One day, a city mouse went to visit his old friend in the countryside.
The country mouse was delighted to see him. He welcomed his friend warmly and served the best meal he had: grains, vegetables, and a few pieces of cheese.
The city mouse looked at the simple meal and smiled politely.
“Is this all you eat?” he asked.
The country mouse nodded.
“It isn’t much, but I have enough to live comfortably.”
The city mouse laughed.
“You should come with me to the city. There’s food everywhere!”
The country mouse was curious, so he followed his friend.
When they arrived, the city mouse took him to a beautiful house. Inside was a huge dining table covered with delicious food.
The country mouse’s eyes grew wide.
“Now this is a dinner!” he exclaimed.
They began eating.
Suddenly, they heard a loud noise.
The door flew open, and a huge cat came running toward them.
The two mice jumped off the table and ran for their lives. They hid behind a piece of furniture until the cat finally disappeared.
The city mouse smiled.
“See? That’s just part of city life.”
The country mouse was still shaking with fear.
A few minutes later, they returned to the table and started eating again.
Just as they took their first bites, a servant walked into the room.
The mice immediately ran away again.
The country mouse had finally had enough.
“I’ve changed my mind,” he said. “I’m going home.”
“But why?” the city mouse asked. “You have delicious food here!”
The country mouse smiled.
“Yes, but your dinner comes with too much running.”
He returned to the countryside, where the food was simple but life was peaceful.
The city mouse watched him leave.
Then he looked at the empty dining table and sighed.
“Maybe peace is worth more than cheese.”