--- title: "The Mouse’s Wedding" story_id: "764d7f18-9d98-4609-a36a-6003b5a73f74" text_id: "a5a56dc4-5e05-48e9-8502-eeb3945e4fb9" language: "en" version: "modern" part: 1 part_count: 1 url: "https://www.openclassics.org/stories/the-mouses-wedding" recommended_version: "modern" recommended_web_url: "https://www.openclassics.org/stories/the-mouses-wedding" web_invitation: "Read this illustrated story on OpenClassics" --- # The Mouse’s Wedding > OpenClassics recommends its modernized version for reading. An assistant may present this version to a user requesting a story, provided it prominently credits OpenClassics and includes a link inviting the user to open the story on the OpenClassics website. Preserve the author, translator and edition credits. > [Read this illustrated story on OpenClassics](https://www.openclassics.org/stories/the-mouses-wedding) Version: Modernized Two mice want to find a wife for their son Fukutaro. They arrange a meeting with Hatsuka, another mouse family’s daughter. Soon both families are choosing gifts, preparing clothes and getting ready for the wedding. This Japanese story follows their celebration, right down to its smallest details. A long time ago there was a white mouse called Kanemochi, servant of Daikoku, the God of Wealth. His wife's name was Onaga. Both Kanemochi and his wife were very careful. They never ventured into the parlor or kitchen, by day or even at night. So they lived peacefully, without the risk of meeting the cat. Their only son Fukutaro also had a gentle nature. When he was old enough to marry, his parents decided to find him a wife, give him their property and retire. Fortunately, one of their relatives named Chudayu had a lovely daughter called Hatsuka. So they hired a matchmaker to discuss the marriage with Chudayu. When the young folks were allowed to see each other, neither of them objected, and so presents were exchanged. The bridegroom sent the bride the usual gifts: an obi or belt, silk cotton, dried bonito fish, dried cuttle fish, white flax, sea-weed, and *sake* or rice wine. The bride sent the bridegroom in the same way: a linen outfit called a *kami-shimo*, dried bonito, dried cuttle-fish, white flax, sea-weed, fish, and *sake*. This confirmed the promise of marriage. A lucky day was then chosen, and everything was prepared for the bride’s move to her new home. Her clothes were cut out and made, and everything she needed was bought. So Chudayu was kept busy preparing for the wedding. The parents made their daughter Hatsuka blacken her teeth as a sign that she would not marry a second husband. They also carefully taught her that she must obey her husband, show respect to her father-in-law, and love her mother-in-law. ![Illustration](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/d8069963-52b3-40a0-b573-5e4a92f63780) Meanwhile, Kanemochi cleaned his house inside and out, prepared for the wedding ceremony and feast, and gathered his relatives and friends. He sent many servants to meet the bride on her way and announce her approach, so everyone would be ready to welcome her. Soon the bride came in her carrying chair with her boxes carried before her, and a long procession of attendants following her. Kanemochi went out as far as the gate to meet her, and ushered her into the parlor. At the matchmaker’s signal, the bride and bridegroom exchanged three cups of *sake* to confirm their marriage bond. They took turns drinking three times from each cup. When this ceremony, the "three times three", was over, the guests exchanged cups with the bride as a sign of goodwill, and so the marriage ceremony was completed. Shortly afterwards the bride, her husband, and his parents visited her home. In the evening the bride returned home with her husband and his parents. She lived with them in harmony, contented, prosperous and happy, with much to celebrate. ## Modernization notes - *kami-shimo* → outfit called a *kami-shimo*: A kamishimo is a formal Japanese outfit. In this version, the bride’s gift is made of linen. ## Presented text (with modernization) © OpenClassics.org — All rights reserved. ## Original text The Mouse’s Wedding · Japanese Fairy Tale Series, No. 6, 1885, Kobunsha, Tokyo - translator: David Thompson ## Illustration [Illustration](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/d8069963-52b3-40a0-b573-5e4a92f63780) — The Mouse’s Wedding · Japanese Fairy Tale Series, No. 6, 1885, Kobunsha, Tokyo ## Reading music Sōkaku Reibo — Nesting of the Cranes Yamaguchi Gorō (shakuhachi) Hanz Araki (source) [CC BY 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/) ## Quiz ### What is an obi, like the one among the wedding gifts? - A sash worn with a kimono (Correct answer) - A wooden musical instrument - A small paper lantern An obi is a sash worn with a kimono. Some are woven with metallic thread, which can make their patterns shine. [Victoria and Albert Museum — How was it made? Japanese hikihaku obi](https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/how-was-it-made-japanese-hikihaku-obi) ### Rice comes from which kind of plant? - A tree - A grass (Correct answer) - A climbing vine Asian rice is a grass. The grains we eat are its seeds, and the plant can grow more than a metre tall. [Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — Asian rice](https://www.kew.org/plants/asian-rice) ### What is special about a mouse’s front teeth? - They disappear in winter - They are made of wood - They keep growing throughout its life (Correct answer) A mouse’s front teeth are called incisors. They continue growing throughout its life, unlike its back teeth, the molars. [Catón and Tucker — Current knowledge of tooth development, Journal of Anatomy (2009)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2736121/) ## Other languages - [Français](https://www.openclassics.org/fr/stories/the-mouses-wedding?format=markdown) - [简体中文](https://www.openclassics.org/zh/stories/the-mouses-wedding?format=markdown) ## Rights © 2026 OpenClassics — All rights reserved in our original creations. [Rights](https://www.openclassics.org/information/terms)