The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

A town mouse met a country mouse

in a forest.

The country mouse was getting nuts.

"Are you getting nuts for food?"

asked the town mouse.

"Yes," said the country mouse,

"I am getting nuts for winter.

The woods are full of nuts.

It is a fine place to live."

"I have a fine place to live too,"

said the town mouse.

"I do not get nuts for winter,

but I have all I want to eat.

You must come to see me."

"Yes, I will," said the country mouse.

"But you come to see me first.

You can come on Christmas."

So the town mouse went to see the

country mouse on Christmas.

It was a long way.

And there was snow on the ground.

So when the town mouse got there

he was very hungry.

The country mouse had nuts to eat,

and she had good water to drink.

The country mouse ate a big dinner.

But the town mouse said,

"I can not eat this food.

It is not good.

Now you come to see me,

and eat some of my food."

So the town mouse went home.

And the country mouse went with him.

It was a long way.

They were very hungry.

The town mouse had bread and cheese and

crumbs from the Christmas dinner.

The food was very good.

The country mouse ate and ate.

Then she said to the town mouse,

"How rich you must be."

Soon a door opened, and a woman came in.

The town mouse ran to his hole.

The woman went out

and left the door open.

A big, hungry cat came running in.

The town mouse ran far into his hole.

The country mouse ran after him.

But the old cat caught the country mouse

by the tail.

Then the door shut with a bang.

This frightened the cat,

and she let go of the mouse.

The country mouse jumped

far into the hole.

"Do you call this a happy home?

Do you call this riches?" said she.

"I do not want such riches.

I only got away with my life.

I am happy in my country home.

There I have nuts and good water.

And I do not have to run for my life.

Good day, I am going home."

And the country mouse ran home

as fast as she could.

— Norse Folk Tale