■ あらすじ　
　昔々、竹取の翁が竹林で光る竹の中から見つけ連れ帰った小さな
精は、美しく気品ある娘へと成長し、「かぐや姫」と呼ばれた。姫の噂
を聞いた多くの身分ある男性が彼女を妻に望んだが、断るために
彼女は難題を課し、それをこなした人はいなかった。姫は月からこの
世に来た者で、次の満月の夜には月へ帰らねばならないというので、姫と文<ふみ>を交わすことを愉しみに暮らしていた帝は、満月の夜、
翁の家を武士に守らせたが、姫は翁夫妻にお礼の文を、帝に文と
不死の薬を残し月へ帰った。帝は姫のいない世に不死の薬は必要
ないと、天に一番近い山で焼かせ、この山が「不死山」と呼ばれる
ようになった。

■ Outline of this story
　Long ago, an old woodcutter called Taketori discovered a glowing stalk in a bamboo forest. When he cut it down and found a tiny fairy girl in it, he took her back. In time, she grew up into a beautiful and noble woman, and was called "Kaguya Hime," meaning "Princess Splendor." Hearing of her beauty, many high-born suitors came and tried to claim her hand, but none were able to meet her requirements. She said that she had come from the moon, and was destined to return on the night of the next full moon. The Mikado was living for the joy of exchanging letters with her, and had his soldiers guard the woodcutter's house on the fateful night. But the princess nevertheless returned to the moon, leaving behind a letter for the old woodcutter and his wife, and a letter and an elixir of life for the Mikado. Sighing that he had no desire to live on forever now that the princess was no longer in the world, the Mikado had the elixir burnt on the highest mountain in his land. From this, the mountain came to be called "Fuji-no-Yama" (i.e., "The Deathless Mountain") ever after.

Note
　This translation by E. Rothesay Miller divides what is one of Japan's most ancient tales into nine chapters. It includes a commentary in plain language that makes the story, which is known to all Japanese, more accessible to non-Japanese as well. It also presents the details of the things required to the five suitors and the connection with the etymology of "Mt. Fuji." The illustrations were produced by Eitaku Kobayashi.