Handmaiden's Song

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The Handmaiden's song was originally a religious song used in the rituals of the Kuze Shrine. It was later corrupted into a folk lullaby, called "The Sleeping Priestess," which was passed down through villages in the Mutsu Region of Japan. There are three different versions of the lyrics: two versions of "The Sleeping Priestess" as recorded by Akito Kashiwagi, and the Handmaiden's Song, which is the only one heard during the game.

The four Handmaidens sing the song to the Tattooed Priestess in order to soothe her and help her sleep. The song is performed during the Piercing of the Soul and Impalement Ritual. The Handmaidens also sing over the Tattooed Priestess' enshrined skin during The Tearing, and while nailing ink-dyed dolls to the walls of the Doll Altars.[1]

Many victims of the Tattooed Curse hear the Handmaiden's Song in their dreams. Singing or humming the song aloud is one of the curse's symptoms. Rei Kurosawa, Miku Hinasaki, and Kei Amakura all heard the song during their exploration of the Manor of Sleep. Miku, however, is the only one observed singing it aloud. After defeating the vengeful spirit of Reika Kuze, Rei sang the final verse of the Handmaiden's song as she sent Reika and her lover to the Other Shore in a boat.

Also Known As

  • The Subduing Song (鎮メ唄, shizume uta[1])[Note 1]
  • The Lullaby (子守唄, komoriuta)[2]
  • The Sleeping Priestess[3] or Sleeping Shrine Maiden[2] (眠り巫女, nemurimiko)

Lyrics in English

Sleep, priestess, lie in peace
Sleep, priestess, lie in peace
If you cry, the boat you'll ride, the last trip to the other side,
Once you get there, sacred marks you'll bear,
They shall be peeled off, should you fail to lie still.

Sleep, priestess, lie in peace
Sleep, priestess, lie in peace
If the priestess wakes from her dream
Perform the rite of stakes, her limbs pinned tight
Lest the doors open wide and suffering unleashed on all.

Go to the other side
Go to the other side
Cast the boat, take a ride, cross the rift to the other side
Further and further to the other side,
It must sail bearing your tattoos and our offering of tears.

Sleep, child, Go to sleep.
Sleep, child, Go to sleep.
If you cry, the boat you ride
The boat to the other side
Once you get there
The bib you shall wear
And you will be punished
Should you fail to lie still

Sleep, child, Go to sleep
Sleep, child, Go to sleep
If you should wake
From your slumber at night
Great wooden stakes
Shall pin you down tight
Lest the doors open wide
And the others that sleep wake too

Sleep, child, Lie in peace
Sleep, child, Lie in peace
If you cry, the boat you'll ride
The last trip to the other side
Once you get there
Sacred marks you'll bear
They shall be peeled off
Should you fail to lie still

Sleep, child, Lie in peace
Sleep, child, Lie in peace
If the priestess wakes from her dream
Perform the rite of stakes
Her limbs pinned tight
Lest the doors open wide
And suffering unleashed on all

Neiryasayo hatate
Neiryasayo hatate
Nakuko wa kagobune tsui no michi
Ichiwara kisete onmekashi
Neiryasena sakamihagi

Neiryasayo hatate
Neiryasayo hatate
Miko-san awai ni okitsukeba
Shiseigi ugatte imii no gi
Kumon hiraite yasukarazu

Yukinasayo hatate
Yukinasayo hatate
Yukibune yurashite hatate
Kono kishi hiraite hatate
Rourou miwatari ka no kishi ni
Shisei watashite naku ga teage

References

Notes

  1. The Japanese name of the Handmaidens is also pronounced shizume, written 鎮女.
Characters and Ghosts
Player Characters
Rei Kurosawa - Miku Hinasaki - Kei Amakura
Major Characters/Ghosts
Reika Kuze - Amane Kuze - Kaname Ototsuki - Yoshino Takigawa - Yuu Asou - Yashuu Kuze - Akito Kashiwagi - Kyouka Kuze - Hisame Kuze - Shigure Kuze - Minamo Kuze - Mio Amakura - Mayu Amakura - Mafuyu Hinasaki
Minor Characters/Ghosts
Ruri - Dr. Kunihiko Asou - Tengai Narumi - Naoya - Masumi Makimura - Miyako Sudo - Ozawa - Serizawa - Musubi Osaka - Tsuzuri Osaka - Makie Kuzuhara - Kozue Kuzuhara - Kiriko Asanuma - Shizu Amakura - Engravers - Men in White - Kizuna Himuro - The Kusabi - Stroller Grandma - Black Shadow - Engraved Men
Terms
Amakura Family - Asou Family - Boat of Passing - Camera Obscura - Crimson Butterfly - Echo Stone Earrings - Final Impalement - Handmaidens - Handmaiden's Song - Himuro Family - Impalement Ritual - Impaling the Sin - Indigo ink - Ink of the soul - Igushi Doll - Kushimi Doll - Kuze Code - Kuze Family - Lost Patients - Miasma - Outsiders - Piercing of the Soul - Red ink - Rite of Commandment - Sacrificial Pillars - Snake & Holly Tattoo - Spirit Tree - Spirited Aways - Tattooed Curse - Tattooed Priestess - The Rift - The Tearing - The Unleashing - Worshippers
Locations
Rei's House
Altar Room - Bathroom - Darkroom - Doorway - Kitchen - Living Room - Miku's Room - Rei's Room - Yuu's Room
Manor of Sleep
Abyss - Abyss of the Horizon - Bell Hallway - Blind Room - Book Storeroom - Chamber of Thorns - Doll Altars - Enclosed Room - Engraving Shrine - Futon Room - Grave Courtyard - Hall with Tatami - Hanging Prison - Hearth Room - House of Sleep - Kimono Room - Kuze Shrine - Last Passage - Library - Partitioned Room - Projection Room - Rift Shrine - Room with Blind - Shrine of Sleep - Spirit Tree Garden - Stained Corridor - Stairs Hallway - Tattoo Altar - Well Room - Wooden Figure Room
Himuro Mansion area
Confinement Room - Foyer - Great Hall - Preserve Room - Rope Hallway - Rope Palace
Minakami Village area
Confinement Room - Great Hall - Hearth Room - Kimono Room - Rope Temple - Twins' Room
Other
Kukaiji Temple - Minakami Dam - Myojin Village - Katsuragi Hospital
Gameplay
Camera Obscura - Save points - Films - Flashlight - Lenses - Functions - Special Abilities - Spirit list - Health items
Music
Tsukiko Amano - Koe - Handmaiden's Song
More Pages
Hours - Items - Notes - Photographs - Costumes - Endings - Rei's Notebook - Zero Shisei no Koe Comic Anthology