明代山陽(yang)(yang)縣(xian)書生熊(xiong)友(you)(you)(you)蘭(lan)(lan)、熊(xiong)友(you)(you)(you)蕙兄弟(di)(di),父母早(zao)亡,家(jia)境貧寒。兄友(you)(you)(you)蘭(lan)(lan)別弟(di)(di)外出謀生,友(you)(you)(you)蕙則留家(jia)攻讀。友(you)(you)(you)蕙與鄰居(ju)馮(feng)玉吾的(de)(de)(de)(de)童養媳(xi)侯三(san)姑隔墻而居(ju)。一(yi)(yi)日,馮(feng)玉吾將(jiang)(jiang)金(jin)(jin)(jin)環一(yi)(yi)對及寶鈔(chao)十(shi)五(wu)(wu)貫(guan)交三(san)姑收(shou)(shou)藏,夜(ye)間老鼠(shu)(shu)將(jiang)(jiang)金(jin)(jin)(jin)環銜到友(you)(you)(you)蕙的(de)(de)(de)(de)書架上(shang)(shang),十(shi)五(wu)(wu)貫(guan)錢(qian)(qian)則被銜入鼠(shu)(shu)洞。友(you)(you)(you)蕙見環大喜,第(di)二(er)日,將(jiang)(jiang)金(jin)(jin)(jin)環往馮(feng)店換錢(qian)(qian)使(shi)用(yong)。馮(feng)玉吾疑(yi)為(wei)(wei)(wei)玉姑私(si)贈,當即命子(zi)找三(san)姑索環,其(qi)子(zi)誤食藥鼠(shu)(shu)面餅中毒而死(si),馮(feng)玉吾即以(yi)金(jin)(jin)(jin)環為(wei)(wei)(wei)證,告友(you)(you)(you)蕙與三(san)姑通奸(jian),謀財害命。山陽(yang)(yang)縣(xian)縣(xian)官(guan)(guan)過(guo)于(yu)(yu)執將(jiang)(jiang)二(er)人屈(qu)打成(cheng)招,定為(wei)(wei)(wei)死(si)罪,并要友(you)(you)(you)蕙賠償十(shi)五(wu)(wu)貫(guan)寶鈔(chao)。卻說友(you)(you)(you)蘭(lan)(lan)在船上(shang)(shang)做舵手,一(yi)(yi)日聞客述(shu)山陽(yang)(yang)一(yi)(yi)案(an),知弟(di)(di)遭難,急欲前往。無錫客商陶復朱贈銀十(shi)五(wu)(wu)貫(guan),即夕啟行。再說無錫有開肉鋪(pu)的(de)(de)(de)(de)游葫蘆(lu),因無本錢(qian)(qian),停業已(yi)久,其(qi)姐(jie)贈給(gei)他(ta)十(shi)五(wu)(wu)貫(guan)錢(qian)(qian)合伙開業。游葫蘆(lu)背負(fu)十(shi)五(wu)(wu)貫(guan)錢(qian)(qian)深(shen)夜(ye)歸家(jia),趁(chen)酒興戲謂其(qi)養女蘇(su)戍(shu)(shu)娟,說這十(shi)五(wu)(wu)貫(guan)錢(qian)(qian)是她(ta)的(de)(de)(de)(de)賣(mai)身(shen)錢(qian)(qian),戍(shu)(shu)娟害怕,連(lian)夜(ye)出逃。戍(shu)(shu)娟走后,賭徒無賴婁(lou)阿(a)鼠(shu)(shu)潛入游家(jia)偷錢(qian)(qian),因被游葫蘆(lu)發覺,情急中將(jiang)(jiang)游殺死(si)后攜(xie)錢(qian)(qian)逃竄。天明后,鄰居(ju)報官(guan)(guan),認為(wei)(wei)(wei)戍(shu)(shu)娟可疑(yi),連(lian)忙追趕(gan)。戍(shu)(shu)娟逃至(zhi)高橋,正遇(yu)友(you)(you)(you)蘭(lan)(lan),因為(wei)(wei)(wei)同路,結伴(ban)同行。官(guan)(guan)差趕(gan)到,見友(you)(you)(you)蘭(lan)(lan)攜(xie)錢(qian)(qian)適(shi)符(fu)十(shi)五(wu)(wu)貫(guan)之數,即以(yi)此(ci)為(wei)(wei)(wei)贓證,將(jiang)(jiang)二(er)人收(shou)(shou)監。這時過(guo)于(yu)(yu)執已(yi)調任常(chang)州府(fu)理刑,此(ci)案(an)便由過(guo)于(yu)(yu)執審理,竟(jing)又定為(wei)(wei)(wei)死(si)罪。兩案(an)囚犯一(yi)(yi)同被押解至(zhi)蘇(su)州,由太(tai)守(shou)況鐘(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)監斬。況鐘(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)看出冤情,便連(lian)夜(ye)請示巡按(an)周忱要求復査,以(yi)官(guan)(guan)印為(wei)(wei)(wei)質方被應允。況鐘(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)深(shen)入調査研究,從(cong)山陽(yang)(yang)友(you)(you)(you)蕙家(jia)鼠(shu)(shu)洞中找到被銜去的(de)(de)(de)(de)十(shi)五(wu)(wu)貫(guan)錢(qian)(qian)和藥鼠(shu)(shu)面餅,真(zhen)相大白(bai)。又至(zhi)無錫扮(ban)作測(ce)字先生私(si)訪(fang),從(cong)婁(lou)阿(a)鼠(shu)(shu)口(kou)中探得真(zhen)情,并安排(pai)他(ta)自投羅網,于(yu)(yu)是兩案(an)昭雪(xue)。況鐘(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)收(shou)(shou)蘇(su)、侯二(er)女為(wei)(wei)(wei)義女,又百般撮合她(ta)倆和熊(xiong)氏(shi)兄弟(di)(di)的(de)(de)(de)(de)婚事,終于(yu)(yu)在熊(xiong)氏(shi)兄弟(di)(di)衣錦榮歸時,請過(guo)于(yu)(yu)執為(wei)(wei)(wei)媒(mei),友(you)(you)(you)蘭(lan)(lan)與戍(shu)(shu)娟,友(you)(you)(you)蕙與三(san)姑結為(wei)(wei)(wei)夫婦(fu)。
該劇目有(you)《古本戲曲(qu)叢(cong)刊(kan)》三集影印舊抄(chao)本,又有(you)上海古籍出版社(she)1983年排(pai)印的(de)校(xiao)注本。