The Pillow Book: Sections 136–139 Summary & Analysis

After the Regent’s death, Sei writes, “certain events were set in train in the world.” After much upheaval, the Empress leaves the palace and moves into the Konijo mansion. During this difficult period, Sei moves back home, but she can’t stop worrying about Her Majesty in the meantime.

Captain Tsunefusa visits Sei and encourages her to consider coming back to the Empress’s household. Sei replies that she “wasn’t liked, and I didn’t like it.” Truthfully, however, it’s not the Empress who dislikes Sei, but the other ladies—she feels that they spread rumors about her and talk to each other behind her back. But the longer Sei stays away, the more depressed she becomes. One day, another lady brings a message from the Empress. With a pounding heart, Sei opens it to discover a single kerria petal, with the words, “and never rises into words,” written on it.

Sei is overjoyed by this message to such a degree that she can’t recall the beginning lines of the famous poem the Empress has quoted. She has to be prompted by her own serving-girl. Not long after sending this reply, she returns to the Empress’s household, though she’s a bit nervous about it. Gradually, Empress Teishi puts Sei at ease—just like old times, she teases Sei about struggling with the poem. She’s also reminded of a story of a famous riddle competition in which a man lost because he sarcastically claimed he couldn’t solve an obvious riddle.

Sei describes a winter scene: sunlight is flashing through dark clouds. Beside a humble house, there’s a barren field, which contains a healthy young peach tree. One side of the tree has green leaves, and the other side has shining, rust-red leaves. A youth is climbing the tree while little children gather below, shouting up requests for sticks. When the youth refuses, someone shakes the tree in a dangerous fashion, leaving the boy clinging like a monkey—“a charming scene.”