Many, manyyearsagotherelivedanhonestmanandhiswifeinasmallvillageinthesouthernpartofJapan. Thiscouplelivedinhappinesstogether, andevenwhentheyweretiredfromtheday'swork, theycheeredeachotherwiththenewsoftheday. Kenta, forthatwastheman'sname, wouldtellhiswifeofthethingswhichhadhappenedinthevillagethatday, andMori, thewifeofKenta, wouldtellherhusbandthenewsherneighborshadrelatedtoher.
Althoughtheywerepoor, KentaandMoriwerecheerfultogether. Theirhappinesswasnotcomplete, however, fortheyhadnosontocarryonthefamilyname. EachmorningtheoldcouplewouldpraythattheSunGoddesswouldblessthemwithasonoftheirown. KentaandMoriwishedforasonsobadlythatonedaywhileprayingtheysaid, "Wewillbehappyeventhoughourchildwerebutassmallasourlittlefingers. Ifyougiveusachildwewilldoanythinginreturnforyourkindness."
Manymonthspassed, butstillnochildwasborn. Atlast, whentheyhadalmostgivenuphope, Morisurprisedherhusbandbytellinghimthatsoontheywouldhaveachild. Oh, theirdelightwasbeyonddescription! ImmediatelyKentahurriedtothevillageshrineandthankedtheSunGoddessfortheblessingbestowedupontheirmarriage.
Butwhenthedayofthebaby'sbirtharrived, everyonewasastonishedandpuzzledtoseethatthechildwasnolargerthanthelittlefingerofahumanhand.