The city mouse and the country mouse

There was once a happy little country Mouse, who lived in a big wheat field. In the summer she grew  cold she moved into the farmhouse and picked up bits of cake and bread and cheese which the cook dropped on the kitchen floor. These she stored away in her little mouse hole in the attic until she had a good supply laid for the winter. Now one day during the winter the little Country Mouse’s cousin, a City  Mouse , came to visit her. When they had chatted  for a while, the little Country Mouse  took her visitor to see her attic pantry. Proudly she showed her the mound of cheese bits, the heaps of bread and cake crumbs, and the neat piles of nuts and dried peas. But when the City Mouse had eaten a hearty dinner, she wiped her whiskers daintly and said, You poor thing, So  this is the way you live, on left-overs dried up in the attic. Come with me to the city and I will show  a you real feast. The Country Mouse immediately felt rather ashamed of her simple home, so she  quietly went along with the City Mouse to visit her. The City Mouse  led the way into a huge brick house, up a great staircase, and into a dining room. The rich people who lived in the big house with the City Mouse were just having dinner, so the two little mice hid behind the door. Keep very still, said the City Mouse. When they leave the table we can have all the food that is left. The eyes of the little Country Mouse grew big and round at that, for  she had never seen so much food in her whole busy life. So she sat very still until , with a scuffling of feet and scramping of chairs, the big people left the table. Come on, squeaked the City Mouse. Peeking cautiously to right and left she led the way across the room, up onto a chair and from the  chair onto the table, with the Country Mouse scampering along behind her. The Country Mouse took a long look around her at the table still crowded with good things, and sighed a deep, happy sigh.

                             This is wonderful , she said, taking a big bite out of a beautiful cheese. You live just like a prince. She had scarcely finished squeaking when , with a snarl, a cat pounced up on the table. After her came the cook, shouting and waving a big spoon. And into the room bounded two dogs, barking fiercely. Then there was a terrible row. In the midst of it the two mice skittered down to the floor and dodged into a handy hole. We’ll wait until all is quiet again and go back for some more, whispered the City Mouse. But her country cousin shook her head firmly. We’ll wait until it is quiet again and then I’ll go home as fast as I can. You are welcome to all the fine food you can get, my friend. As for me, I prefer my dry crusts in my peaceful attic.