The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

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 plowed lands, eating their wheat-stalks 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 with every luxury, and if you will come with me, as I much 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, some one 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 again begun their repast when some one entered to take something out of a cupboard, on which the two Mice, more frightened than before, ran away and hid themselves. 

At last the Country Mouse, almost famished, thus addressed 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."

Better a little in safety, than an abundance surrounded by danger.


（参考译文）

一只乡下老鼠邀请了一只城里的老鼠，一个亲密的朋友，去拜访他，参加他的乡村活动。当他们在光秃秃的耕地上，吃着从树篱里拔出来的麦杆和根时，城里的老鼠对他的朋友说：

“你在这里过着蝼蚁般的生活，而在我的房子里是荣华富裕。我被各种各样的奢侈品包围着，如果你愿意和我一起回去，你就可以享受我的生活。”

乡下老鼠很容易就被说服了，和他的朋友回到城里。他一到，城里的老鼠就把面包、大麦、豆子、无花果干、蜂蜜、葡萄干摆在他面前，最后从篮子里拿出一块美味的奶酪。乡下老鼠看到这些美味佳肴，非常高兴，也非常感激城里老鼠，并为自己之前的艰难命运哀悼。
就在他们开始吃东西的时候，有人打开了门，它们两个都尖叫着跑掉了，以最快的速度跑向一个非常狭窄的洞，以至于两个人只能通过挤压才能在里面找到空间。

它们刚要重新开始吃饭，就又有人进来从橱柜里拿东西，两只老鼠比以前更害怕，跑了出去，藏了起来。

最后，那个几乎饿坏了的乡下老鼠对他的朋友这样说：“虽然你为我准备了这么美味的佳肴，但是伴随着太多的危险，原谅我无福消受。”