Now you must know that a Town Mouse once upon a time went on a visit to his cousin in the country. He was rough and ready, this cousin, but he loved his town friend and made him heartily welcome. Beans and bacon, cheese and bread, were all he had to offer, but he offered them freely.
The Town Mouse rather turned up his long nose at this country fare, and said: "I cannot understand, Cousin, how you can put up with such poor food as this, but of course you cannot expect anything better in the country; come you with me and I will show you how to live. When you have been in town a week you will wonder how you could ever have stood a country life."
No sooner said than done: the two mice set off for the town and arrived at the Town Mouse's residence late at night.
"You will want some refreshment after our long journey," said the polite Town Mouse, and took his friend into the grand dining-room.
There they found the remains of a fine feast, and soon the two mice were eating up jellies and cakes and all that was nice. Suddenly they heard a loud hissing and yowling.
"What is that?" asked the Country Mouse.
"It is only the cat of the house," answered the other.
Just then, the cat leaped up onto the table, sending the two mice running for their lives. They just barely managed to dash into a hole in the wall, with the cat hot on their tails.
"Good-bye, Cousin," said the Country Mouse.
"What! going so soon?" said the other.
"Yes," he replied; "Better beans and bacon in peace than cakes and ale in fear."
Moral of the story: It is better to be poor and safe, than rich and in danger.
It is typical of all of us to want to acquire bigger and better things. But you should ask yourself if this will hurt you or others before going after it. Often times, it's better to be satisfied with what you have than to risk untold danger to acquire something you only "believe" you need.
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