Wednesday, May 22, 2013

The Town Mouse and The Country Mouse (with audio file and work sheets)


Mouse,feltsp
 
The Town Mouse and The Country Mouse

            The town mouse and the country mouse were cousins. They often wrote to each other. One day, the country mouse got this letter from his cousin.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Kitchen Cupboard,
                                                                                                                                 Mouse Town,
                                                                                                                             11 March 2012.

Dear Cousin,
            I have been ill with a cough and my doctor feels I need a holiday. He has asked me to spend a week in the countryside. May I stay with you? Please give me an early reply.
            With warm regards,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Yours affectionately,
                                                                                                                        Town Mouse

To
Country Mouse,
The Mouse Hole,
Mouse Country.


Receiving the invitation from the country mouse, the town mouse packed his bags and caught the next train to the countryside. The day was bright and sunny and soon the town mouse began to feel hot in the train.
“I wish there was an air-conditioned coach” he said to himself. I feel very uncomfortable here”.
However, there was nothing he could do about it. So, he grumbled to himself while the train chugged slowly into the country. The country mouse was waiting at the station.
“Oh, cousin,” the town mouse said as he got off the train. “The train was dreadful, I feel terribly hot and thirsty. I hope you have something ice-cold for me to drink at home.
“Well, I have some water, “said the country mouse.  “But I can look around for some coconut water if you like.”
“Coconut water? Asked the town mouse in horror. “Don’t you have any orange juice or lemonade?”
“I am afraid not,” replied his cousin, “But I found a very nice piece of root today and a tender bit of sugar-cane. I’m sure you will enjoy that.”
“Root? Sugar-cane?” the town mouse exclaimed. “But I don’t eat raw food like that.”
The country mouse said, “This is what we eat in the country. So I’m afraid you too have to eat this. Try it. It’s not bad.
The town mouse did not enjoy his dinner at all. He nibbled at the root and the sugar cane and then said he wanted to sleep. The country mouse showed a corner in the mouse hole and said,” There you are; you can sleep there.”
“On the ground?” asked the town mouse, “Do I have to sleet on the ground?”
“Yes, this is how we sleep in the country,” his cousin answered.
As the town mouse lay down on the hard, cold ground, he suddenly thought of something, “Cousin, “he called out.
‘Yes, what is it?” the country mouse asked.
“Why is it so quiet here? Where are all the cars and Lorries? Where are the radios and the televisions? Where are the lights?”
“This is how it is in the country,” his cousin replied. “It’s always quiet in the country, Sometimes it is quieter than today. My grandfather says that our village is quietest among all the villages in our district.” “Oh! Is it? The country is a strange place, “said the town mouse. But he said to himself. “I don’t think I like this place.”
Next morning, the town mouse found that there was no breakfast ready, His cousin told him that they had to go to the nearby farm to search for food.
“We are sure to find something there. “he said.” A nice piece of root or a tender bit of sugar-cane.”
But the town mouse had enough, “Thank you cousin,” he said. “But I think I’ll catch the next train home. I have suddenly remembered that I have forgotten something.”
A few days later, the country mouse wrote to his cousin, the town mouse, here is the letter.






                                                                                                            Mouse Hole,
                                                                                                            Mouse Country,
                                                                                                            22 March 2012.

My dear Cousin,
            I hope you are well. I am worried about you. I would like to visit you and make sure you are alright.
            With love,
                                                                                                            Your cousin,
                                                                                                            Country Mouse.
To
Town Mouse,
Kitchen Cupboard,

The town mouse received the letter and read it. Since he was in a hurry, he sent a telegram to the country mouse. Here is his telegram.
            OVERJOYED(.)COME SOON(.)
                           TOWN MOUSE


A few days later, the country mouse arrived in the town. He was surprised by the noise and the lights.
“Why are there lights even in the middle of the night? “ he asked.
“This is the town,” his cousin replied. “Here there are lights even in the middle of the day.”
“And what is this dreadful noise that never stops?” asked the country mouse.
“That is the traffic, “the Town Mouse replied. “That is the noise made by Buses, Lorries, Cars and Aeroplanes.”
But the country mouse did not like it at all. “All this noise has made head ache, “he said. “ Could I have some water to drink?”
“Why only water?” said the town mouse, “Look at what there is for you – ice cold lemonade, orange juice… which one do you want?”
‘Just some water,” answered the country mouse. “Some water and a little bit of food.”
“I have plenty of food, cousin,” said the town mouse proudly. “You can eat as much as you like.”
Sure enough, the house of the town mouse at the back of a kitchen cupboard was full of the most delicious food.
There was bread and jam, different kinds of fruits, slabs of chocolate and a huge piece of lovely cheese.
“Eat, cousin, eat,” said the town mouse. But just then, there was a sound like a thunder and the town mouse shouted.” Run, cousin, run, run.”
The town mouse pushed the country mouse out through a hole in the back of the cupboard. The town mouse felt his heart beating very fast, “ But what is it?” he asked.
“Sssh….” Whispered the town mouse. “Wait.”
When everything was silent again, the town mouse crept out of the hole. He was quite cheerful again.
“Come out now, cousin,” he said. That was only somebody opening the cupboard door. We are safe now.”
But they were not safe for very long. Twice more, they had to run for safety when somebody opened the cupboard door.
The country mouse got quite tired of running and hiding. “ I want to go back to the country,” he said. “We may not get much food there, but at least we can eat in peace.”
So, the next day, the country mouse went back to his house in the country and the town mouse   stayed on in his cupboard in the town. And as far as I know, they did not visit each other again.

                                                                                              

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