明代(dai)山陽(yang)縣書生(sheng)熊友(you)(you)(you)(you)(you)蘭(lan)(lan)、熊友(you)(you)(you)(you)(you)蕙(hui)(hui)兄弟(di)(di)(di),父母早亡,家(jia)境貧寒。兄友(you)(you)(you)(you)(you)蘭(lan)(lan)別弟(di)(di)(di)外出謀生(sheng),友(you)(you)(you)(you)(you)蕙(hui)(hui)則(ze)留家(jia)攻(gong)讀。友(you)(you)(you)(you)(you)蕙(hui)(hui)與鄰(lin)居(ju)馮(feng)玉吾的(de)童養媳侯三姑(gu)(gu)(gu)隔墻而居(ju)。一(yi)(yi)日,馮(feng)玉吾將(jiang)(jiang)(jiang)金(jin)環(huan)一(yi)(yi)對及寶鈔十(shi)(shi)(shi)五(wu)貫(guan)(guan)交三姑(gu)(gu)(gu)收(shou)(shou)藏,夜(ye)間(jian)老(lao)鼠(shu)(shu)將(jiang)(jiang)(jiang)金(jin)環(huan)銜(xian)到友(you)(you)(you)(you)(you)蕙(hui)(hui)的(de)書架上,十(shi)(shi)(shi)五(wu)貫(guan)(guan)錢(qian)(qian)(qian)則(ze)被(bei)(bei)銜(xian)入(ru)鼠(shu)(shu)洞。友(you)(you)(you)(you)(you)蕙(hui)(hui)見(jian)環(huan)大(da)喜,第(di)二日,將(jiang)(jiang)(jiang)金(jin)環(huan)往馮(feng)店(dian)換(huan)錢(qian)(qian)(qian)使用。馮(feng)玉吾疑為(wei)(wei)(wei)玉姑(gu)(gu)(gu)私(si)贈(zeng),當即命(ming)子找三姑(gu)(gu)(gu)索環(huan),其(qi)(qi)子誤食藥鼠(shu)(shu)面餅中(zhong)毒而死(si),馮(feng)玉吾即以(yi)金(jin)環(huan)為(wei)(wei)(wei)證,告友(you)(you)(you)(you)(you)蕙(hui)(hui)與三姑(gu)(gu)(gu)通奸,謀財害命(ming)。山陽(yang)縣縣官(guan)過(guo)于(yu)執(zhi)將(jiang)(jiang)(jiang)二人(ren)屈(qu)打成(cheng)招,定為(wei)(wei)(wei)死(si)罪,并(bing)要友(you)(you)(you)(you)(you)蕙(hui)(hui)賠償十(shi)(shi)(shi)五(wu)貫(guan)(guan)寶鈔。卻說(shuo)(shuo)友(you)(you)(you)(you)(you)蘭(lan)(lan)在船上做舵手,一(yi)(yi)日聞客述山陽(yang)一(yi)(yi)案(an),知弟(di)(di)(di)遭難,急欲前(qian)往。無(wu)(wu)錫(xi)客商(shang)陶復(fu)朱贈(zeng)銀十(shi)(shi)(shi)五(wu)貫(guan)(guan),即夕啟(qi)行(xing)。再(zai)說(shuo)(shuo)無(wu)(wu)錫(xi)有(you)開(kai)肉鋪的(de)游葫蘆(lu),因無(wu)(wu)本錢(qian)(qian)(qian),停業已久,其(qi)(qi)姐(jie)贈(zeng)給他(ta)十(shi)(shi)(shi)五(wu)貫(guan)(guan)錢(qian)(qian)(qian)合(he)伙(huo)開(kai)業。游葫蘆(lu)背負十(shi)(shi)(shi)五(wu)貫(guan)(guan)錢(qian)(qian)(qian)深夜(ye)歸家(jia),趁酒興戲謂(wei)其(qi)(qi)養女蘇戍(shu)(shu)(shu)娟(juan)(juan),說(shuo)(shuo)這(zhe)十(shi)(shi)(shi)五(wu)貫(guan)(guan)錢(qian)(qian)(qian)是她的(de)賣(mai)身錢(qian)(qian)(qian),戍(shu)(shu)(shu)娟(juan)(juan)害怕,連(lian)(lian)夜(ye)出逃(tao)。戍(shu)(shu)(shu)娟(juan)(juan)走后,賭徒無(wu)(wu)賴婁阿鼠(shu)(shu)潛入(ru)游家(jia)偷錢(qian)(qian)(qian),因被(bei)(bei)游葫蘆(lu)發覺,情急中(zhong)將(jiang)(jiang)(jiang)游殺死(si)后攜(xie)錢(qian)(qian)(qian)逃(tao)竄。天明后,鄰(lin)居(ju)報官(guan),認(ren)為(wei)(wei)(wei)戍(shu)(shu)(shu)娟(juan)(juan)可疑,連(lian)(lian)忙追趕(gan)。戍(shu)(shu)(shu)娟(juan)(juan)逃(tao)至高(gao)橋,正遇(yu)友(you)(you)(you)(you)(you)蘭(lan)(lan),因為(wei)(wei)(wei)同路,結伴同行(xing)。官(guan)差(cha)趕(gan)到,見(jian)友(you)(you)(you)(you)(you)蘭(lan)(lan)攜(xie)錢(qian)(qian)(qian)適(shi)符(fu)十(shi)(shi)(shi)五(wu)貫(guan)(guan)之數(shu),即以(yi)此為(wei)(wei)(wei)贓證,將(jiang)(jiang)(jiang)二人(ren)收(shou)(shou)監(jian)。這(zhe)時(shi)過(guo)于(yu)執(zhi)已調(diao)任常州(zhou)府理刑,此案(an)便由過(guo)于(yu)執(zhi)審(shen)理,竟又定為(wei)(wei)(wei)死(si)罪。兩案(an)囚犯一(yi)(yi)同被(bei)(bei)押解至蘇州(zhou),由太(tai)守況(kuang)鐘監(jian)斬。況(kuang)鐘看出冤情,便連(lian)(lian)夜(ye)請(qing)示巡按(an)周忱要求復(fu)査(cha),以(yi)官(guan)印為(wei)(wei)(wei)質方(fang)被(bei)(bei)應允。況(kuang)鐘深入(ru)調(diao)査(cha)研究,從(cong)山陽(yang)友(you)(you)(you)(you)(you)蕙(hui)(hui)家(jia)鼠(shu)(shu)洞中(zhong)找到被(bei)(bei)銜(xian)去的(de)十(shi)(shi)(shi)五(wu)貫(guan)(guan)錢(qian)(qian)(qian)和藥鼠(shu)(shu)面餅,真相大(da)白(bai)。又至無(wu)(wu)錫(xi)扮作測字先生(sheng)私(si)訪,從(cong)婁阿鼠(shu)(shu)口中(zhong)探(tan)得真情,并(bing)安排他(ta)自投羅網,于(yu)是兩案(an)昭雪(xue)。況(kuang)鐘收(shou)(shou)蘇、侯二女為(wei)(wei)(wei)義女,又百般撮合(he)她倆和熊氏兄弟(di)(di)(di)的(de)婚事,終于(yu)在熊氏兄弟(di)(di)(di)衣錦榮歸時(shi),請(qing)過(guo)于(yu)執(zhi)為(wei)(wei)(wei)媒,友(you)(you)(you)(you)(you)蘭(lan)(lan)與戍(shu)(shu)(shu)娟(juan)(juan),友(you)(you)(you)(you)(you)蕙(hui)(hui)與三姑(gu)(gu)(gu)結為(wei)(wei)(wei)夫(fu)婦。
該(gai)劇目(mu)有《古本戲(xi)曲叢刊》三集影印舊抄本,又有上海古籍出版社1983年排印的校注本。