After a while they came to the house where the city mouse lived.
Oh! What good things the city mouse set before the country mouse!
She had bread and cheese and cake.
“How good this is!” said the country mouse.
“I wish I lived in the city.”
Just then a man came into the room.
The mice jumped down and ran into a hole.
“Do not be afraid,” said the city mouse.
“The man can not find us.”
By and by the man went away.
Then the mice ran out of the hole and again began to eat.
III
Soon a cat came into the room.
“The cat! The cat!” said the city mouse.
Away ran the mice as fast as they could go.
Poor little country mouse!
She said to the city mouse,
“Good-by, my friend, I am going home.
In the country I am not afraid.
You have a beautiful house and good things to eat.
But I like my corn better than your cake.”
THE CITY MOUSE AND THE GARDEN MOUSE.
The city mouse lives in a house;
The garden mouse lives in a bower;
He’s friendly with the frogs and toads,
And sees the pretty plants in flower.
The city mouse eats bread and cheese;
The garden mouse eats what he can;
We will not grudge him seeds and stalks,
Poor little timid, furry man.
Christiana G. Rossetti.
