老女（亡靈女官）是誰？
侍奉平家亡靈的女官
老女（亡靈女官）
老女是〈無耳芳一的故事〉中侍奉高貴之人的年長女官，真面目是平家的亡靈。「老女」是古代武家或貴族家中，負責管理內宅事務的女性職稱。
芳一被帶到宅邸後，出來迎接他的就是老女。老女要他說唱壇之浦那一段。眾人聽完芳一的說唱都放聲痛哭，之後老女吩咐他：「從今以後每晚都要來這裡說唱。這件事不可以告訴任何人。」
一般認為，聽芳一說唱的「主上」和眾人，就是在壇之浦和年幼的安德天皇一同沉入海中的平家一門。老女的這番話，讓芳一夜夜前往墓地，是整個故事的重要開端。
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