Buzzard Silhouette

The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse.

A Country Mouse invited a Town Mouse, an intimate friend, to pay him avisit, and partake of his country fare. As they were on the bareplough-lands, eating their wheat-stalks and roots pulled up from thehedge-row, the Town Mouse said to his friend: "You live here the life ofthe ants, while in my house is the horn of plenty. I am surrounded withevery luxury, and if you will come with me, as I much wish you would,you shall have an ample share of my dainties." The Country Mouse waseasily persuaded, and returned to town with his friend. On his arrival,the Town Mouse placed before him bread, barley, beans, dried figs,honey, raisins, and, last of all, brought a dainty piece of cheese froma basket. The Country Mouse, being much delighted at the sight of suchgood cheer, expressed his satisfaction in warm terms, and lamented hisown hard fate. Just as they were beginning to eat, some one opened thedoor, and they both ran off squeaking, as fast as they could, to a holeso narrow that two could only find room in it by squeezing. They hadscarcely again begun their repast when some one else entered to takesomething out of a cupboard, on which the two Mice, more frightened thanbefore, ran away and hid themselves. At last the Country Mouse, almostfamished, thus addressed his friend: "Although you have prepared for meso dainty a feast, I must leave you to enjoy it by yourself. It issurrounded by too many dangers to please me."

Better a little in safety, than an abundance surrounded by danger.

From Aesop's Fables