English Original
Once there were two mice who were friends. One lived in the country, the other in the city. After many years, the Country mouse met the City mouse and invited him to visit his home in the country.
The City mouse came but was unimpressed. "This food is not good, and your house is not good," he said. "Why do you live in a hole in the field? You should come and live in the city. You would live in a nice stone house and have fine food. You must come and see my house in the city."
The Country mouse visited the City mouse's house. It was a fine house with delicious food set out. But just as they began to eat, they heard a great noise. "Run! Run! The cat is coming!" cried the City mouse. They quickly ran away and hid.
After some time, they came out. The Country mouse then said, "I do not like living in the city. I prefer my hole in the field. For it is better to be poor and happy than to be rich and afraid."
中文翻译
从前有两只老鼠，他们是朋友。一只住在乡下，另一只住在城里。多年以后，乡下老鼠遇到了城里老鼠，并邀请他到自己在乡下的家做客。
城里老鼠来了，但并不满意。他说：“这食物不好，你的房子也不好。你为什么住在田野的洞里？你应该来城里住。你会住上漂亮的石头房子，吃到美味的食物。你一定要来城里看看我的房子。”
乡下老鼠去拜访了城里老鼠的家。那是一座好房子，摆好了美味的食物。但他们刚开始吃，就听到一阵巨大的声响。“快跑！快跑！猫来了！”城里老鼠喊道。他们迅速跑开躲了起来。
过了一会儿，他们出来了。乡下老鼠于是说道：“我不喜欢住在城里。我更喜欢我田野里的洞。因为贫穷而快乐，胜过富有而恐惧。”