One winter it was very cold.
An old Japanese man named Yosaku and his wife, Ine, could find nothing to eat.
The snow was thick on the ground, and they had no money to buy food.
Yosaku was a very talented hat maker.
He usually sold his hats in the village.
But it was a cold, hard winter.
Because of the snow, the couple could not find grass to make hats.
One day, Yosaku and Ine searched through their food chests looking for rice.
Ine found only a few grains of rice left.
As she cooked the rice, some hungry mice came to watch.
Ine said, "Oh Yosaku, look! Even the poor mice are hungry.
It is a sad home that has hungry mice."
"Let us share our food with them, Ine," said Yosaku.
The mice were grateful.
"You are both so kind to us.
Usually people shoo mice away and we starve during the winter."
The mice ate the rice and, late during the night, snuck out into the cold snow.
The next morning, the mice surprised Yosaku and Ine.
All night long the brave mice had dug deep in the snow for precious grass.
They brought Yosaku and Ine enough grass for six hats.
"Look what gifts the mice have brought!
Now we can make grass hats for New Year's.
We can sell them in town and buy food!" said Yosaku.
Yosaku and Ine worked hard all that day.
They made six excellent hats to sell at the market.
As Yosaku walked to the market the next morning, he passed six Jizo-sama Buddhas.
Each Buddha had snow covering his head.
Yosaku felt sad at seeing this.
"I wish I could give an offering to you, Jizo-samas.
But sadly, I am only a poor hat maker."
Yosaku removed the towel from his head and wiped the snow off the Buddhas' heads.
At the market, Yosaku called out,
"Grass hats! Grass hats for sale for New Year's!"
But no one had money to buy his hats.
As Yosaku walked home, he passed the Jizo-sama Buddhas again.
"Oh, Jizo-samas!" he said, "I have not sold any hats, so I cannot give an offering of food to you.
But I will wipe the snow from your heads.
I will place my grass hats upon you so that you can stay warm at night."
The Jizo-samas remained silent, and Yosaku walked home.
The next morning was New Year's.
Yosaku and Ine woke to a cold room and a bare cupboard.
Their mice friends were also hungry and shivered in the corner.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
Ine opened the door.
There stood the six Jizo-sama Buddhas.
In their outstretched hands were rice cakes, some vegetables, and the New Year's pine decoration.
One Jizo-sama said, "You have been good to Buddha.
You have helped the small animals and warmed us with your hats.
For this we honor you and give you New Year's offerings."
The Jizo-sama Buddhas bowed to Yosaku and Ine.
Yosaku and Ine began to cry with happiness.
To be honored by the Jizo-sama Buddhas was very unusual, and it was a special occasion.
They knew that the next year would be lucky for them and their friends.
Yosaku, Ine, and the mice crowded around the New Year's feast.
"Oh, how lucky we are to have friends and happiness, even at this cold New Year's celebration," said Yosaku.
Yosaku, his wife, and their mice friends enjoyed the heartwarming food from the Jizo-sama Buddhas.
"May we have a happy new year!" he said.