Early in the morning, Michinaga handed Murasaki Shikibu an Ominaeshi which was just wet with the morning dew. Murasaki that she received it immediately brought the inkstone by her side, and she composed the song, wondering how ugly she was  with an older sleepy face, even though Ominaehi was so beautiful.  Then Michinaga immediately replied, and no,  Ominaeshi was trying hard to be beautiful, and encouraged Murasaki that beauty depends on your heart.  It is a passage that appears in Murasaki Shikibu’s diary “Ominaeshi”.  At that time, Murasaki was a widow with a child who had passed 30.  She was then an elderly woman.  On the other hand, Michinaga was a some elderly person who had just passed 40.  It is a passage that reminds us of the relationship between the two.

早朝、朝露に濡れて輝かしいばかりの女郎花を道長が紫式部に手向けます。受け取った紫は直ぐに硯を取り、女郎花はこんなに美しいのに、年増の寝ぼけ顔の私はなんて醜いことでしょうと歌を読みます。すると道長は直ぐに返歌し、いやいや女郎花は美しくなろうと一所懸命努力しているのですよ、美しさは貴女のお心次第ですよと紫を励まします。紫式部日記「女郎花」に出てくる一節です。この時紫は３０を過ぎた子持ちの未亡人。今で言えば初老の女性です。一方道長は40を過ぎたばかりの初老。二人の関係を偲ばせる一節です。