Once upon a time a Town mouse went on a visit to his cousin in the village. The Village Mouse loved his town cousin made him heartily welcome. Beans and meat, cheese and bread, were all he had to offer, but he offered them freely. The Town Mouse rather turned up his long nose at this village fare, and said: "I cannot understand, Cousin, how you can put up with such poor food as this , but of course you expect anything
better in the village; come you with me and I will show you how to live. When you have been in town a week you will wonder how you could ever have stood a village life".
No sooner said than done: the mice set off for the town and arrived at the Town mouse's residence late at night. "You will want some refreshment after our long journey", said the polite Town Mouse, and took his friend into the grand dining-room. There they found the remains of a fine feast, and soon the two mice were eating up jellies and cakes and all that was nice.
Suddenly they heard growling and barking. "What is that?" said the village Mouse. "It is only the dogs of the house". answered the other. "Only!" said the village Mouse. "I do not like that music at my dinner".
Just at the moment the door flew open, in came two huge dogs, and two mice had to scamper down and run off. "Good-bye, Cousin", said the Village Mouse, "What! going so soon?" said the other, "Yes", he replied; "Better beans and meat in peace than cakes and ale in fear".
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