001 The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

『阿花说』 《城里老鼠与乡下老鼠》是《伊索寓言》中广为人知的故事之一，是可以帮助孩子理解每个人都有不同生活、并尊重别人选择的好故事。 出版社：Usborne 改编：Susanna Davidson 插图：Jacqueline East 适合年龄段：4+ 「原文」 The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse retold by Susanna Davidson based on a stock by Aesop In among the waving grasses, lies a little brown country mouse, fast asleep. His name is Pipin. He dreams of crunchy seeds and juicy red strawberries. Every evening Pipin pattered home to his little house in the leafy hedge. Then, one cold winter's day, there was a knock at his door. "Pipin!" cried a voice. It was Toby Town Mouse, come to stay. "Oh my whiskers!" cried Pipin. He rushed to his pantry for his best nuts and berries. "Is this all you have?" asked Toby Town Mouse. "In town we eat like kings, I think you'd better come and stay with me." The mice scampered to the train station early next morning. The train trundled in with a snort and a shriek. "It's HUGE!" gasped Pipin. "It's like a big red beast." They wriggled inside a man's green bag and were lifted aboard. Then... Chugga-chugga-chugga. Choo! Choo! They were off. Pipin gazed out of the window, at trees waving their branches. Then there were no trees at all - just tall buildings that touched the sky. "At last!" cried Toby, sniffing the air. "We're here!" They ran out of the station onto a busy street. "Help!" squeaked Pipin, dodging in and out of stamping feet. "Hurry up, Pipin!" "This is it." said Toby, proudly pointing his paw. "My house." They crept through a crack under the blue front door. Toby led Pipin down under the floor, up secret stairs behind walls and into a splendid dining hall. The mice nibbled and gnawed and scooped cream with their paws, until they were perfectly full. Then they fell asleep. They woke with a start as the table shook. "MY dinner time!" purred the kitchen cat. "Mmm... juicy little mice." "Run!" squeaked Toby. The mice darted this way and that. Pounce! Pounce! Went the hungry cat. She swiped at Pipin with her pointy claws. "Quick, Pipin! Into this hole." Pipin ran. The cat leaped and missed. "Curses!" she hissed. "Oh my whiskers." said Pipin, mopping his brow. "I want to go home." "Oh! Why?" "The town life is too much for me." Toby took Pipin to the station and waved goodbye. Pipin gazed again as tall buildings flashed quickly past his eyes. In the starry dark, Pipin finally reached his hedge. He sniffed the cold, sweet air and smiled. Then he snuggled down in his soft, mossy bed. "This is the life for me." he said. -The End- 感谢收听(〃ω〃)