The Story of the Sumo Wrestling Mice

Once upon a time, in a small village, an elderly couple lived a humble life. One day, the old man went up the mountain to gather grass and stumbled upon an unusual sight: two mice, one fat and one skinny, engaged in a sumo wrestling match. The old man stopped to watch, cheering them on with the familiar chant, “Begin now... Still in the ring... Begin now... Still in the ring...” Yet, every time, the skinny mouse lost.

The Old Man’s Compassion

Returning home, the old man told his wife about the wrestling mice, feeling sympathy for the skinny one. Despite their modest means, the couple decided to help. They had some leftover glutinous rice saved for the New Year, and they used it to make rice cakes, which they placed behind the house for the skinny mouse to eat.

The Skinny Mouse Grows Stronger

The next day, the old man secretly went back to the mountain and watched the mice wrestle again. This time, the skinny mouse, after eating the rice cakes, was stronger and managed to win. After the match, the fat mouse asked, “How did you suddenly become so strong?” The skinny mouse replied, “Yesterday, I found rice cakes behind the house. I ate them, and it made me stronger.”

The fat mouse, envious, said, “My owner is rich, but stingy. He never gives me rice cakes.” The skinny mouse invited him, “Come to my house tonight, and I’ll share the rice cakes with you.” The old man, hearing this, hurried home to discuss the plan with his wife. Together, they prepared more rice cakes and even made two red sumo wrestling loincloths for the mice to wear during their matches.

A Gratifying Return

That night, the two mice arrived at the elderly couple’s home, excited to eat the rice cakes and wear the red loincloths. In gratitude, the fat mouse left a treasure chest filled with money behind the house as a gift for the kind couple.

The Sumos and Their Legacy

From then on, the two mice continued their sumo matches, winning and losing in turn. The old man and his wife enjoyed watching them, and their lives grew brighter. When the New Year came, they used the money the mice had left to buy plenty of rice cakes and food, celebrating the season with joy.