Aesop's Fables
Once upon a time a country mouse who had a friend in town invited him to pay him a visit in the country. The Country mouse gave his old friend the best he had, peas and barley, cheese-parings and nuts. The town mouse, pikcing here a bit there, while the host sat nibbling a blade of barley-straw, at length exclaimed "how is it, my good friend, that you can endure the dullness of this life. You are living like a toad in a hole. Come with me and I'll show you life and the town." The country mouse assented; and they set out togetehr on their journey to town. it was midnight ere they reached the great house where the town mouse took up his quarters. On the table were the remains of a splendid banquet. The town mouse pressed dish upon dish and dainty upon dainty on the country mouse. In the midst of his enjoyment, the door flew open and a party of revelers burst into the room. The mice jumped from the table and hid themselves in the first corner they could reach. No sooner had they ventured to creep out again than the barking of dogs drove them back in still greater terror than before. At length, when things seemed quiet, the country mouse stole out from his hiding place and bidding his friend good-by, whistered in his ear "Oh my good sir, this fine mode of living may do for those who like it; but give me my barley bread in peace and security before the daintiest feast where fear and care are in waiting."
Edited by William Thomas Stead
Carlson Fables Collection
The Palmer Company
1911
Illustrator Unknown
English
50
20-21
Tales of Laughter
ONCE upon a time a Town Mouse met a Country Mouse on the outskirts of a wood. The Country Mouse was sitting under a hazel thicket plucking nuts. " Busy harvesting, I see," said the Town Mouse. " Who would think of our meeting in this out-of-the-way part of the world ?" " Just so," said the Country Mouse. " You are gathering nuts for your winter store ? " said the Town Mouse. " I am obliged to do so if we intend having anything to live upon during the winter/' said the Country Mouse. " The husk is big and the nut full this year, enough to satisfy any hungry body," said the Town Mouse. " Yes, you are right there," said the Country Mouse ; and then she related how well she lived and how comfortable she was at home. The Town Mouse maintained that she was the better off, but the Country Mouse said that nowhere could one be so well off as in the woods and hills. The Town Mouse, however, declared she was best off; and as they could not agree on this point they promised to visit each other at Christmas ; then they could see for themselves which was really the more comfortable. The first visit was to be paid by the Town Mouse. Now, although the Country Mouse had moved down from the mountains for the winter, the road to her house was long and tiring, and one had to travel up hill and down dale; the snow lay thick and deep, so the Town Mouse found it hard work to get on, and she became both tired and hungry before she reached the end of her journey. " How nice it will be to get some food," she thought. The Country Mouse had scraped together the best she had. There were nut kernels, polypody, and other sorts of roots, and many other good things which grow in woods and fields. She kept it all in a hole far under ground, so the frost could not reach it, and close by was a running spring, open all the winter, so she could drink as much water as she liked. There was an abundance of all she had, and they ate both well and heartily; but the Town Mouse thought it was very poor fare indeed. "One can, of course, keep body and soul together on this," said she ; " but I don't think much of it. Now you must be good enough to visit me and taste what we have." Yes, that her hostess would, and before long she set out. The Town Mouse had gathered together all the scraps from the Christmas fare which the woman of the house had dropped on the floor during the holidays bits of cheese, butter, and tallow ends, cake-crumbs, pastry, and many other good things. In the dish under the ale-tap she had drink enough ; in fact, the place was full of all kinds of dainties. They ate and fared well ; the Country Mouse seemed never to have enough; she had never tasted such delicacies. But then she became thirsty, for she found the food both strong and rich, and now she wanted something to drink. " We haven't far to go for the beer we shall drink," said the Town Mouse, and jumped upon the edge of the dish and drank till she was no longer thirsty; she did not drink too much, for she knew the Christmas beer was strong. The Country Mouse, however, thought the beer a splendid drink ; she had never tasted anything but water, so she took one sip after another, but as she could not stand strong drink she became dizzy before she left the dish. The drink got into her head and down into her toes and she began running and jumping about from one beer-barrel to the other, and to dance and tumble about on the shelves among the cups and mugs; she squeaked and squealed as if she were intoxicated. " You must not carry on as if you had just come from the backwoods and make such a row and noise," said the Town Mouse ; " the master of the house is a bailiff, and he is very strict indeed," she said. The Country Mouse said she didn't care either for bailiffs or beggars. But the cat sat at the top of the cellar steps, lying in wait, and heard all the chatter and noise. When the woman of the house went down to draw some beer and lifted the trap-door the cat slipped by into the cellar and struck its claws into the Country Mouse. Then there was quite another sort of dance. The Town Mouse slid back into her hole and sat in safety looking on, while the Country Mouse suddenly became sober when she felt the claws of the cat in her back. " Oh, my dear bailiff, oh, dearest bailiff, be merciful and spare my life and I will tell you a fairy tale," she said. " Well, go on," said the cat. " Once upon a time there were two little mice," said the Country Mouse, squeaking slowly and pitifully, for she wanted to make the story last as long as she could. " Then they were not lonely," said the cat dryly and curtly. " And they had a steak which they were going to fry." " Then they could not starve," said the cat. " And they put it out on the roof to cool," said the Country Mouse. " Then they did not burn themselves," said the cat. " But there came a fox and a crow and ate it all up," said the Country Mouse. " Then I'll eat you," said the cat. But just at that moment the woman shut the trap-door with a slam, which so startled the cat that she let go her hold of the mouse. One bound and the Country Mouse found herself in the hole with the Town Mouse. From there a passage led out into the snow, and you may be sure the Country Mouse did not wait long before she set out homeward. " And this is what you call living at ease and being well off," she said to the Town Mouse. " Heaven preserve me from having such a fine place and such a master! Why, I only just got away with my life
Kate Douglas Wiggin and Nora Archibald Smith
Internet Archive
The Mclure Company
1908
very similar to (48), both borrow from (16) and (12)
English
49
274-277
Reading-literature. First reader
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." [Illustration] 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.
Harriette Taylor Treadwell,
The Baldwin Project
Peterson and Company
1911
Frederick Richardson
Labeled "A Norse Folk Tale" in reader, and indeed borrows from (16) and (12)
Reader
48
Pages 57-58
Rumanian Bird and Beast Stories
A mouse living in the town one day met a mouse which lived in the field. "Where do you come from?" asked the latter when she saw the town mouse. "I come from yonder town," replied the first mouse. "How is life going there with you?" "Very well, indeed. I am living in the lap of luxury. Whatever I want of sweets or any other good things is to be found in abundance in my master's house. But how are you living?" "I have nothing to complain of. You just come and see my stores. I have grain and nuts, and all the fruits of the tree and field in my storehouse." The town mouse did not quite believe the story of her new friend, and, driven by curiosity, went with her to the latter's house. How great was her surprise when she found that the field mouse had spoken the truth; her garner was full of nuts and grain and other stores, and her mouth watered when she saw all the riches which were stored up there. Then she turned to the field mouse and said, "Oh, yes, you have here a nice snug place and something to live upon, but you should come to my house and see what I have there. Your stock is as nothing compared with the riches which are mine." The field mouse, who was rather simple by nature and trusted her new friend, went with her into the town to see what better things the other could have. She had never been into the town and did not know what her friend could mean when she boasted of her greater riches. So they went together, and the town mouse took her friend to her master's house. He was a grocer, and there were boxes and sacks full of every good thing the heart of a mouse could desire. When she saw all these riches, the field mouse said she could never have believed it, had she not seen it with her own eyes. While they were talking together, who should come in but the cat. As soon as the town mouse saw the cat, she slipped quietly behind a box and hid herself. Her friend, who had never yet seen a cat, turned to her and asked her who that gentleman was who had come in so quietly. "Do you not know who he is? Why, he is our priest, and he has come to see me. You must go and pay your respects to him and kiss his hand. See what a beautiful glossy coat he has on, and how his eyes sparkle, and how demurely he keeps his hands in the sleeves of his coat." Not suspecting anything, the field mouse did as she was told and went up to the cat. He gave her at once his blessing, and the mouse had no need of another after that. The cat gave her extreme unction there and then. That was just what the town mouse had intended. When she saw how well stored the home of the field mouse was, she made up her mind to trap her and to kill her, so that she might take possession of all that the field mouse had gathered up. She had learned the ways of the townspeople and had acted up to them.
Moses Gaster
Internet Archive
The Folk Lore Society
1915
English
30
pages 311-312
Aesop's Fables: A New Version, Chiefly from Original Sources
ONCE upon a time a Country Mouse who had a friend in town invited him, for old acquaintance' sake, to pay him a visit in the country. The invitation being accepted in due form, the Country Mouse, though plain and rough and some- what frugal in his nature, opened his heart and store, in honor of hospitality and an old friend. There was not a carefully stored up morsel that he did not bring forth out of his larder, peas and barley, cheese-parings and nuts, hoping by quantity to make up what he feared was wanting in quality, to suit the pal- ate of his dainty guest. The Town Mouse, con- descending to pick a bit here and a bit there, while the host sat nibbling a blade of barley- straw, at length exclaimed: “How is it, my good friend, that you can endure the dulness of this unpolished life? You are living like a toad in a hole. You can’t really prefer these solitary rocks and woods to streets teeming with carriages and men. On my honor, you are wasting your time miserably here. We must make the most of life while it lasts. A mouse, you know, does not live for ever. So come with me and I’ll show you life and the town.” Overpowered with such fine words and so polished a manner, the Country Mouse assented, and they set out together on their journey to town. It was late in the evening when they crept stealthily into the city, and midnight ere they reached the great house, where the Town Mouse took up his quarters. Here were couches of crimson velvet, carv- ings in ivory, every thing in short that de- noted wealth and luxury. On the table were the remains of a splendid banquet, to procure which all the choicest shops in the town had been ransacked the day before. It was now the turn of the courtier to play the host; he places his country friend on purple, runs to and fro to supply all his wants, presses dish upon dish and dainty upon dainty, and as though he were waiting on a king, tastes every course ere he ventures to place it before his rustic cousin. The Country Mouse, for his part, affects to make himself quite at home, and blesses the good fortune that had wrought such a change in his way of life; when, in the midst of his enjoyment, as he is thinking with contempt of the poor fare he has forsaken, on a sudden the door flies open, and a party of revellers, returning from a late entertainment, bursts into the room. The affrighted friends jump from the table in the greatest consterna- tion and hide themselves in the first corner they can reach. No sooner do they venture to creep out again than the barking of dogs drives them back in still greater terror than before. At length, when things seemed quiet, the Country Mouse stole out from his hiding- place, and bidding his friend good-bye, whis- pered in his ear: “Oh, my good sir, this fine mode of living may do for those who like it; but give me my barley-bread in peace and se- curity before the daintiest feast where Fear and Care are in waiting.”
Thomas James
Google Books
John Murray
1848
Illustrated by John Tinniel
English
Pages 27-29
The Morall Fabillis (.PDF transfusion, click to read the whole thing)
Esope, myne authour, makis mentioun Of twa myis, and thay wer sisteris deir, Of quham the eldest duelt in ane borous toun; The uther wynnit uponland weill neir, Richt soliter, quhyle under busk and breir, Quhilis in the corne, in uther mennis skaith, As owtlawis dois and levis on thair waith. This rurall mous in to the wynter tyde Had hunger, cauld, and tholit grit distres; The uther mous, that in the burgh can byde, Was gild brother and made ane fre burges, Toll-fre als, but custum mair or les, And fredome had to ga quhair ever scho list Amang the cheis and meill, in ark and kist. Ane tyme quhein scho wes full and unfute-sair, Scho tuke in mynd hir sister upon land, And langit for to heir of hir weilfair, To se quhat lyfe scho led under the wand. Bairfute allone, with pykestaf in hir hand, As pure pylgryme, scho passit owt off town To seik hir sister, baith ovre daill and down. Throw mony wilsum wayis can scho walk, Throw mosse and mure, throw bankis, busk, and breir, Fra fur to fur, cryand fra balk to balk, "Cum furth to me, my awin sister deir! Cry peip anis!" With that the mous culd heir And knew hir voce, as kinnisman will do Be verray kynd, and furth scho come hir to. The hartlie cheir, Lord God! geve ye had sene Beis kith quhen that thir sisteris met, And grit kyndnes wes schawin thame betuene, For quhylis thay leuch, and quhylis for joy thay gret, Quhyle kissit sweit, quhylis in armis plet, And thus thay fure quhill soberit wes their mude; Syne fute for fute unto the chalmer yude. As I hard say, it was ane semple wane, Off fog and farne full misterlyk wes maid, Ane sillie scheill under ane erdfast stane, Off quhilk the entres wes not hie nor braid; And in the samin thay went, but mair abaid, Withoutin fyre or candill birnand bricht, For comonly sic pykeris luffis not lycht. Quhen thay wer lugit thus, thir sely myse, The youngest sister into hir butterie hyid, And brocht furth nuttis and peis, in steid off spyce; Giff this wes gude fair, I do it on thame besyde. This burges mous prunyit forth in pryde, And said, "Sister, is this your dayly fude?" "Quhy not," quod scho, "is not this meit rycht gude?" "Na, be my saull, I think it bot ane scorne." "Madame," quod scho, "ye be the mair to blame. My mother sayd, efter that we wer borne, That I and ye lay baith within ane wame; I keip the ryte and custome off my dame, And off my syre, levand in povertie, For landis have we nane in propertie." "My fair sister," quod scho, "have me excusit; This rude dyat and I can not accord. To tender meit my stomok is ay usit, For quhy I fair als weill as ony lord. Thir wydderit peis and nuttis, or thay be bord, Wil brek my teith and mak my wame ful sklender, Quhilk usit wes before to meitis tender." "Weil, weil, sister," quod the rurall mous, "Geve it yow pleis, sic thing as ye se heir, Baith meit and dreink, harberie and hous, Sal be your awin, will ye remane al yeir. Ye sall it have wyth blyith and mery cheir, And that suld mak the maissis that ar rude, Amang freindis, richt tender, sueit, and gude. "Quhat plesans is in feistis delicate, The quhilkis ar gevin with ane glowmand brow? Ane gentill hart is better recreate With blyith visage, than seith to him ane kow. Ane modicum is mair for till allow, Swa that gude will be kerver at the dais, Than thrawin vult and mony spycit mais." For all hir mery exhortatioun This burges mous had littill will to sing, Bot hevilie scho kest hir browis doun, For all the daynteis that scho culd hir bring; Yit at the last scho said, halff in hething, "Sister, this victuall and your royall feist May weill suffice unto ane rurall beist. "Lat be this hole and cum unto my place: I sall to yow schaw, be experience, My Gude Friday is better nor your Pace, My dische likingis is worth your haill expence. I have housis anew off grit defence; Off cat, na fall, na trap, I have na dreid." "I grant," quod scho, and on togidder thay yeid. In stubble array, throw gers and corne, Under cowert full prevelie couth thay creip; The eldest wes the gyde and went beforne, The younger to hir wayis tuke gude keip. On nicht thay ran and on the day can sleip, Quhill in the morning, or the laverok sang, Thay fand the town, and in blythlie couth gang. Not fer fra thyne, unto ane worthie vane, This burges brocht thame sone quhare thay suld be. Withowt God speid thair herberie wes tane In to ane spence with vittell grit plentie: Baith cheis and butter upon skelfis hie, And flesche and fische aneuch, baith fresche and salt, And sekkis full off grotis, meill, and malt. Efter, quhen thay disposit wer to dyne, Withowtin grace, thay wesche and went to meit, With all coursis that cukis culd devyne, Muttoun and beif, strikin in tailyeis greit. Ane lordis fair thus couth thay counterfeit Except ane thing: thay drank the watter cleir In steid off wyne; bot yit thay maid gude cheir. With blyith upcast, and merie countenance, The eldest sister sperit at hir gest Giff that scho be ressone fand difference Betuix that chalmer and hir sarie nest. "Ye, dame," quod scho, "bot how lang will this lest?" "For evermair, I wait, and langer to." "Giff it be swa, ye ar at eis," quod scho. Till eik thair cheir ane subcharge furth scho brocht, Ane plait off grottis and ane disch full off meill; Thraf caikkis als I trow scho spairit nocht Aboundantlie about hir for to deill, And mane full fyne scho brocht in steid off geill, And ane quhyte candill owt off ane coffer stall In steid off spyce, to gust thair mouth withall. This maid thay merie, quhill thay micht na mair, And "Haill, Yule, haill!" cryit upon hie. Yit efter joy oftymes cummis cair, And troubill efter grit prosperitie. Thus as thay sat in all thair jolitie, The spenser come with keyis in his hand, Oppinnit the dure, and thame at denner fand. They taryit not to wesche, as I suppose, Bot on to ga, that micht formest win. The burges had ane hole, and in scho gois; Hir sister had na hole to hyde hir in. To se that selie mous, it wes grit sin; So desolate and will off ane gude reid; For verray dreid scho fell in swoun neir deid. Bot, as God wald, it fell ane happie cace: The spenser had na laser for to byde, Nowther to seik nor serche, to char nor chace, Bot on he went, and left the dure up wyde. The bald burges his passing weill hes spyde; Out off hir hole scho come and cryit on hie, "How fair ye, sister? Cry peip, quhair ever ye be!" This rurall mous lay flatling on the ground, And for the deith scho wes full sair dredand, For till hir hart straik mony wofull stound; As in ane fever trimbillit fute and hand; And quhan hir sister in sic ply hir fand, For verray pietie scho began to greit, Syne confort hir with wordis hunny sweit. "Quhy ly ye thus? Ryse up, my sister deir! Cum to your meit; this perrell is overpast." The uther answerit hir with hevie cheir, "I may not eit, sa sair I am agast. I had lever thir fourty dayis fast With watter caill, and to gnaw benis or peis, Than all your feist in this dreid and diseis." With fair tretie yit scho gart hir upryse, And to the burde thay went and togidder sat. And scantlie had thay drunkin anis or twyse, Quhen in come Gib Hunter, our jolie cat, And bad God speid. The burges up with that, And till hir hole scho fled as fyre of flint; Bawdronis the uther be the bak hes hint. Fra fute to fute he kest hir to and fra, Quhylis up, quhylis doun, als tait as ony kid. Quhylis wald he lat hir rin under the stra; Quhylis wald he wink, and play with hir buk heid; Thus to the selie mous grit pane he did; Quhill at the last throw fortune and gude hap, Betwix the dosor and the wall scho crap. And up in haist behind the parraling Scho clam so hie that Gilbert micht not get hir, And be the clukis craftelie can hing Till he wes gane; hir cheir wes all the better. Syne doun scho lap quhen thair wes nane to let hir, Apon the burges mous loud can scho cry, "Fairweill, sister, thy feist heir I defy! "Thy mangerie is mingit all with cair; Thy guse is gude, thy gansell sour as gall; The subcharge off thy service is bot sair; Sa sall thow find heir-efterwart may fall. I thank yone courtyne and yone perpall wall Off my defence now fra yone crewell beist. Almichtie God keip me fra sic ane feist. "Wer I into the kith that I come fra, For weill nor wo suld I never cum agane." With that scho tuke hir leif and furth can ga, Quhylis throw the corne and quhylis throw the plane. Quhen scho wes furth and fre scho wes full fane, And merilie markit unto the mure; I can not tell how eftirwart scho fure, Bot I hard say scho passit to hir den, Als warme as woll, suppose it wes not greit, Full beinly stuffit, baith but and ben, Off beinis and nuttis, peis, ry, and quheit; Quhen ever scho list scho had aneuch to eit, In quyet and eis withoutin ony dreid, Bot to hir sisteris feist na mair scho yeid. Freindis, heir may ye find, will ye tak heid, In this fabill ane gude moralitie: As fitchis myngit ar with nobill seid, Swa interminglit is adversitie With eirdlie joy, swa that na state is frie Without trubill and sum vexatioun, And namelie thay quhilk clymmis up maist hie, That ar not content with small possessioun. Blissed be sempill lyfe withoutin dreid; Blissed be sober feist in quietie. Quha hes aneuch, of na mair hes he neid, Thocht it be littill into quantatie. Grit aboundance and blind prosperitie Oftymes makis ane evill conclusioun. The sweitest lyfe, thairfoir, in this cuntrie, Is sickernes, with small possessioun. O wantoun man, that usis for to feid Thy wambe and makis it a god to be, Luke to thy self, I warne the weill on deid. The cat cummis and to the mous hes ee; Quhat vaillis than thy feist and royaltie, With dreidfull hart and tribulatioun? Thairfoir, best thing in eird, I say for me, Is merry hart with small possessioun. Thy awin fyre, my freind, sa it be bot ane gleid, It warmis weill, and is worth gold to the; And Solomon sayis, gif that thow will reid, "Under the hevin thair can not better be Than ay be blyith and leif in honestie." Quhairfoir I may conclude be this ressoun: Of eirthly joy it beiris maist degré, Blyithnes in hart, with small possessioun
Robert Henryson
University of Rochester: Robbins Digital Library Project
University of Rochester
~1500
Robert L. Kendrick (Editor)
English
Verse
21
The word-picture fable book : or Old Aesop in a new dress.
A COUNTRY mouse, who had a friend in a distant town, invited him to pay him a visit. The town mouse did so, and on his arrival received a hearty welcome. But he soon found that the fare was coarse and scanty; a nut or two, a few pease, a little rice, and now and then a small quantity of grain, with occasionally a crumb or two of mouldy bread. So he grew tired of his visit, and said to his friend, “How can you spend your life in this miserable barn, where the farmer and his wife don’t allow you proper food, nor enough of it? Come up to town with me, and see how I live." The two friends went, and at night the town mouse took the country mouse into a splendid larder, whose shelves were loaded with dainties. Here was a fine cheese, there a pan full of delicious milk; in fact, the country mouse was quite bewildered, and scarcely knew what to taste first. But, 10 and behold! the servant came in while the two friends were enjoying them- selves, and discovering them at work, she began to beat them with a broom; and call- ing a couple of cats, pursued them with so much vigour, that it was with great diffi- culty they made their escape. As soon as things were quiet again, the country mouse whispered to his friend, “Good-bye! I’m off! You are welcome to your fine dishes and anxiety; for my part, I'd rather have plain food and peace.”
Author Unknown
Hathi Trust
T. Nelson
1872
Illustrator Unknown
Thematically grouped with "The Fox and The Grapes"
English
17
78
Fairy tales from the far North
Once Upon a time a town mouse met a country mouse on the outskirts of a wood. The country mouse was sitting under a hazel thicket pluck- ing nuts. “Busy harvesting, I see," said the town mouse. “ Who would think of our meeting in this out-of-the-way part of the world ? " “just so," said the country mouse. “You are gathering nuts for your winter store?" said the town mouse. “I am obliged to do so if we intend having anything to live upon during the winter," said the country mouse. “The husk is big and the nut full this year, enough to satisfy any hungry body," said the town mouse. “Yes, you are right there," said the country mouse; and then she related how well she lived and how comfortable she was at home. The town mouse maintained that she was the better off, but the country mouse said that nowhere could one be so well off as in the woods and hills. The town mouse, however, declared she was best off; and as they could not agree on this point they promised to visit one another at Christmas, then they could see for themselves which was really the most comfortable. The first visit was to be paid by the town mouse. Now, although the country mouse had moved down from the mountains for the winter, the road was long and tiring and one had to travel up hill and down dale ; the snow lay thick and deep, so the town mouse found it hard work to get on and she became both tired and hungry before she reached the end of her journey. How nice it will be to get some food, she thought. The country mouse had scraped together the best she had. There were nut kernels, polypoly and other sorts of roots, and many other good things which grow in woods and fields. She kept it all in a hole far under the ground, so the frost could not reach it, and close by was a running spring,‘ open all the winter, so she could drink as much water as she liked. There was an abundance of all she had, and they ate both well and heartily; but the town mouse thought it was very poor fare indeed. “One can, of course, keep body and soul together on this," said she; “but I don't think much of it. Now you must be good enough to visit me and taste what we have." Yes, that she would, and before long she set out. The town mouse had gathered together all the scraps from the Christmas fare which the woman of the house had dropped on the floor during the holidays—bits of cheese, butter and tallow ends, cake- crumbs, pastry and many other good things. In the dish under the ale-tap she had drink enough; in fact, the place was full of all kinds of dainties. They ate and fared well ; the country mouse seemed never to have had enough; she had never tasted such delicacies. But then she became thirsty, for she found the food both strong and rich, and now she wanted something to drink. “We haven't far to go for the beer we shall drink," said the town mouse, and jumped upon the edge of the dish and drank till she was no longer thirsty; she did not drink too much, for she knew the Christmas beer was strong. The country mouse, how- ever, thought the beer a splendid drink; she had never tasted anything but water, so she took one sip after another, but as she could not stand strong drink she became tipsy before she left the dish. The drink got into her head and down into her toes and she began running and jumping about from one beer barrel to the other, and to dance and tumble about on the shelves amongst the cups and mugs; she squeaked and screeched as if she were both drunk and mad. About her being drunk there was very little doubt. “You must not carry on as if you had just come from the backwoods and make such a row and noise," said the town mouse; “the master of the house is a baliff and he is very strict indeed," she added. The country mouse said she didn't care either for bailiffs or beggars. But the cat sat at the top of the cellar steps, lying in wait, and heard all the chatter and noise. When the woman of the house went down to draw some beer and lifted the trap door the cat slipped by into the cellar and struck its claws into the country mouse. Then there was quite another sort of dance. The town mouse slid back into her hole and sat in safety looking on, while the country mouse suddenly became sober when she felt the claws of the cat in her back. “ Oh, my dear bailiff, oh, dearest bailiff, be merciful and spare my life and I will tell you a fairy tale," she said. “well, go on," said the cat. “Once upon a time there were two little mice," said the country mouse, squeaking slowly and pitifully, for she wanted to make the story last as long as she could. “Then they were not lonely," said the cat dryly and curtly. “And they had a steak which they were going to fry." ‘‘Then they could not starve," said the cat. “And they put it out on the roof to cool," said the country mouse. “ Then they did not burn themselves," said the cat. “ But there came a fox and a crow and ate it all up," said the country mouse. “Then I'll eat you," said the cat. But just at that moment the woman shut the trap door with a slam, which so startled the cat that she let go her hold of the mouse. One bound, and the country mouse found herself in the hole with the town mouse. From there a passage led out into the snow, and you may be sure the country mouse did not wait long before she set out homewards. “And this is what you call living well and being best off," she said to the town mouse. “Heaven preserve me from having such a fine place and such a master! Why, I only just got away with my life ! "
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
Hathi Trust
David Nutt
1897
Translated by H. L. Braekstad
A variant of 12
English
16
116-121
Tales from the Fjeld
Once Upon a time there was fell-mouse and townmouse, and they met on hill brae, where the fell-mouse sat in a hazel thicket and plucked nuts. "God help you, sister," said the town-mouse. Do I meet my kinsfolk here so far out in the country?" "Yes! So it is." said the Fell-mouse. "You gather these nuts and carry them to your house?" said the town mouse. "Yes; I must do it,' said the fell-mouse, "if we are to have anything to live on.' "The husks are long and the kernels full this year,"" said the towm-mouse "so dare say they will help to fill out a starveling body." "You are quite right,' said the fell-mouse, and then she told her how well and happily she lived. But the town-mouse thought she was better off, and the fellmouse would not give in, but said there was no place so good as wood and fell, and as for herself, she had far the best of it. Still the town-mouse said she was sure she had the best of it, and they could not agree at all. So, at last, they promised to pay one another visit at Yule, that they might taste and see which lived best. The town-mouse was the one that had to pay the first visit, and she went through woods and deep dales, for though the fell-mouse had come down to the lowlands for the winter, the road was both long and heavy. It was up-hill work, and the snow was both deep and soft, so that she was both weary and hungry by the time she got to her journey's end. "Now I shall be glad to get some food,' she said, when she got there. As for the fell-mouse, she had scraped together all sorts of good things. There were kernels of nuts, and liquorish-root and other roots, and much else that grows in wood and field. All this she had in hole deep under ground where it would not freeze, and close by was a spring which was open all the winter, so that she could drink as much water as she chose. There was plenty of what was to be had, and they fed both well and good but the town-mouse thought it was not more than sorry fare. "One can keep life together with this,' she said "But it isn't choice, not at all. But now you must be so kind as come to me, and taste what we have in town." Well, the fell-mouse was willing, and it was not long before she came. Then the town-mouse had gathered together something of all the Christmas fare which the mistress of the house had dropped as she went about, when she had taken A drop too much at Yule. There were bits of cheese, and odds and ends of butter and tallow, and cheesecakes and tipsycake, and much else that was nice. In the jar under the ale-tap she had drink enough, and the whole room was full of all kinds of dainties. They fed and lived well, and there was no end to the fell-mouse's greediness. Such fare she had never tasted. At last, she got thirsty, for the food was both strong and rich, and now she must have drink of water. "It is not far off to the ale,"" said the town-mouse "that's the drink for us" and with that she jumped up on the edge of the jar, and drank her thirst out, but she drank no more than she could carry, for she knew the Yule ale and how strong it was. But as for the fell-mouse, she thought it famous drink, for she had never tasted anything but water, and now she took sip after sip; but she was no judge of strong drink, and so the end was she got drunk, for she tumbled down and got wild in her head, and felt her feet tingle, till she began to run and to jump about from one beer-barrel to the other, and to dance and cut capers on the shelves among the cups and jugs, and to whistle and whine, just as though she were tipsy and silly and tipsy she was, there was no gainsaying it. "You mustn't behave as though you had just come from the hills,' said the town-mouse. Don't make such noise, and don't lead us such life we have a hard master here.' But the fell-mouse said She cared not pin for man or master But all this while the cat sat up on the trap-door above the cellar, and listened and spied both to their talk and pranks. Just then, the goody came down to draw mug of ale, and as she lifted the trap-door, the cat stole into the cellar and fixed her claws into the fellmouse. Then there was another dance. The townmouse crept into her hole, and sat safe looking on, but the fell-mouse got sober all at once as soon as she felt the cat's claws. "Oh, my dear master, my dear master be merciful and spare my life, and I'll tell you story." That was what she said. "Out with it then,' said the cat. "Once on a time there were two small mice," said the fell-mouse and she squeaked so pitifully and slowly, for she wanted to drag the story out as long as she could. "Then they were not alone,' said the cat, both sharply and drily. "And so we had steak we were going to cook.' "Then you were not starved," said the cat. "So we put it up on the roof that it might cool itself well,' said the fell-mouse. "Then you didn't burn your tongues,' said the cat. So, then the fox and the crow came and gobbled it, up,' said the fell-mouse. "And so I'll gobble you up,' said the cat. But just then the goody slammed to the trap-door again, so that the cat got afraid and loosed her hold, and -pop- the fell-mouse was away in the town-mouse's hole, and from it there was way out into the snow, and the fell-mouse was not slow in setting off home. "This you call living well, and you say that you live best" she said to the town-mouse. "Heaven help me to a better mind, for with such a big house, and such a hawk for master I could scarce get off with my life.
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
Google Books
Chapman and Hall
1874
Translated by George Webbe Dasent
A variant of 16
English
12
330-334