No. 54
The Mouse Maiden[1]
There are a King and a Queen of a certain city, and there is a daughter of the Queen.
They asked [permission] to summon the daughter to go [in marriage] to the Prince of another city. The King said “Hā,” so they came from that city to summon the King’s Princess. After coming, they told the bride to come out [of her chamber] in order to eat the rice [of the wedding-feast]. The Queen said, “She is eating cooked rice in the house.”
Then they told her to come out in order to dress her in the robes [sent by the bridegroom (?)]. The Queen said, “She is putting on robes [in her chamber].”
Then they told her to come out in order to go [to the bridegroom’s city]. So the Queen told two persons to come, and having put a female Mouseling[1] in an incense box, brought it, and gave it into the hands of the two persons, and said, “Take ye this, and until seven days have gone by do not open the mouth of the box.” Having taken it to the city, when they opened the mouth of the box after seven days, a mouse sprang out, [and hid itself] among the cooking pots.
There was also a (servant) girl at the Prince’s house. The girl apportioned and gave cooked rice and vegetable [curry] to the Prince, and covered up the cooking pots [containing the rest of the food]. Then the Mouseling came, and having taken and eaten some of the cooked rice and vegetables, covered up the cooking pots, and went again among the pots.
On the following day the same thing occurred. The Prince said to the girl. “Does the Mouseling eat the cooked rice? Look and come back.” The girl having gone and looked, came back and said, “She has eaten the cooked rice, and covered the cooking pots, and has gone.” The Prince said, “Go thou also, and eat rice, and come back.” So the girl went and ate rice, and returned.
Next day the Prince said, “I am going to cut paddy (growing rice). Remain thou at the house, and in the evening place the articles for cooking near the hearth.” Then the Prince went. Afterwards, in the evening the girl placed the things for cooking near the hearth, and went out of the way.