NAGAI DOKYU'S GOOD LUCK
永井道存の幸運
Nagai Zenzaemon, called Dokyu, a feudatory of the Tokugawa house, was well known to fame in the field, but for some reason after the fight at Odawara he took service first with Gamo Ujisato and after his death with Uesugi Kagekatsu, eventually retiring to Fukaya in Kazusa.
永井善左右衛門は字を道存、徳川家の旗本の一人で武人として知られています。小田原征伐の後、蒲生氏郷に仕え、彼が死亡後に上杉影勝にの家人と成り、最終的に上総国深谷にて隠棲しました。
An old friend sent him a fine Seto Tea-caddy of which he thought a great deal, but unfortunatelly one day his waiting maid dropped it and broke it.
ある時、古い友人から貰った瀬戸焼の貴重な茶入を女中が過って落として割ってしまいました。
Naturally he was irritated and scolded her, and wishing to make amends she went and brought him a little pot that she had in her toilet case and asked him to use that instead.
彼は怒り彼女を叱りつけましたが、彼女は自分の持っていた衛生用品の小壺を差し出し謝りました。
Dokyu rather reluctantly took it as a token of her regret, but attached no particular value to it.
道存は駄物だと思いましたが、彼女の気持ちを受け入れて許しました。
Some little time after this the great Tea Master Kobori Masakazu happened to pay him a visit and noticed the pot.
しばらくして、小堀遠州と言う大茶人が道存のもとを訪れる機会が有りました。その時、その小壺に目がとまりました。
Gazing at it in amazement he told Dokyu that it was a rare one indeed, for it was undoubtedly a genuine Chinese specimen of a 'Katatsuki.'
まじまじとなめまわして道存に驚きを込め「これは唐物の名品で ” 肩衝 ” に間違い無い！」言いました。
Dokyu was highly delighted and gave it the name of Nagai Kataysuki.
道存は歓喜して、 ” 永井肩衝 ” と命名しました。
It afterwards became one of the treasures of the Tokugawa family.
後に、徳川家の宝物として残って行きます。
Another story is also told of piece of good luck that befell Dokyu, this time in the matter of a sword.
もう一つの幸運な話として、道存の刀の話が残っています。
He was invited by Itakura Katsushige, who was a friend of his, to go up to Kyoto when Ieyasu was proceeding thither and on his way he fell in with a Ronin at Nagoya in Owari.
家康が上洛の折、道存は友人の板倉勝重に招待を受け、京都へ向かう途中に尾張名古屋にて一人の浪人と出会いました。
Wishing to see a relative at Atsuta, near here, he left his baggage with the Ronin and hurried on there, but when he returned he found that the other had decamped, taking with him Nagai's sword, in exchange for which he had left his own, an illconditioned looking rusty Capital.
熱田と言う近所に知人がいてどうしても会う用事が有り、道存はその浪人に荷物の番を頼み向かいました。用事を済ませて急いで戻って見ると彼はいません、、永井の刀が無く、みすぼらしい刀が置き去りにされていました。
When he got there Itakura told him that they were clearing out the prison a bit in anticipation of the arrival of the Shogun, and therefore orders had been given to sharpen a score or so of swords.
板倉のもとへ到着すると、彼は道存に、将軍の上洛にともない何人かの危険分子がいて危険が有りその防御を依頼しました。
Thinking this a good opportunity to get an edge put on his own nothing, he took it to Honami, the sword connoisseur, who examined it and remarked that it looked as if it would cut very well.
何はともあれ絶好の機会と捉え、彼はホナミと言う刀剣鑑定家の所へ例の刀を持ち込み調べてもらい、切れ味は行ける旨お墨付きを得ました。
Since there were several criminals yet to be executed, he had the sword tried on one of them, and it cut through his neck like a cucumber.
何人かの危険分子を見つけだし一刀両断、その刀はキュウリのように犯人の首を跳ねました。
When they polised it and inspected the tang of the blade they found the name of Masamune on it, and Honami certified it as being a genuine specimen.
刀の柄を外して作者を見ると ” 正宗 ” の銘があり、ホナミはこれは天下の名刀である事を保証しました。
Nagai was naturally pleased at his find and eventually presented it to the Shogun, in whose family it is known as Nagai Masamune.
永井は大喜びし刀を将軍に献上、 ” 永井正宗 ” として徳川家宝物となりました。