Fables Illustrated by Stories from Real Life

Fables Illustrated by Stories from Real Life

A country mouse invited an old friend who resided in town to pay him a visit. The town mouse said he would come with pleasure; and the country mouse, to show how glad he was to see him, exerted himself to the utmost to make the visit agreeable. The town mouse at so sparingly that the country mouse was quite distressed to see his friend with such a poor appetite. "Ah if you would but stay with us for a week," said he "we will send you home with such an appetite that you will be envied by every one of your friends." "Stay a week!" replied the town mouse. "My dear friend, I was just going to ask you how you contrive to live for an hour in such an out-of-the-way place as this! What a superior life one leads in a town! We cannot live for ever, as you well know, and what is the use of wasting your days here? Take my advice, and let our life be a merry one, if it must be short." The poor country mouse was so pleased with the winning ways and polished manners of his friend that he consented to go with him to his residence in town. It was a large hosue where the town mouse stayed, and he exerted himself in turn to entertain his friend. The country mouse was quietly yielding himself to the enjoyment of the hour when suddenly some people came into the room, forcing them to take refuge in a hole under a grate. They had scarecely crept out of their hiding-place when the loud barking of dogs caused them to run back again in greater terror than before. This was too much for the nerves of the country mouse: bidding his friend good-bye, he said "This life may suit you, my dear friend, but I'd rather have my homely fare where I have quietness to eat it, than live, in this constant state of fright, upon your luxuries." It is better to live quietly and contentedly in a cottage, than in luxury and strife in a palace.

Mrs. George Cupples

Carlson Fables Collection

T. Nelson and Sons

1874

Harrison Weir

English

54

132-134