Yoru no Nezame
Composition. The text exists in both three- and five-volume editions. Beside the title "Yoru no Nezame", it was also known as "Yowa no Nezame" and "Nezame" . Which was the original title is unclear. Also unclear is the author. The Teika manuscript of "Sarashina Nikki" identifies the author as the daughter of Sugawara no Takasue (1008 – c. 1059); however, there are no other means to corroborate this. Linguistic analysis suggests a post-1086 composition. The text as a whole is judged to be a c. 11th-century work. Major portions of the middle and end are no longer  extant. Their contents may be inferred from other sources such as "Mumyōzōshi", "Shūi Hyakuban Utaawase", "Fūyō Wakashū", "Yoru no Nezame Monogatari", and "Nezame Monogatari Emaki". The text is a successor to "Genji Monogatari", from which it shows much influence. However, while "Genji" is told from a male perspective, "Yoru no Nezame" is told from the perspective of a female protagonist. Contents. "Yoru no Nezame" is a tragic love story revolving around the life of Nakanokimi, also known as Nezame no Ue from which the story takes its title. Other characters include her elder sister Ōigimi and a Middle Counselor. The  story is divided into four sections: Manuscripts. The text remains in seven extant manuscripts. Of them, the three-volume Maeda manuscript is judged the best. There is also a later revised edition as well as an illustrated edition, both of which serve to supplement the missing content. The revised text, known as the Nakamura-bon, consists of a summary/adaptation of the work.