The Town Mouse And The Country Mouse
家鼠與田鼠
作者：伊索
譯者：Catrina Chiang
圖片來源：APKPure.com
Now you must know that a Town Mouse once upon a time went on a visit to his cousin in the country.
你一定聽說過，從前有一隻家鼠去鄉下拜訪表兄田鼠。
He was rough and ready, this cousin, but he loved his town friend and made him heartily welcome. Beans and bacon, cheese and bread, were all he had to offer, but he offered them freely.
表兄田鼠雖然生活簡單粗糙，卻喜歡這個城市來的兄弟，於是十分熱情地招待家鼠。豆子、燻肉、奶酪和麵包，雖是他所能提供的一切食物，但他都大方地拿出來招待家鼠。
The Town Mouse rather turned up his long nose at this country fare, and said:
家鼠則把鼻子翹得高高的，不很情願地看著這些鄉村食物，說道：
「I cannot understand, Cousin, how you can put up with such poor food as this, but of course you cannot expect anything better in the country; 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 country life.」
「兄弟，我不明白你是怎麼能拿出這樣糟糕的食物的。當然，你也不能期望鄉下有什麼更好的東西。你來和我住，讓我來教你怎樣生活。只要你在城裡住上一個星期，你就會納悶，當初自己怎麼受得了鄉村生活的。」
圖片來源：Amazon.com
No sooner said than done: the two mice set off for the town and arrived at the Town Mouse’s residence late at night.
說做就做，當晚，兩隻老鼠出發來到了家鼠的住處。
「You will want some refreshment after our long journey,」 said the polite Town Mouse, and took his friend into the grand dining-room.
「經過這一路奔波，你想吃些甜點吧。」紳士的家鼠一邊說，一邊領著田鼠進入了一個大餐廳。
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.
它們發現了盛宴後留下的美食，很快兩隻老鼠就開始吃各種果凍和蛋糕，所有的食物都十分美味。
Suddenly they heard growling and barking.
「What is that?」 said the Country Mouse.
突然，它們聽到一陣咆哮和犬吠。
「那是什麼？」田鼠問道。
圖片來源：Facebook
「It is only the dogs of the house,」 answered the other.
「不過是家裡的狗而已。」家鼠回答。
「Only!」 said the Country Mouse. 「I do not like that music at my dinner.」 Just at that moment the door flew open, in came two huge mastiffs, and the two mice had to scamper down and run off.
「而已！」田鼠說道，「我可不喜歡在晚餐的時候聽到這樣的音樂。」就在此時，餐廳門打開了，進來了兩隻大獒犬，兩隻老鼠馬上驚慌失措地逃跑。
「Good-bye, Cousin,」 said the Country Mouse, 「What! going so soon?」 said the other.
「再見了，老弟。」田鼠說道，「什麼！這麼快就走了？」家鼠問。
「Yes,」 he replied; 「Better beans and bacon in peace than cakes and ale in fear.」
「是的，」田鼠回答道，「比起擔驚受怕地享受這些蛋糕美酒，我還是平平安安地回去啃那些大豆燻肉吧。」