Once upon a time,a Country Mouse invited his friend,a City Mouse,to visit him.

The Country Mouse lived in a barn and dined on very simple food. All he had to offer his guest from the city were nuts,barley,dried peas,bits of cheese,and bread crusts. But he served them freely and with goodwill.

The City Mouse sampled everything politely. But when he had finished his meal,he wiped his whiskers delicately and said,“My friend,I do feel sorry for your having to put up with such poor food. But of course you cannot expect anything better in the country. You should see how I live! I have all sorts of fine things to eat every day. Come with me to the city and I’ll show you. When you have been in town one week,you’ll wonder how you could ever have stood country life.”

The Country Mouse felt rather ashamed of his simple home after that and agreed to go off with the City Mouse to visit him. It was almost midnight when they crept into the huge brick house where the City Mouse lived.

“You will surely want some refreshments after our long journey,”said the City Mouse,taking his friend into the grand dining room.

There they found the remains of a splendid feast,and soon they were busily nibbling away at cakes and jellies and raisins and candies. The City Mouse,playing the host,kept urging his friend to try this delicacy and that rich morsel. The eyes of the Country Mouse grew big and round. Never had he seen or tasted such food. And so much of it! He sighed contentedly.“This is really wonderful,”he said,his mouth full of a rich golden cheese.“How lucky I am to have such a devoted friend. I should like to live here forever.”

He had scarcely finished speaking when he heard a loud growling and hissing.“What’s that?”Asked the Country Mouse.“That’s the master’s cat,”replied the City Mouse.“Run for your life!”And he jumped off the table and scampered down the handiest mouse hole,with the Country Mouse behind him,just an inch ahead of the cat.

“We’ll wait here till it’s quiet again upstairs,and then we can return to our feast,”whispered the City Mouse.

But the Country Mouse,his heart still fluttering with fright,shook his head. At last,when everything seemed quiet,the Country Mouse stole out of their hiding place and bade his friend good-bye,saying,“You are welcome to all the fine food you can get,my friend. As for me,I’d rather nibble my dried crusts in peace and safety than eat the grandest feast in fear and trembling.”