The Country Mouse and the Town Mouse

A country mouse had a house mouse for a friend. Invited by his friend, the house mouse hurried off to dine in the country. But since there was nothing to eat there but grass and grain, he said, "Do you realise, my friend, that you live the life of an ant? I, on the other hand, have goods in plenty. Come with me, and I'll put them all at your disposal." Off they went together at once. The house mouse showed his companion vegetables and grain, and with them figs, cheese, honey, and fruit. The country mouse, amazed, blessed him with all his heart and cursed his own lot. As they were about to begin the feast, a man suddenly opened the door. Frightened by the noise, our mice rushed in terror into the cracks. Then, as they came back for some dried figs, another person came in to fetch something from the room. At the sight of him, they fled once more into a hole to hide. And then the country mouse, forgetting his hunger, sighed and said to the other, "Farewell, my friend: you eat your fill and enjoy yourself, but at the price of danger and a thousand fears. I, poor thing, will go back to living on barley and grain, but fearing and suspecting no one."