Voice of an Animal (xx no koe)

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Voice of an animal (marumaru no koe)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: Non-seasonal Topic
***** Category: Animal mole

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Explanation

The voices of animals can be expressed in many ways and translating them is even more difficult. Here we will look at some problems of translating. Some of the animals are kigo, see the links to the WKD.

Biologically, the voice is produced through the cooperation of lungs, throat and mounth. So larger animals can be said to have a voice.
Insects usually use other parts of their body to produce a sound, so it is questionable if the literal translation for KOE in this case is correct.

the "voice" of an animal is nakigoe　鳴き声、鳴声.
the sound of an animal is expressed as naku　鳴く

Please add your haiku and haiku of the masters, as you find them, as a comment to this BLOG.
Gabi Greve, July 2006

The voices of the following animals are discussed, in the order as I found them

"voice of the cicada" semi no koe 蝉の声
"voices of the insects" mushi no koe 虫の声
"voice of the birds" tori no koe 鳥の声
"sparrow's voices" suzume no koe 雀の声、a problem
MOSQUITOE, ka 蚊
SPIDERS, kumo 蜘蛛
DUCKS, kamo 鴨
PHEASANT, kiji 雉子
COWS and Bulls, ushi 牛
DOG, inu 犬
CAT, neko　猫
DEER, shika 鹿
EARTHWORM, mimizu ミミズ　蚯蚓　みみず
CRICKET, kirigirisu きりぎりす


FOX, kitsune 狐 ... gon gon, kon kon


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"voice of the cicada" semi no koe 蝉の声

閑かさや岩にしみ入る蝉の声
shizukasa ya iwa ni shimiiru semi no koe

oh in the quietude
seeping into the rock
the voices of cicadas

Bashō
WKD : Cicada (semi)

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さびしさや 岩にしみ込 蝉のこゑ
sabishisa ya iwa ni shimikomu semi no koe

On a lonely path
penetrating all the rocks
a cicada cry

Matsuo Basho

Memorial Stone of this haiku



© 俳聖 松尾芭蕉・みちのくの足跡
http://www.bashouan.com/psPhoto5.htm

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やがてしぬ けしきはみえず 蝉の声
yagate shinu keshiki wa miezu semi no koe

Matsuo Basho

Soon to die
they show no sign of it:
the cries of cicadas
(© William J. Higginson)

Soon to die
but there's no sign of it
in the cicadas' song.
(© Thomas McAuley)


Dying cricket!
How he sings out his life.
www.cs.arizona.edu/~kece/Personal/Poems/basho.html

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撞鐘も ひびくやうなり 蝉の聲
tsuku kane mo hibiku yo nari semi no koe

Matsuo Basho

A tolling bell
resounding is
the cicadas' song.
(© Thomas McAuley)

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山人や袂の中の蝉の声
yamaudo ya tamoto no naka no semi no koe

mountain hermit--
deep in his sleeve
singing, a cicada

Kobayashi Issa
Tr. David Lanoue

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CICADA : other translations

tremolo of cicadas (literally)
World Haiku Review

cicada’s song
www.worldhaikureview.org/4-1/whcgerman-p2.htm

cicadas singing

cicada voice
www.michaelhaldane.com/HaikuLink.htm

cicadas' cry
cries of the cicada
web.otani.ac.jp/EBS/images/EB%20STYLE%20SHEET.pdf

the locust cry
the locust-shrill
www.uwf.edu/tprewitt/Japan3.htm

sound of a cicada
www.tapsns.com/haiku.php?mode=list&page=7

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"Voices of the Insects" mushi no koe 虫の声
The various sounds of the crickets in autumn.

WKD : Insects (mushi) and their sounds

A sweet cake served for the tea ceremony in autumn,
called "Mushi no Koe"


www.mase-jp.com/0109_jyounama.htm

ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo


"recital of the insects, mushi no gin 虫の吟
GIN is the poetry recital, we know it from the Haiku Walk, ginkoo　吟行.


冬庭や月もいとなる虫の吟
fuyuniwa ya tsuki mo ito naru mushi no gin
fuyu-niwa ya fuyu niwa ya
Above a wintry garden
the moon thins to a thread:
insect's singing.
(Makoto Ueda 1970)

the winter garden -
thinning to a thread, the moon
and an insect's singing
(Makoto Ueda 1992)

Над зимним садом -
Луна тонка, словно нить.
Поют комары.

Copyright © 1998-2004, D. Smirnov, I. Yasuda

About the KIGO in this haiku:
winter is of course a winter kigo, but here it might mean the feeling of cool in the garden when the first voice of the insects (kigo for autumn) are finally heared after a long hot summer. After all, we are in the Edo period with no coolers or devices to cool a home. Even the sound of wind chimes (fuurin) was used to create a feeling of coolness in summer.

If the word WINTER is taken at face value, it will convey the feeling of a pleasant warm late autumn day, when the insects were still singing.

（ふゆにはやつきもいとなるむしのぎん）

　今年の夏は暑い、それでも山国ではそろそろ虫の音が聞える。そして不思議なもので虫の音が聞えると感覚的にもうそろそろ秋だなあ、とう気がしてくる。それは、虫＝秋という思い込みがそうさせるのか、あるいは虫の涼やかな音がそうさせるのか、多分その両方だと思う。例えば昔は暑さを凌ぐために、風鈴などを軒下にかけ、その音を聞いていくらか涼感を味わったのだから。今はクーラーの時代で、あの懐かしい風鈴はあまり見かけないが、どうも健康的にはクーラーより風鈴のほうがよさそうな気がする。
　この句のように冬になれば、残る虫の音は過ぎてゆく穏やかな季節への名残と聞える。
http://www.geocities.co.jp/Hollywood-Studio/4128/591.html


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"voice of the birds" tori no koe 鳥の声

bird song, chirping

Some Thoughts by Narayanan :

I and N [ my disciple for music] were listening to Kumar Gandharva's Bhajans. It ended with "nirbhay nirgun ~~ " There was a profound silence around as a result of the song. Then he was about to play another cassette.

I said "fool stop it: there is no more human music possible after this!It is a closure. Only birds can sing better!"

We were sitting there for sometime and very soon dozens of different birds appeared in the garden around, singing in full gusto. I was ecstatic: It was as if they heard my compliment to their race.

I just indicated to N to listen and showed him how they were keeping Adi Taalam [the primordial rhythm] for their divine symphony. It was the only time i had seen so many birds at my window. In traditional Indian mysticism birds are divine beings. Even crows are considered anscestors coming to visit us. In other traditions they symbolize angels.

the sky is mu
the spring-light is mu
the bird-song is mu

© Narayanan Raghunathan
World Kigo Database : MU　 　

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Kikinashi ききなし
(the expression of birdcalls in the Japanese language)

Many people find it quite difficult to learn how to recognize each species' particular way of singing. It's probably not as easy as remembering their physical characteristics.

The song of the cuckoo, which has been transcribed as "Tokyo-tokkyo-kyokakyoku" (which means Tokyo Patent Office) and that of the crowned willow warbler - "sho-chu-ippai-kuii" ("Drink the wine down in one gulp").

Please read the details HERE !

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voice of a sparrow, suzume no koe 雀の声


yume mo mizu nete ita yo suzume no koe

not seeing a dream
slept the night
sparrow's voices

荻原井泉水 Ogiwara Seisensui

I wonder if the last line of this haiku is correct.
The kigo is quoted for spring, but then it should read "suzume no ko", baby sparrow.
Quoted from "The Haiku Handbook", Kodansha 1985, by William J. Higginson

Read more here:
Discussing kigo: "suzume no koe ??"

... ... ...

チュンチュンと雀の声に目覚めたり
chuu chuu to suzume no koe ni mezametari

chirp chirp chirp -
I wake up to the
voice of the sparrows

Comment of the author:
これも季語なし。雀の子なら季語であるが。
This is a haiku without a kigo. Had I written "baby sparrows", this would have a kigo.
http://homepage1.nifty.com/midnightsapporo/haiku/haikup/haip06/haip06.html


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Worldwide use

Russia

Various Voices of Animals
Zhanna P. Rader 　

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Things found on the way


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HAIKU

MOSQUITOE, ka 蚊

In English, the sound mosquitoes make when flying is commonly described as being a 'buzz', a 'hum', a 'drone' and sometimes a 'whine'.
In Japanese, the onomatopoetic 'bun-bun' can be used to discribe this sound.
A scientific study has shown that different species of mosquitoes buzz or hum at different sound frequencies to facilitate finding the right mate among the different mosquitoes 'voicing' around in a given area.
Larry Bole, Translating Haiku Forum


蚊の声の中に思索の糸を獲し
ka no koe no naka ni shisaku no ito o eshi

Through the mosquito's voice
I started a thread of poetic thought.
(Tr. Hugh Bygott)


Discussing this haiku
Hugh Bygott, Translating Haiku Forum

... ... ...

I can imagine her sitting in the mosquito net (I used to live in one in the first year of my stay at GokuRakuAn, with all the mosquitoes buzzing outside, trying to get my thoughts together while looking through the loops and threads ...), so here she sits trying to ponder ... I wonder which haiku was really formed in her mind in this situation !
With the idea of a mosquito net the idea of a thread is even more tempting to me as some sort of shasei ...

amid the buzz of mosquitoes
a thread of ideas is
enfolding
(Tr. Gabi Greve)


in the mosquito's
buzz, a thread of thought
begins in my mind
(Tr. Ueda Makoto)

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蚊の声の中にあかいぞ草の花
ka no koe no naka ni akai zo kusa no hana

Kobayashi Issa

amid the buzz of mosquitoes
a bit of red...
wildflower

Tr. David Lanoue


WKD : Mosquito (ka)

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SPIDERS, kumo 蜘蛛

蜘何と 音をなにと鳴 秋の風
Kumo nan to ne wo nani to naku aki no kaze

Spider, say again!
It’s so hard to hear your voice
in the autumn wind.

Spider, I say!
In what voice do you chirp?
An autumn wind
(© Makoto Ueda)

Matsuo Basho

WKD : Spider (kumo) 　




© Photo by Gabi Greve, July 2006 　

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DUCKS, kamo 鴨

海くれて 鴨のこゑ ほのかに白し
Umi kurete kamo no koe honokani shiroshi

Ocean waves are dark,
only calls of ducks
faintly lighten in the sky

The sea darkens
and a wild duck’s call
is faintly white.
(© Makoto Ueda)

Matsuo Basho

WKD : Duck (kamo) 　

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PHEASANT, kiji 雉子

父母の　しきりに戀し　雉子の声
Chichi-haha no shikiri ni koishi kiji no koe

Father, mother dear!
I hear as I mourn for you –
hear the pheasant's cry!

The voice of the pheasant;
how I longed
for my dead parents!
(© R. H. Blyth)

Matsuo Basho

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雉なくや座頭が橋を這ふ時に
kiji naku ya zatoo ga hashi o hau toki ni

a pheasant cries
just when the blind man
crawls across the bridge

Issa, 1818
Tr. David Lanoue

In this comic haiku the pheasant's outburst has come at a bad time. One hopes that the blind man isn't startled enough to lose his balance!

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Mokubo Temple --
even at dusk the pheasant
still crying

木母寺は暮ても雉の鳴にけり
mokuboji wa kurete mo kiji no naki ni keri

Issa and Temple Mokubo-Ji
Tr. David Lanoue


Pheasant (kiji) KIGO


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Cows and Bulls, ushi 牛

春風や堤ごしなる牛の声　　
haru kaze ya tsutsumi goshi naru ushi no koe

来山 Raizan

Vento de primavera —
Do outro lado do aterro,
O mugido da vaca.
http://www.kakinet.com/caqui/antojappn.shtml

spring breeze -
on the riverbank
the voices of cows
(tr. Gabi Greve)

WKD : Cow, Bull (ushi)


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DOG, inu 犬
howling, unaru うなる


犬の声靴の音長夜なりにけり
inu no koe kutsu no ne nagakiyo nari　ni keri

a dog howling
sound of footsteps
longer night

Masaoka Shiki

... ... ...

犬の声ぱったり止て蓮の花
inu no koe pattari yamite hasu no hana

suddenly
the dog stops barking...
lotus blossoms!

Kobayashi Issa, Three more on this LINK
Tr. David Lanoue


うら窓や鹿のきどりに犬の声
ura mado ya shika no kidori ni inu no koe

back window--
the deer strikes a pose
the dog barks



花ちるや称名うなる寺の犬
hana chiru ya shoomyoo unaru tera no inu

cherry blossoms scatter--
growling Buddha's name
a temple dog

Issa (Tr. David Lanoue)

The temple dog is growling the nembutsu prayer:
"Namu Amida Butsu"--"All praise to Amida Buddha!"
This is appropriate for the situation, since the blossoms are dying and only Amida Buddha's intercession can bring salvation: rebirth in the Pure Land.
"Blossoms" (hana) can denote cherry blossoms in the shorthand of haiku.


Chanting only the name of Amida or other deities is especially common in the Sect of the Pure Land, to which Issa belonged.
称名 (しょうみょう): 仏や菩薩の名を称(とな)えること。

shoomyoo 声明 is the chanting of prayers accompanied by musical intstuments in other Buddhist sects.

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CAT, neko 猫

sound/voice/call/ of a cat ... neko no koe 猫の声

hana ni hi no sashite cho kamu neko no koe

Hyakuchi (1757-1835)


sun-lit blossoms
a cat gurgles chewing
on a butterfly

robin d. gill


Read the discussion of this translation
Translating Haiku Forum

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In the haiku by Issa, the subject is the love season of cats, neko no koi 猫の恋.


のら猫も妻乞ふ声は持にけり
nora neko mo tsuma kou koe wa mochi ni keri

even the stray cat
begging
for a wife!


有明や家なし猫も恋を鳴
ariake ya ie nashi neko mo koi wo naku

at dawn
the homeless cat, too
cries for love


猫なくや中を流るる角田川
neko naku ya naka nagaruru sumida-gawa

cats' love calls--
between them flows
Sumida River


大猫よはやく行け行け妻が鳴く
ô neko yo hayaku ike ike tsuma ga naku

hey big cat
shake a leg!
the wife calls


あまり鳴て石になるなよ猫の恋
amari naite ishi ni naru na yo neko no koi

such yowling
don't turn to stone!
lover cat


つりがねのやうな声して猫の恋
tsuri-gane no yôna koe shite neko no koi

with a voice
like a temple bell...
the lover cat


庵の猫しゃがれ声にてうかれけり
io no neko shagare koe nite ukare keri

my hut's cat
with a hoarse voice
goes carousing


ばか猫や身体ぎりのうかれ声
baka neko ya shintai-giri no ukare koe

foolish cat--
putting his whole body
into his yowl


屋根の声見たばかり也不精猫
yane no koe mita bakari nari bushô neko

just a glance
at the yowler on the roof...
lazy cat


恋猫や竪横むらを鳴歩行
koi neko ya tate yoko mura wo naki-aruku

the lover cat
crisscrosses the village
yowling


縛れて鼾かく也猫の恋
shibararete ibiki kaku nari neko no koi

tethered now
how he snores...
the lover cat

Issa, Tr. by David Lanoue　

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DEER, shika 鹿

shika no nakigoe　鹿の鳴声
Deer, Voice of the Deer: KIGO for Autumn 　
!! Read this interesting discuccion HERE !! 　　　


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EARTHWORM, mimizu ミミズ　蚯蚓　みみず
kigo for all summer

shima mimizu 縞蚯蚓（しまみみず）Eisenia foetida
(about 6 to 18 cm long)
mimizu izu 蚯蚓出づ（みみずいづ）earthworms coming out

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"mimizu naku" is a kigo for autumn.
here it is not the earthworm, but the mole-cricket singing.
family Gryllotalpidae.
Gryllotalpa orientalis ケラ（螻蛄）kera in Japan
Mole crickets in the WIKIPEDIA !

In Europe
the mole cricket is singing in spring
and is seen flying around in summer.

spring meadow -
a mole cricket's song comes
from the earth

dusk above the river --
a mole cricket flies off from
the angler's can


The anglers use the mole crickets as the best baits for the fish, and they put the poor mole crickets on their angles. But in the Summer the mole crickets have the wings and they could escape as this one did from the angler's can.

Tomislav Maretic, Croatia


... ... ...


古犬や蚯蚓の唄にかんじ顔
furu inu ya mimizu no uta ni kanji-gao

the old dog
looks as if he's listening...
earthworms sing

... ... ...

Other translations of the old dog haiku are:

Sam Hamill:

The old dog listens
intently, as if to the
work songs of worms


Blyth:

The aged dog
Seems impressed with the sound
Of the earthworms.

Hass:

The old dog--
listening for the songs
of earthworms?

Read a short discussion about this haiku
Larry Bole, SimplyHaiku Forum 　
　　　
... ... ...

Back to Issa and his earthworm haiku:

細る也蚯蚓の唄も一夜づつ
hosoru nari mimizu no uta mo hito ya-zutsu

the earthworms' song
grows thinner...
night by night


其声のさっても若い蚯蚓哉
sono koe no satte mo wakai mimizu kana

that voice
he's a young one...
earthworm


夜々や涼しい連に鳴蚯蚓
yoru-yoru ya suzushii tsure ni naku mimizu

night after night
accompanying the coolness...
earthworms sing


One Japanese saijiki, a book of season words with examples, says the following about the expression "earthworms sing" (mimizu naku): "Earthworms don't sing. On autumn evenings, when one says one is hearing the 'jii-jii' song of earthworms, in fact they are referring to mole-crickets"; Kiyose (Tokyo: Kakugawa Shoten, 1984) 296. Shinji Ogawa notes, in modern usage, the expression can refer to any "unknown bugs" singing in the autumn.

More haiku by Issa about the Earthworm Song
Tr. by David Lanoue

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CRICKET, kirigirisu きりぎりす

Cricket as KIGO for Autumn 　 　　

きりぎりす声をからすな翌も秋
kirigirisu koe o karasu na asu mo aki

don't get hoarse
katydid! tomorrow is
autumn too

Issa, Tr. David Lanoue


A katydid (kirigirisu) is a green or light brown insect, a cousin of crickets and grasshoppers. The males possess special organs on the wings with which they produce shrill calls. Although katydid is the closest English equivalent, many translators (such as R. H. Blyth) use the more familiar "grasshopper" and "cricket." See Haiku (Tokyo: Hokuseido, 1949-1952; rpt. 1981-1982/reset paperback edition) 4.1068-69.

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Related words

***** Haiku Topics ..... (WKD): Sound of Water mizu no oto 水の音

***** Kaze no Oto, the Sound of Wind. Gabi Greve　風の音



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