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.’
