The City Mouse and the Country mouse

Once there were two mice. They were friends. One mouse lived in the country; the other mouse lived in the city. After many years the Country mouse saw the City mouse; he said, "Do come and see me at my house in the country." So the City mouse went. The City mouse said, "This food is not good, and your house is not good. Why do you live in a hole in the field? You should come and live in the city. You would live in a nice house made of stone. You would have nice food to eat. You must come and see me at my house in the city."

The Country mouse went to the house of the City mouse. It was a very good house. Nice food was set ready for them to eat. But just as they began to eat they heard a great noise. The City mouse cried, " Run! Run! The cat is coming!" They ran away quickly and hid.

After some time they came out. When they came out, the Country mouse said, "I do not like living in the city. I like living in my hole in the field. For it is nicer to be poor and happy, than to be rich and afraid."

城市老鼠和乡下老鼠

从前有两只老鼠。他们是朋友。一只老鼠住在乡下;另一只老鼠住在城里。很多年以后，乡下老鼠遇见了城里老鼠。他说:“一定要来我乡下的房子看我。”于是城里老鼠就去了。城里老鼠说:“这食物不好，你的房子也不好。你为什么住在地里的洞里?你应该来住在城市里。你会住在漂亮的石头房子里。你会有好吃的东西吃。你一定要到我城里的家里来看看我。”

乡下老鼠就去了，这是一所非常好的房子。美味的食物已经为他们准备好了。但是正当他们开始吃的时候，他们听到了一声巨响。城里老鼠叫道:“快跑!快跑!猫来了!”他们迅速跑开藏了起来。

过了一会儿，他们出来了。当他们出来的时候，乡下老鼠说:“我不喜欢住在城市里。我喜欢住在田野里的洞里。因为贫穷而幸福总比富有而担惊受怕要好。”