Aesop's Fables: Sir Roger L'Estrange (1692)
10. A CITY AND A COUNTRY MOUSE (Perry
352)
There goes an old Story of a Country-Mouse that invited a City-Sister
of hers to a Country Collation, where she spar’d for nothing that the
Place afforded; as mouldy Crusts, Cheese-Parings, musty Oatmeal, rusty
Bacon, and the like. Now the City-Dame was so well bred, as seemingly
to take all in good part; but yet at last, Sister (says she, after the
civilest Fashion) why will you be miserable when you may be happy? Why
will you lie pining and pinching your self in such a lonesome starving
Course of Life as this is, when ‘tis but going to Town along with me;
to enjoy all the Pleasures and Plenty that your Heart can wish? This was
a Temptation the Country-Mouse was not able to resist; so that away they
trudg’d together, and about Midnight got to their Journey’s End. The City-Mouse
shewed her Friend the Larder, the Pantry, the Kitchen, and other Offices
where she laid her Stores; and after this, carried her into the Parlour,
where they found, yet upon the Table, the Relicks of a mighty Entertainment
of that very Night. The City-Mouse carv’d her Companion of what she liked
best, so to’t they fell upon a Velvet Couch together. The poor Bumpkin,
that had never seen nor heard of such Doings before, bless’d her self
at the Change of Condition, when (as ill luck would have it) all of a
sudden the Doors flew open, and in comes a Crew of roring Bullies, with
their Wenches, their Dogs, and their Bottles, and put the poor Mice to
their wit’s end how to save their Skins; the Stranger especially, that
had never been at this sport before: but she made a shift however for
the present to slink into a Corner, where she lay trembling and panting
till the Company went their way. So soon as ever the House was quiet again;
Well! My Court-Sister, says she, if this be the way of your Town-Gamboles,
I’ll e’en back to my Cottage, and my mouldy Cheese again; for I had much
rather lie knabbing of Crusts, without either Fear or Danger, in my own
Hole, than be Mistress of the whole World with perpetual Cares and Alarms.
THE MORAL The Difference of a Court and Country Life. The Delights,
Innocence, and Security of the one, compar’d with the Anxiety, the Lewdness,
and the Hazards of the other.
L'Estrange originally published his version of the fables in 1692. There is a
very nice illustrated edition in the Children's Classics series by Knopf: Sir
Roger L'Estrange. Aesop
- Fables which is available at amazon.com.
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