Once there were two
mice1. They were friends. One mouse lived in the country; the other mouse lived in the city. After many years the Country mouse
saw2 the City mouse; he
said3, "Do come and see me at my house in the country." So the City mouse went. The City mouse said, "This food is not good, and your house is not good. Why do you live in a hole in the
field4? You should come and live in the city. You
would5 live in a nice house
made6 of stone. You would have nice food to eat. You must come and see me at my house in the city."
The Country mouse went to the house of the City mouse. It
was7 a very good house. Nice food was
set9 ready for them to eat. But just
as8 they began to eat they heard a great noise. The City mouse cried, " Run! Run! The cat is coming!" They
ran10 away quickly and
hid11.
After some time they
came12 out. When they came out, the Country mouse said, "I do not like
living13 in the city. I like living in my hole in the field. For it is nicer to be poor and happy, than to be rich and afraid."