Samhain Salutation

Trust me, I won't. Though when I can get a couple Arkansas Black Apple trees, I might chance a worm or two.

With luck neither the spouse nor I will wake up to the crying child, who has several times gotten our attention while ours are sound asleep. Both of us have woken up to see who was crying, it wasn't one of ours, and we've never seen it. We also have a lot of limestone here and no previous house on the spot that we know of...

That could be a big cat, Sphinx.
The mountain lions around here sound like human children sometimes.

I suppose you know the Irish poet in English William Butler YEATS tried to write Noh-like plays. My M.A. dissertation (Lille 1969) is available from the Lulu bookstore. It includes my adaptation of "The Dreaming of the Bones" to the regular Noh stage. 

A modern performance generally comprises a full noh, a farce (kyôgen), and the second part of a noh (han-nô) and last about 3 hours, interlude included. Two centuries ago, there were five nohs and four farces.
Even if you understand Japanese, you'd better do as the Japanese - read the synopsis because poetical Medieval Japanese is hard enough in itself, but chanted by Noh actors its even more recondite. My knowledge of Japanese is very limited, but, strangely enough, I like Noh a lot.
Here is a play that could give you a good idea of how Noh is performed: Funa-Benkei "Benkei on the Boat"
youtu.be/mXpggkb6i2k?list=PLC5CB745238C2779C

Dear Larika, I am afraid the Noh play whose link I gave is not _Okina_, but _Funa-Benkei_. The former is a votive ceremony performed every year for the opening of the season. Conversely _Funa-Benkei_ is a lyrical play.

Here is the story: The prefect MINAMOTO no Yoshitsune (played by a child actor whenever possible) is fleeing the wrath of his elder brother MINAMOTO no Yoritomo. His lover, Shizuka, performs a farewell dance on the shore. Yoshitsune, accompanied by his faithful soldier-monk Benkei embarks. While they are at sea, a storm breaks out, and the ghost of the warrior TAIRA no Tomomori rises from the bottom of the sea to attack Yoshitsune. Benkei, by his prayers / exorcism, appeases the ghost.

The protagonist (shite) performs as Shizuka in the first part, and as the ghost in the second part, hence making it possible for the actor to demonstrate two opposite skills. The interlude is particular in that it shows the master boatman, performed by a clown, giving this passage a vivid down-to-earth vision of things.

When a child actor plays the part of Yoshitsune, his performance is attentively watched, because it is often the first part a Noh actor will perform in his career. I remember an outdoor performance of this play in Paris with braseros at the foot of the stage, and the setting sun in the background. I asked how old was the child playing Yoshitsune, and an expert told me he was four, and regarded as a little marvel. Because of the default age of the actor, his lines are few. Funa-Benkei is one of the most frequently performed plays along with Aoi no Ue, Momijigari, Shakkyô and Sumidagawa. 

Yes, I know the modern Noh plays, _Chopin_, _Oppenheimer_, (The Virgin) Mary. Thanks a lot.