—still alive—and can talk! But alas! he waa a corpse that lies on dewy grass, And left in the stillness and solituffa oT ' the dusk, With only a living watch ■in coat, aside of me, Of which sent back home as a keepsake. 'Twas last summer that wo left our home port, .When the sight of our Fatherland dipped away in tlw blue. On the "Geuiai"* we shaked our hands for the first; On deck that morning breeze calls j)s with cheers. Bosom friends, to be tho name of us, since, , To read a, letter that comes from our home. . Even a piece of cigarette to smoke with, And a recital of ouir -personal life, to relate. "I will die for tho honour of our beloved Empire, And you care for my remains on the field to be lay!" 'Twas the promise when both of ua etill alive, With smiles on our lips these days and nights. By unexpected fate of tho lifo, as for me, Left behind in the field of desolation, I alone, . To dig a barron for his eternal rest in peace, . Amidst the bloody breeze, and 111 the evening hue. Under, the moonlight brights in the eky Am writing to his father, of the glorious last in details, Of my faithful-unto-doath friend, for tho Empire. , . ~ . , With keen, hearty pray, for that stern fast is. (To think of his parents, gazing at, by dim light; Upon this anguish, worst report; with tears, 1 , And dreary emilea, breaking hearts;- ana in silence. Oh! tears shed in streaks upon my cheeks. * True name is "Geukai-nada." The location is south-western part of "Japan Sea," on the east side of Tsushima Strait, on route to Korea and North China.