On the “Manyo” Waka-poems Reproduced in the “Gyoku-yo” collection of Waka-poems (Ⅱ)

Out of the 81 “Manyo” waka-poems which are found in the “Gyokuyo” Collection of waka-poems ond divided be the present writer into three groups, the first two groups were dealt with in No.3 Memoirs issued in 1954. It the present paper, the remaining group of 27 poems comes under consideration. On examination of the reading of each of the 27 poems in question, it is discovered that the poetic diction peculiar to medieval times is adopted in many cases without regard to the correct reading of each corresponding “Manyo” original. It is highly presumable, therefore, that alike the first two groups, these poems were also reproduced out of some “Hiragana” syllabary copies. Of course, it is possible to suspect that they may have been altered in their wording or may have been composed by poets other than the composers of the supposed originals. The writer, however, rejects it ill-founded and is rather convinced that such disagreement in the wording is to be found int heir sources, viz, “Hiragana” syllabary copies from which they were first reproduced. Ie this connection, the writer has extended his study to various “Manyo” poems which can be found in anthologies other than the “Gyokuyo” Collection of Poems, and although little disagreement in wording has been discovered here with the exception of a few poems, the conclusion previously reached by him has been all the more confirmed. To sum up, Tamekane Kyogoku, the compiler of the “Gyokuyo” Collection, may be considered to have read “Manyo” poems extensively and appreciated them fairly well, but as he had recourse only to “Hiragana” syllabary copies, thereby tending to show his partiality for such “Manyo” poems as were in agreement with the style of his owm poems, his appraisal of the “Manyo” waka-poems can by means be said to have reached beyond the commmon medieval standard