7.城里老鼠和乡下老鼠, The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
(chéng lǐ lǎo shǔ hé xiāng xià lǎo shǔ)

Yǒu yī cì ， yī zhī chéng lǐ de lǎo shǔ qù kàn wàng xiāng xià de biǎo dì ，

有一次，一只城里的老鼠去看望乡下的表弟，

zhè gè biǎo dì suī rán hěn cū xīn ， què hěn ài zhè wèi chéng lǐ de biǎo gē bìng yóu zhōng de huān yíng jiē dài tā 。

这个表弟虽然很粗心，却很爱这位城里的表哥并由衷的欢迎接待它。

tā ná chū le suǒ yǒu de hǎo dōng xī ，rú gè zhǒng dòu zǐ 、 xūn ròu 、 nǎi lào hé miàn bāo ， ràng biǎo gē jìn qíng de xiǎng shòu 。 

它拿出了所有的好东西，如各种豆子、熏肉、奶酪和面包，让表哥尽情的享受。

chéng lǐ lǎo shǔ yòng bí zǐ wén le wén zhè xiē shí wù shuō ：

城里老鼠用鼻子闻了闻这些食物说：

“ biǎo dì ， wǒ zhēn bù míng bái ， 

“表弟，我真不明白，

nǐ zěn me néng gòu bǎi shàng zhè me chà de shí wù ？

你怎么能够摆上这么差的食物？

dāng rán ， zài xiāng xià nǐ yě bù néng qī wàng guò gāo,

当然，在乡下你也不能期望过高，

gēn wǒ qù chéng lǐ bɑ ，ràng wǒ gào sù nǐ shén me cái shì shēng huó ，

跟我去城里吧，让我告诉你什么才是生活，

zhǐ yào nǐ dào chéng lǐ zhù shàng yī gè xīng qī，

只要你到城里住上一个星期，

nǐ jiù huì qí guài jìng rán hái néng rěn shòu zhe xiāng xià de shēng huó ” 。

你就会奇怪竟然还能忍受着乡下的生活”。

bù jiǔ zhī hòu ， liǎng zhī lǎo shǔ jiù lí kāi xiāng xià lián yè gǎn dào chéng lǐ lǎo shǔ de jiā 。 

不久之后，两只老鼠就离开乡下连夜赶到城里老鼠的家。

chéng lǐ lǎo shǔ hěn yǒu lǐ mào de shuō：“ cháng tú bá shè zhī hòu nǐ yī dìng è le bā ？” 。

城里老鼠很有礼貌的说：“长途跋涉之后你一定饿了吧？”。

rán hòu bǎ tā dài dào háo huá cān tīng 。

然后把它带到豪华餐厅。

zhè lǐ gāng gāng jǔ xíng le yī chǎng shèng yàn ，hái yǒu bù shǎo shèng fàn。

这里刚刚举行了一场盛宴，还有不少剩饭。

yī huì ér gōng fū ， liǎng zhī lǎo shǔ jiù chī wán le guǒ dòng 、 dàn gāo hé qí tā hǎo chī de shí wù 。 

一会儿功夫，两只老鼠就吃完了果冻、蛋糕和其它好吃的食物。

hū rán chuán lái yī zhèn quǎn fèi shēng 。

忽然传来一阵犬吠声。

xiāng xià lǎo shǔ wèn ： “ nà shì shén me ？

乡下老鼠问：“那是什么？”城里老鼠回答：

” chéng lǐ lǎo shǔ huí dā ： “ ò ， shì zhè gè jiā de jǐ zhī gǒu 。”

“哦，是这个家的几只狗。”

xiāng xià lǎo shǔ fǎn wèn dào ， “ zhǐ shì jǐ zhǐ gǒu ？

乡下老鼠反问道，“只是几只狗？

wǒ kě bù xǐ huān chī fàn de shí hòu tīng dào zhè zhǒng‘ yīn lè ’   ” 。 

我可不喜欢吃饭的时侯听到这种‘音乐’ ”。

huà gāng shuō wán ， mén jiù bèi zhuàng kāi le ， liǎng zhī dà gǒu chōng le jìn lái ，

话刚说完，门就被撞开了，两只大狗冲了进来，

lǎo shǔ men bù dé bù fàng xià shí wù ， luò huāng ér táo 。

老鼠们不得不放下食物，落荒而逃。

xiāng xià lǎo shǔ biān pǎo biān shuō ： “ zài jiàn bā ， biǎo gē ！” 。

乡下老鼠边跑边说：“再见吧，表哥！”。

lìng yī zhī lǎo shǔ shuō ： “ shén me ！ nǐ zhè me kuài jiù yào zǒu ？”

另一只老鼠说：“什么！你这么快就要走？”

xiāng xià lǎo shǔ huí dā shuō ： “ shì de ， zài píng jìng zhōng xiǎng shòu wān dòu hé xūn ròu , shèng guò zài jīng kǒng zhōng xiǎng shòu dàn gāo hé měi jiǔ 。 ” 

乡下老鼠回答说：“是的，在平静中享受豌豆和熏肉，胜过在惊恐中享受蛋糕和美酒。

Now you must know that a Town Mouse once upon a time went on a visit to his cousin in the country.  

Yǒu yī cì ， yī zhī chéng lǐ de lǎo shǔ qù kàn wàng xiāng xià de biǎo dì ，

He was rough and ready, this cousin,  but he loved his town friend and made him heartily welcome.  

zhè gè biǎo dì suī rán hěn cū xīn ， què hěn ài zhè wèi chéng lǐ de biǎo gē bìng yóu zhōng de huān yíng jiē dài tā 。

Beans and bacon, cheese and bread, were all he had to offer, but he offered them freely.  

tā ná chū le suǒ yǒu de hǎo dōng xī ，rú gè zhǒng dòu zǐ 、 xūn ròu 、 nǎi lào hé miàn bāo ， ràng biǎo gē jìn qíng de xiǎng shòu 。 

The Town Mouse rather turned up his long nose at this country fare, and said:

chéng lǐ lǎo shǔ yòng bí zǐ wén le wén zhè xiē shí wù shuō ：

"I cannot understand, Cousin, 

“ biǎo dì ， wǒ zhēn bù míng bái ， 

how you can put up with such poor food as this,

nǐ zěn me néng gòu bǎi shàng zhè me chà de shí wù ？

but of course you cannot expect anything better in the country;

dāng rán ， zài xiāng xià nǐ yě bù néng qī wàng guò gāo,

come you with me and I will show you how to live.  

gēn wǒ qù chéng lǐ bɑ ，ràng wǒ gào sù nǐ shén me cái shì shēng huó ，

When you have been in town a week you 

zhǐ yào nǐ dào chéng lǐ zhù shàng yī gè xīng qī，

will wonder how you could ever have stood a country life."  

nǐ jiù huì qí guài jìng rán hái néng rěn shòu zhe xiāng xià de shēng huó ” 。

No sooner said than done: the two mice set off for the town and arrived at the Town Mouse's residence late at night.  

bù jiǔ zhī hòu ， liǎng zhī lǎo shǔ jiù lí kāi xiāng xià lián yè gǎn dào chéng lǐ lǎo shǔ de jiā 。 

"You will want some refreshment after our long journey," said the polite Town Mouse,

chéng lǐ lǎo shǔ hěn yǒu lǐ mào de shuō：“ cháng tú bá shè zhī hòu nǐ yī dìng è le bā ？” 。

and took his friend into the grand dining-room.  

rán hòu bǎ tā dài dào háo huá cān tīng 。

There they found the remains of a fine feast,

zhè lǐ gāng gāng jǔ xíng le yī chǎng shèng yàn ，hái yǒu bù shǎo shèng fàn。

and soon the two mice were eating up jellies and cakes and all that was nice.  

yī huì ér gōng fū ， liǎng zhī lǎo shǔ jiù chī wán le guǒ dòng 、 dàn gāo hé qí tā hǎo chī de shí wù 。 

Suddenly they heard growling and barking.

hū rán chuán lái yī zhèn quǎn fèi shēng 。

"What is that?" said the Country Mouse.  

xiāng xià lǎo shǔ wèn ： “ nà shì shén me ？

"It is only the dogs of the house," answered the other.  

” chéng lǐ lǎo shǔ huí dā ： “ ò ， shì zhè gè jiā de jǐ zhī gǒu 。”

"Only!" said the Country Mouse.

xiāng xià lǎo shǔ fǎn wèn dào ， “ zhǐ shì jǐ zhǐ gǒu ？

"I do not like that music at my dinner."

wǒ kě bù xǐ huān chī fàn de shí hòu tīng dào zhè zhǒng‘ yīn lè ’   ” 。 

Just at that moment the door flew open, in came two huge mastiffs,

huà gāng shuō wán ， mén jiù bèi zhuàng kāi le ， liǎng zhī dà gǒu chōng le jìn lái ，

and the two mice had to scamper down and run off.

lǎo shǔ men bù dé bù fàng xià shí wù ， luò huāng ér táo 。

"Good-bye, Cousin," said the Country Mouse, 

xiāng xià lǎo shǔ biān pǎo biān shuō ： “ zài jiàn bā ， biǎo gē ！” 。

"What! going so soon?" said the other.  

lìng yī zhī lǎo shǔ shuō ： “ shén me ！ nǐ zhè me kuài jiù yào zǒu ？”

"Yes," he replied;"Better beans and bacon in peace than cakes and ale in fear."

xiāng xià lǎo shǔ huí dā shuō ： “ shì de ， zài píng jìng zhōng xiǎng shòu wān dòu hé xūn ròu , shèng guò zài jīng kǒng zhōng xiǎng shòu dàn gāo hé měi jiǔ 。 ”