明代(dai)山陽(yang)縣書(shu)生熊友(you)(you)(you)(you)蘭(lan)(lan)、熊友(you)(you)(you)(you)蕙(hui)(hui)(hui)(hui)兄(xiong)(xiong)(xiong)弟(di),父(fu)母早亡,家(jia)境貧寒。兄(xiong)(xiong)(xiong)友(you)(you)(you)(you)蘭(lan)(lan)別弟(di)外出(chu)謀生,友(you)(you)(you)(you)蕙(hui)(hui)(hui)(hui)則留家(jia)攻讀。友(you)(you)(you)(you)蕙(hui)(hui)(hui)(hui)與鄰居馮玉(yu)吾(wu)(wu)的(de)(de)童養媳(xi)侯三(san)(san)姑(gu)(gu)隔墻(qiang)而居。一日(ri)(ri),馮玉(yu)吾(wu)(wu)將(jiang)金(jin)(jin)(jin)環(huan)(huan)(huan)一對及寶鈔十(shi)五(wu)(wu)(wu)貫交三(san)(san)姑(gu)(gu)收(shou)(shou)藏,夜(ye)(ye)間(jian)老鼠將(jiang)金(jin)(jin)(jin)環(huan)(huan)(huan)銜到(dao)友(you)(you)(you)(you)蕙(hui)(hui)(hui)(hui)的(de)(de)書(shu)架上(shang)(shang),十(shi)五(wu)(wu)(wu)貫錢(qian)(qian)則被銜入鼠洞。友(you)(you)(you)(you)蕙(hui)(hui)(hui)(hui)見環(huan)(huan)(huan)大喜,第(di)二(er)日(ri)(ri),將(jiang)金(jin)(jin)(jin)環(huan)(huan)(huan)往(wang)馮店換(huan)錢(qian)(qian)使用。馮玉(yu)吾(wu)(wu)疑為(wei)(wei)(wei)玉(yu)姑(gu)(gu)私贈(zeng),當即(ji)(ji)命(ming)子找三(san)(san)姑(gu)(gu)索環(huan)(huan)(huan),其(qi)子誤食藥鼠面餅(bing)(bing)中(zhong)毒而死,馮玉(yu)吾(wu)(wu)即(ji)(ji)以金(jin)(jin)(jin)環(huan)(huan)(huan)為(wei)(wei)(wei)證(zheng),告友(you)(you)(you)(you)蕙(hui)(hui)(hui)(hui)與三(san)(san)姑(gu)(gu)通奸,謀財害命(ming)。山陽(yang)縣縣官(guan)過于執將(jiang)二(er)人屈(qu)打(da)成招,定為(wei)(wei)(wei)死罪,并要友(you)(you)(you)(you)蕙(hui)(hui)(hui)(hui)賠(pei)償十(shi)五(wu)(wu)(wu)貫寶鈔。卻(que)說(shuo)友(you)(you)(you)(you)蘭(lan)(lan)在(zai)船上(shang)(shang)做舵手,一日(ri)(ri)聞客述山陽(yang)一案(an),知弟(di)遭難,急欲(yu)前往(wang)。無錫客商陶復朱贈(zeng)銀十(shi)五(wu)(wu)(wu)貫,即(ji)(ji)夕啟(qi)行。再說(shuo)無錫有開肉鋪的(de)(de)游(you)葫(hu)蘆,因(yin)(yin)無本(ben)錢(qian)(qian),停業已久,其(qi)姐(jie)贈(zeng)給他十(shi)五(wu)(wu)(wu)貫錢(qian)(qian)合(he)伙開業。游(you)葫(hu)蘆背負十(shi)五(wu)(wu)(wu)貫錢(qian)(qian)深夜(ye)(ye)歸(gui)家(jia),趁酒興戲謂(wei)其(qi)養女蘇戍(shu)娟(juan),說(shuo)這十(shi)五(wu)(wu)(wu)貫錢(qian)(qian)是她的(de)(de)賣身錢(qian)(qian),戍(shu)娟(juan)害怕,連(lian)夜(ye)(ye)出(chu)逃(tao)。戍(shu)娟(juan)走后,賭徒無賴婁阿鼠潛入游(you)家(jia)偷錢(qian)(qian),因(yin)(yin)被游(you)葫(hu)蘆發覺,情急中(zhong)將(jiang)游(you)殺死后攜錢(qian)(qian)逃(tao)竄。天(tian)明后,鄰居報官(guan),認(ren)為(wei)(wei)(wei)戍(shu)娟(juan)可疑,連(lian)忙追(zhui)趕。戍(shu)娟(juan)逃(tao)至(zhi)高(gao)橋(qiao),正(zheng)遇友(you)(you)(you)(you)蘭(lan)(lan),因(yin)(yin)為(wei)(wei)(wei)同路(lu),結(jie)伴(ban)同行。官(guan)差趕到(dao),見友(you)(you)(you)(you)蘭(lan)(lan)攜錢(qian)(qian)適符十(shi)五(wu)(wu)(wu)貫之數(shu),即(ji)(ji)以此為(wei)(wei)(wei)贓(zang)證(zheng),將(jiang)二(er)人收(shou)(shou)監。這時(shi)過于執已調(diao)任常州(zhou)府(fu)理(li)刑,此案(an)便(bian)由(you)過于執審理(li),竟又定為(wei)(wei)(wei)死罪。兩案(an)囚犯一同被押解至(zhi)蘇州(zhou),由(you)太守況(kuang)鐘(zhong)監斬。況(kuang)鐘(zhong)看(kan)出(chu)冤情,便(bian)連(lian)夜(ye)(ye)請示(shi)巡按(an)周忱要求復査,以官(guan)印(yin)為(wei)(wei)(wei)質方被應允。況(kuang)鐘(zhong)深入調(diao)査研究,從(cong)山陽(yang)友(you)(you)(you)(you)蕙(hui)(hui)(hui)(hui)家(jia)鼠洞中(zhong)找到(dao)被銜去的(de)(de)十(shi)五(wu)(wu)(wu)貫錢(qian)(qian)和藥鼠面餅(bing)(bing),真相(xiang)大白(bai)。又至(zhi)無錫扮作(zuo)測字先生私訪,從(cong)婁阿鼠口(kou)中(zhong)探得真情,并安排(pai)他自投羅網,于是兩案(an)昭雪。況(kuang)鐘(zhong)收(shou)(shou)蘇、侯二(er)女為(wei)(wei)(wei)義女,又百(bai)般撮(cuo)合(he)她倆(lia)和熊氏兄(xiong)(xiong)(xiong)弟(di)的(de)(de)婚事(shi),終于在(zai)熊氏兄(xiong)(xiong)(xiong)弟(di)衣錦榮(rong)歸(gui)時(shi),請過于執為(wei)(wei)(wei)媒,友(you)(you)(you)(you)蘭(lan)(lan)與戍(shu)娟(juan),友(you)(you)(you)(you)蕙(hui)(hui)(hui)(hui)與三(san)(san)姑(gu)(gu)結(jie)為(wei)(wei)(wei)夫(fu)婦。
該劇目有《古本(ben)(ben)戲曲叢刊》三集影印舊抄(chao)本(ben)(ben),又(you)有上海古籍出版(ban)社1983年排印的校注本(ben)(ben)。