The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Mouse's Wedding, by Unknown

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Title: The Mouse's Wedding

Author: Unknown

Release Date: December 8, 2008 [EBook #27456]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MOUSE'S WEDDING ***

Produced by Louise Hope

[The original book had illustrations on almost all pages.
Their location has not been individually marked. The
inconsistent hyphenization of "cuttle-fish" is in the
original.]

JAPANESE FAIRY TALE SERIES NO. 6

THE MOUSE'S WEDDING.

Griffith Farran & Co., London & Sydney, N.S.W.

Kobunsha : Tokyo

THE

MOUSE'S WEDDING.

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 discreet. Never in the day time nor
even at night did they venture into the parlor or
kitchen, and so they lived in tranquility free from
danger of meeting the cat. Their only son Fukutaro
also was of a gentle disposition. When he was old
enough to take a wife, his parents concluded to get
him one, transfer their property to him, and seek
retirement. Fortunately, one of their relatives
named Chudayu had a lovely daughter called Hatsuka.
Accordingly a go-between was employed to enter into
negotiations with Chudayu respecting the marriage.
When the young folks were allowed to see each other,
neither party objected, and so presents were
exchanged.

The bridegroom sent the bride the usual articles:
an obi or belt, silk cotton, dried bonito, dried
cuttle fish, white flax, sea-weed, and _sake_ or
rice wine. The bride sent the bridegroom in like
manner: a linen _kami-shimo_, dried bonito, dried
cuttle-fish, white flax, sea-weed, fish, and
_sake_; thus confirming the marriage promise.

A lucky day was then chosen, and every thing
prepared for the bride's removal to her new home,
her clothes were cut out and made, and needed
articles purchased. 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
s