THE TOWN MOUSE AND THE COUNTRY MOUSE

A country mouse lived in a field of barley. He made a nest and hung it upon two stalks of barley. The nest was very small an very light. It was made of grass. The country mouse ate barley and roots of other plants.

A mouse from the town came to see the country mouse. The town mouse was very quick and clever. His coat was smooth and shining. His home was in a big house in the town.

The country mouse gave the town mouse dinner in the barley field. He brought out the very best barley and roots for the meal. But the town mouse did not enjoy his dinner.

"My pour friends," he said, "In town we have much nicer food than this. You must come to see where I live. I shall give you all sorts of food things to eat."

The town mouse returned to his home in the town. The country mouse went with him. They went to a big house.

"I live here," said the town mouse. He pointed to a small house hole in the wall. "That is my front door. Come and see my house."

The town mouse scampered through the hole in the wall. The country mouse followed. They went into a big room. A thick carpet was on the floor. There were beautiful chairs an small tables. "This is the drawing room," said the town mouse. "Sometimes I sleep in the cupboard, we shall eat in the dining room."

They scampered into another room. There was a long table in it. "Jump up," said the town mouse. "You can eat anything you like." The town mouse climbed up the table leg and on to the table. The country mouse followed.

On the table the country mouse saw plates of bread and butter, jam and honey, and cheese. There was a cake full of currants and raisins. Another cake had icing on it, and there were different kinds of biscuits. A jug of water stood in the middle of the table.

The country mouse took a sip of honey. Then he nibbled a small piece of cake. He had never eaten anything so good. Suddenly the door opened. The two mice jumped off the table, and hid under it. The country mouse was very frightened.

A woman came in. She did not see the mice, and she went away. After along time, The town mouse and the country mouse climbed back on the table. The country mouse began to nibble another piece of cake. Then they heard a dog barking. The dog run into the room and began to sniff all round the table. The mice hid behind a big cake. The woman came back.

"Naughty dog!" she said. "You must not steal the cakes." She chased the dog out of the room. the town mouse began to eat again. "We must hurry," he said. "I am not afraid of the dog, but there is a cat here too."

But the country mouse was running away. "No thank you," he said. "I am going home. This house is too dangerous for me. My house is small, and my food is plain, but I can live in peace and quite."

The country mouse went back to his home in the field of barley. He was happy with all his family around him.