The City Mouse and the Country Mouse

A City Mouse and a Country Mouse were acquaintances (friends), and the Country Mouse one day invited his friend to come and see him at his home in the fields. The City Mouse came, and they sat down to a dinner of roots. The fare was not much to the taste of the guest, and presently he broke out with "My poor dear friend, you live here no better than the ants. Now, you should just see how I fare (live)! You must come and stay with me, and I promise you, you shall live on the fat of the land." So when he returned to the city he took the Country Mouse with him, and showed him into a pantry containing flour and oatmeal and figs and honey and dates. The Country Mouse had never seen anything like it, and sat down to enjoy the luxuries his friend provided: but before they had well begun, the door of the larder opened and someone came in. The two Mice scampered off and hid themselves in a narrow and exceedingly uncomfortable hole. Presently, when all was quiet, they ventured out again; but someone else came in, and off they scuttled again. This was too much for the visitor. "Good-bye," said he, "I'm off. You live in the lap of luxury, I can see, but you are surrounded by dangers; whereas at home I can enjoy my simple dinner of roots and corn in peace."



Recall the final step in the process to determine theme—use the events that happened in the fable and why they happened to infer the theme. Writing in complete sentences, identify the theme.