Chapter 45 Summary

The Eighth Prince, a holy man who has not left the world to take on the life of a monk, lives in Uji with his two daughters and, together, they enjoy a slow-paced life in his country villa. One day, as he and his daughters write poems about some mallards swimming on the pond, the Eight Prince begins thinking about these birds and their lives. Though he once thought little of their frivolous lives, the death of his wife has changed things. In fact, he is jealous of their ability to simply swim about, unconcerned about either the future or the past, and are content to simply be what they are. The Eighth Prince has officially renounced the world, but he has not left it behind entirely. In fact, he has stayed firmly in it so that he can take proper care of...