35 The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

35. THE TOWN MOUSE

AND THE COUNTRY

MOUSE

By Nicky Grischotti

Town Mouse was very fond of his

own appearance.

'I shall visit my friend Country

Mouse,' he announced one morn

ing, waxing his whiskers with a dab

of butter and admiring his reflec

tion in the teapot. 'And he shall see

what a very fine mouse I am!' And

with a hop and a skip he straight

ened his bow tie and scurried off

to catch the 10.17 packing crate

bound for Paddington station.

Meanwhile, deep in the trunk of an

old chestnut tree, Country Mouse

was busy dusting and tidying,

cleaning and sweeping and cook

ing an extra special hotpot of beans

and corn to welcome his cousin

from the city. He had been collect

ing food all week to celebrate.

There was a loud rap at the door

and Country Mouse took off his

apron and scampered over to greet

his friend.

There on the doorstep stood Town

Mouse looking very smart indeed in

his pin-stripe suit and bowler hat.

He handed Country Mouse his

gloves and bag, looked down his

long nose and said, 'What a very

small house you have dear cousin…

no chandeliers, no Persian rugs…

no velvet cushion to rest upon?'

Country Mouse smiled, he was very

fond of Town Mouse and he ignored

his snooty remarks - he knew that

he didn't mean to be rude.

'Come and sit down, dear cousin.

You must be tired and hungry from

your journey,' he said pulling out a

little acorn stool for him to sit on.

'What no napkins?…no silver ser

vice?' sniffed Town Mouse. 'No

scented bowl to wash my paws?'

Country Mouse smiled again and

served up the hot soup and barley

seed bread.

'What is this food?' scoffed Town

Mouse. 'No caviar, no steak tartare?

1No pickled herring and horse

radish sauce?! Come, my friend,

this instant! We're off to the city

and I shall show you how to live!'

It was late that night when they

arrived at Town Mouse's House and

as they crept along the hall to the

grand dining room Country Mouse

felt the soft wool carpet under his

tired little paws and the warm glow

of the fire and he remembered the

cold, bitter wind that blew through

his country tree cottage.

And how his little eyes beamed and

his whiskers twitched at the sight

of the left over feast that was laid

out on the table for them to gobble

up!

There were soufflés and sand

wiches, savoury flans and pastries.

There were jellies and trifles and

fresh cream cakes and a MOUN

TAIN of meringues…

'Couthin…I'b neber seen such a

banquet as thith!' cried Country

Mouse.

'But this is how you could feast

EVERY night my friend!' laughed

Town Mouse.

The two little mice had a very mer

ry time…

Then all of a sudden there was a

thunderous ROAR!

‘Wwwwwwwhat's that terrible noise

Cousin?!' stammered Country

Mouse.

'H-h-h-h-hoover?!' cried the terri

fied little mouse.

'Yes…oh and the Humans'…

And just at that moment the door

burst open and in marched a team

of kitchen staff with brooms and

mops.

'WHAT EEZ ZEES?!' shouted the

French Chef…'MEESES! Quick

hoover zem up!'

'Yikes!' squeaked Country Mouse

as they scampered down the

table leg and through a crack in the

floorboards. 'I'm off!' he cried as

he scurried off under the door.

'So soon?' called Town Mouse. 'No

fabulous food? No smart city life?'

'No, no, dear cousin,' called Coun

try Mouse over his shoulder. 'And

2no loud scary monsters to gobble

me up! It's the simple, safe life at

home for me…not the rich, dan

gerous high life!'

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