Japanese Fairy Tale Series 01 #06- The Mouse's Wedding

\

it 8

i Published by

T. 17

Kami

HASEGAWA, Negishi, Tokyo, Japan.

MOW0

A

LONG

time ago there was a

white mouse

mochi,

God

WEOOJNG,

servant

of Wealth.

of

called

Kane-

Daikoku, the

His

wife's

name

was Onaga. Both Kanemochi and

his wife

in the

were very

discreet.

Never

day time nor even at night

did they venture into the parlor or kitchen, and so they lived in tranquility

meeting the

free cat.

from danger

Their only son

Fukutaro also was of disposition.

enough

of

When

a

gentle

he was old

to take a wife, his parents

concluded to get him one, transfer their property to

him, and

seek

retirement.

Fortunately, one

their relatives

named Chudayu had

of

Hatsuka. a lovely daughter called

Accordingly

a

was employed negotiations

with Chudayu respecting

go-between to\

enter into

the marriage. folks

When

were allowed

to

the young see

other, neither party objected,

so presents were exchanged.

each

and

f The bridegroom

sent the bride

the usual articles: an obi or belt, silk

cotton,

dried

bonito,

dried

cuttle

and

fish,

safe

white or

rice

flax,

seaweed,

wine.

The

bride sent the bridegroom in like

manner: a linen kami-shimo, dried bonito,

dried

cuttle-fish,

white

j

flax,

sea-weed,

thus

confirming

and

fish,

the

sdke\

marriage

promise.

A

lucky day was then chosen,

and

every

the

bride's

thing

prepared

for

removal to her new

home, her clothes were cut out

and

made, and needed

So

purchased.

busy

kept

articles

Chudayu

was

for

the

preparing

wedding.

The ter

parents

made

their

Hatsuka blacken her

daughteeth

as

not they

a

marry also

that she

be

that

sign

a

she

second

carefully

would husband;

taught

her

must obey her husband,

dutiful

to

her

father-in-law,

and love her mother-in-law,

Kanemochi on

inside

house

his

up

made preparation ceremony and relatives

and

his part cleaned

and

for the

out,

marriage

feast,

assembled his

friends,

and sent out

many

of his servants to meet the

bride

on her way, and

notice all

of

might

her

be

to

approach,

prepared

give that

for

her

in

her

reception.

Soon

the

palanquin

bride

came

with her boxes carried

a long train of at-

tendants following her.

Kanemochi went out as far as the

gate

'

-'!*-*

.

,-A;

'f#v**

to

meet

her,

and ushered her into

the parlor.

At a

signal from the go-between

the bride and bridegroom, to confirm the marriage bond,

exchanged

between themselves three cups of sake,

drinking three times from

mM

each cup in turns.

When

this

ceremony, the "three

times three" was ended, the guests bride cups with the

exchanged in token of

good

and thus

will,

the union was consum-mated.

Shortly

her

husband,

visited her

the

bride

the

afterwards

and

his

bride,

parents

home. In the evening

home

returned

with

with her husband and his parents

whom

lived

she

in

contented, prosperous

and much

to

harmony,

and happy,

be congratulated.

I

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