The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

A COUNTRY MOUSE invited a Town Mouse, an intimate friend, to pay
him a visit and partake of his country fare.  As they were on the
bare plowlands, eating there wheat-stocks and roots pulled up
from the hedgerow, the Town Mouse said to his friend, "You live
here the life of the ants, while in my house is the horn of
plenty.  I am surrounded by every luxury, and if you will come
with me, as I wish you would, you shall have an ample share of my
dainties."  The Country Mouse was easily persuaded, and returned
to town with his friend.  On his arrival, the Town Mouse placed
before him bread, barley, beans, dried figs, honey, raisins, and,
last of all, brought a dainty piece of cheese from a basket.  The
Country Mouse, being much delighted at the sight of such good
cheer, expressed his satisfaction in warm terms and lamented his
own hard fate.  Just as they were beginning to eat, someone
opened the door, and they both ran off squeaking, as fast as they
could, to a hole so narrow that two could only find room in it by
squeezing.  They had scarcely begun their repast again when
someone else entered to take something out of a cupboard,
whereupon the two Mice, more frightened than before, ran away and
hid themselves.  At last the Country Mouse, almost famished, said
to his friend:  "Although you have prepared for me so dainty a
feast, I must leave you to enjoy it by yourself.  It is
surrounded by too many dangers to please me.  I prefer my bare
plowlands and roots from the hedgerow, where I can live in
safety, and without fear."


The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

Now you must know that a Town Mouse once upon a time went on a
visit to his cousin in the country.  He was rough and ready, this
cousin, but he loved his town friend and made him heartily
welcome.  Beans and bacon, cheese and bread, were all he had to
offer, but he offered them freely.  The Town Mouse rather turned
up his long nose at this country fare, and said: "I cannot
understand, Cousin, how you can put up with such poor food as
this, but of course you cannot expect anything better in the
country; come you with me and I will show you how to live.  When
you have been in town a week you will wonder how you could ever
have stood a country life."  No sooner said than done: the two
mice set off for the town and arrived at the Town Mouse's
residence late at night.  "You will want some refreshment after
our long journey," said the polite Town Mouse, and took his friend
into the grand dining-room.  There they found the remains of a
fine feast, and soon the two mice were eating up jellies and cakes
and all that was nice.  Suddenly they heard growling and barking.
"What is that?" said the Country Mouse.  "It is only the dogs of
the house," answered the other.  "Only!" said the Country Mouse.
"I do not like that music at my dinner."  Just at that moment the
door flew open, in came two huge mastiffs, and the two mice had to
scamper down and run off.  "Good-bye, Cousin," said the Country
Mouse, "What! going so soon?" said the other.  "Yes," he replied;

"Better beans and bacon in peace
than cakes and ale in fear."