A Sumo Wrestler’s Tail

An old man goes up the mountain to cut firewood, during which he hears mysterious chanting. Curious, he follows the voices through the woods until he reaches a clearing with a sumo ring setup. In the ring, a slender mouse and a larger mouse engage in a sumo match, capturing the old man's fascination.

The old man watches the sumo match between the small mouse from his house and the larger mouse from a rich household. Despite cheering for the small mouse, he sees it quickly flung out of the ring due to the larger mouse’s strength, which makes him feel sympathetic towards the smaller mouse.

Back home, the old man tearfully recounts the sumo match to his wife, expressing regret that he has no tasty food to help the small mouse become stronger. His wife is moved by the story and decides to prepare rice cakes to bolster the mouse’s strength.

The couple makes rice cakes from their stored rice and leaves them on a shelf for the mouse to find, hoping they will help boost its power. The next morning, they find the rice cakes missing, which they interpret as a sign of the mouse’s gratitude and increasing strength.

The old man climbs the mountain again and witnesses another sumo match between the fat and slender mice. This time, the slender mouse easily overcomes the larger one, gaining confidence and strength from the rice cakes, as he explains to the larger mouse.

The angry larger mouse demands an explanation for the small mouse’s new strength and requests to visit his household for rice cakes. The slender mouse agrees but asks for a large sum of money in exchange for the visit, setting the stage for future interactions.

The old couple decides to make more rice cakes and leaves out two loincloths for the mice, hoping to help and support the mice’s strength. They wake up to find the rice cakes, loincloths, and three gold coins left by the mice, indicating a successful exchange.

With money left by the mice, the couple climbs the mountain again to watch a final, long sumo match between two strong mice wearing red loincloths. Both mice are evenly matched, grappling intensely until evening, symbolizing their strength and mutual respect.

The old couple returns home content, having witnessed the mice’s strength and generosity. They live happily, enriched by the mice’s visits and the symbolic exchange of rice cakes and money, reflecting themes of kindness and mutual aid.