uki_ ("drops from the
River of Heaven"); and it was used to make fresh ink for writing the
poems which were to be suspended to bamboos planted in the garden. It
was usual for friends to present each other with new inkstones at the
time of the Tanabata festival; and if there were any new inkstones
in the house, the fresh ink was prepared in these. Each member of
the family then wrote poems. The adults composed verses, according
to their ability, in praise of the Star-deities; and the children
either wrote dictation or tried to improvise. Little folk too young
to use the writing-brush without help had their small hands guided,
by parent or elder sister or elder brother, so as to shape on a
_tanzaku_ the character of some single word or phrase relating to
the festival,--such as "Amanogawa," or "Tanabata," or "Kasasagi
no Hashi" (the Bridge of Magpies). In the garden were planted two
freshly-cut bamboos, with branches and leaves entire,--a male bamboo
(_otoko-dak['e]_) and a female bamboo (_onna-dak['e]_). They were
set up about six feet apart, and to a cord extended between them were
suspended paper-cuttings of five colors, and skeins of dyed thread of
five colors. The paper-cuttings represented upper-robes,--_kimono_.
To the leaves and branches of the bamboos were tied the _tanzaku_
on which poems had been written by the members of the family.
And upon a table, set between the bamboos, or immediately before
them, were placed vessels containing various offerings to the
Star-deities,--fruits, _s[=o]men_, rice-wine, and vegetables of
different kinds, such as cucumbers and watermelons.

But the most curious Izumo custom relating to the festival was the
_N['e]mu-nagashi_, or "Sleep-wash-away" ceremony. Before day-break
the young folks used to go to some stream, carrying with them bunches
composed of _n['e]muri_-leaves and bean-leaves mixed together. On
reaching the stream, they would fling their bunches of leaves into the
current, and sing a little song:--

N['e]mu wa, nagar['e] yo!
Mam['e] no ha wa, tomar['e]!

These verses might be rendered in two ways; because the word _n['e]mu_
can be taken in the meaning either of _n['e]muri_ (sleep), or of
_nemuri-gi_ or _n['e]munoki_, the "sleep-plant" (mimosa),--while the
syllables _mam['e]_, as written in _kana_, can signify either "bean,"
or "activity," or "strength," "vigor," "health," etc. But the ceremony
was symbolical, and the intended meaning of the song was:--

Dro