Once upon a time, there lived an old couple who were very happy together.
When the old man went to gather firewood his wife made rice balls for him.
Eat these when you get hungry.
They certainly look delicious don't they. Thank you.
In good spirits, the old man set off for the mountain.
As he collected brushwood, he forgot about the time.
He gathered lots of firewood.
Before he realized it, it was noon.
Time for a lunch-break. I'm hungry!
The old man sat down on a hill with a nice view and carefully opened up the cloth bundle containing the rice balls.
This look so good!
...when, oops!
It slipped out of his grasp, fell, and rolled downhill.
The rice ball bounced and bounded down the slope of the mountain, rolling on and on...
Stop! Stop! Uh! Stop! Oh...Uh...
The old man ran after it desperately, but, when it came to the bottom
of the hill the rice ball went, plop! right into a hole in the ground.
The hole was dark.
The old man peered in but couldn't see anything.
Oh, that's too bad. What a waste.
Just then, from the same hole came the happy sounds of music and song.
The old man certainly cheered up, and before he knew it he was dancing!
Rice balls roll along. Plop, plop, plop, What a funny song!
I sure would like to hear more of this song.
The old man dropped another rice ball down the hole.
When he did so, the singing began again.
♪...Roll along, roll along, Plop, plop, plop. ♪
♪ Rice balls roll along. Plop, plop, plop. ♪
More! More! Please let me hear some more singing!
And finally, the old man dropped the last of his rice balls down the hole.
When he did, the singing started up again.
Happy, Happy, Happy, are we! Plop, plop, plop! ♪
Eventually, this singing stopped again.
But now there were no more rice balls left, either ,
This is no fun, Heeeeeeey! Let me hear that song again! Pleeeeeease!
He shouted and shouted into the hole, but there was no reply.
The old man had fallen right into the hole!
♪ Roll along, roll along, Plop, plop, plop, ♪
He heard singing again, coming from somewhere close.
The bottom of the hole was the land of mice.
The mice were singing as they worked together happily to pound rice into rice cakes.
Wha...what's here?!
A mouse approached the astonished old man.
I am the Leader of all the Mice.
It is my honor to say, thank you, Mr.man, for the rice balls.
We are mice who love to song.
It's nothing special, but please allow us to show our appreciation by entertaining you.
The old man was shown to a splendid seat..
This is just marvelous!
The old man feasted on rice cakes and liquor.
The sticky rice cakes made by the mice were exceptionally tasty.
The old man sang and danced and had a wonderful time with the mice.
♪ Make nice rice cake, Bam, bam, bam. ♪
I've taken up too much of your time. I really think I should be going.
I see. Well please take a gift with you.
A large box, and a small box. Please choose one.
You're ending me home with a present, as well?
Oh you are too kind, Since I must choose. I choose this little one.
And he took the smaller of the two boxes, accompany you as far as the rim of the hole please close your eyes and
We'll accompany you as far as the rim of the hole.
Please close your eyes and count to three.
I understand, One...two...three...
When the old man opened his eyes, he was standing outside the hole.
Such strange things I've just seen, maybe I dreamed it all.
But the small box he was holding was proof that the old man had not been dreaming after all.
The old man took the box back home.
My, what an adventure!
Oh! Oh, my goodness gracious me!
When the old man and his wife opened box...
...they were astounded. The box was packed full of gold coins!
Well, well, What a really wonderful thing.
The old man and his wife held hands and rejoiced.
So, you can turn rice balls into gold. Nice to know.
The greedy old man had been spying on the two of them all this time.
Desiring gold coins for himself, he took a small rice ball to the large mouse hole.
Okay, here goes!
He tossed in the rice ball, and sure enough, soon be could hear a happy song.
The greedy old man jumped right into the hole.
So, the land of the mice!
In the land of the mice, the mice were still pounding out rice cakes.
Hey! I tossed down a rice ball, Where's my present-my box?
Uh, yes, sir. There's a big box, and a little box.
Which one would you like to pick, sir?
It occurred to the greedy old man that he would very much like to have boxes.
And so...
I'll take them both!
The greedy old man's imitation of a wild cat threw the mice into an uproar.
they rushed hither...in panic... and yon...in fear.
Everything in the land of the mice was destroyed.
And then...the light went out.
Where are those boxes?
Can't see anything!
The greedy old man crawled about in the dirt, searching with his hands, back and forth.
Somehow, he managed to crawl out of the hole.
I sure blew it this time! That was a rough ride!
The greedy old man's hands and face were smeared with diet, his clothes were in tatters,
I shouldn't have been so greedy.
The greedy old man went back up the mountain shoulders drooping, head hanging.
Meanwhile...
...the kindly old man and his wife were busy sharing their gold with other villagers.
Oh! This is great, thanks.
If you want to thank anybody, thank the mice.
Huh? The mice?
The kindly old couple turned to each other and smiled.
They and the rest of the villagers went over to the giant mouse hole.
As thanks for the gold, they dropped down more rice balls.
When they did that, the mice could once again be heard singing happily down in their hole.
♪ Rice balls, roll along, Plop, plop, plop. ♪
The mice and the villagers became good friends, and lived happily ever after.