Everything on the grounds is presided over by a group of shrine maidens called the "handmaidens."
As a man, I'm only allowed to enter certain rooms. During the day, I'm confined to my assigned chambers, but during the night I'm invited into the chambers of a woman named Kyouka.
There isn't much contact with the outside world in the manor and guests are a rarity, so Kyouka always listens to my stories raptly. The sound of her plucking her koto is as fine and delicate as her hair.
When I told her I was collecting songs, she let me hear a few of the folk songs passed on in this region.
It seems the "Sleeping Priestess" song has something to do with the shrine after all, but it is used in rituals and called the "Handmaiden's Song" here.
According to Kyouka, there are four handmaidens in the manor, who are girls of roughly five to nine years old chosen from nearby villages and then made to serve a term of duty.
They also apparently play a crucial role in the rite of the "Handmaiden's Song", but Kyouka wouldn't tell me about the rite itself.
Guessing from the lyrics, I would think the rite involves a priestess and tattoos, but it would be rude of me to pry too much.
Folklore Notes 2
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Folklore Notes 2 | |
| |
| Kanji | 民俗学者の手帳 ニ みんぞく がくしゃ の てちょう に |
| Game | Fatal Frame III: The Tormented |
| Author | Akito Kashiwagi |
| Chapter | Hour III: The Subduing Song |
| Located at | Projection Room |
| Obtained | In stack of books in the alcove behind the Projector. |
| Description | Old notes found on the bookshelf in the room with the projector. Contains observations on the manor. |
| Additional Description | By my feet is a pile of books that wouldn't fit into the shelves. Among them is one with a newer spine than the others. |
| Related Notes | Folklore Notes 1 & Folklore Notes 3 |
境内のあらゆることは「鎮女」と呼ばれる
巫女が取り仕切つてゐる。
男である私は屋敷内では一部の部屋しか立
ち入りを許されない。昼の間は自室として
充てがわれた部屋に閉じ込められ、夜は鏡
華と云ふ女性の部屋に招かれることとなる。
外界との連絡がほとんどない屋敷内に於ゐ
て客人は特別な存在であるらしく、鏡華は
私の話を熱心に聞く。
彼女が爪弾く琴の音は、その柳髪と同じや
うに繊細で美しい。
私が唄の蒐集をしてゐると云ふと、この地
方に伝はる幾つかの俚謡を聞かせてくれた。
「眠り巫女」は矢張りこの神社に関る唄で
あり、儀式に際して唄はれる「鎮メ唄」と
云ふ唄であるらしい。
鏡華の話では、鎮女達は屋敷に四人居り、
周囲の村落から選ばれたおよそ五歳から
九歳までの娘達が年季勤めをしてゐるのだそうだ。
彼女達も、「鎮メ唄」の儀式で重要な役目
を持つそうであるが、その儀式の内容に
就いては、鏡華も教えてはくれなかつた。
歌詞から察するに、巫女や文身に関る儀式
であると思はれるが、余り深く詮索するの
は礼に失するだらう。