Belling the cat
Long ago, there was a big cat in the house. He caught many mice while they were stealing food.
One day the mice had a meeting to talk about the way to deal with their mon enemy. Some said this, and some said that.
At last a young mouse got up, and said that he had a good idea.
"We could tie a bell around the neck of the cat. Then when he es near, we can hear the sound of the bell, and run away."
Everyone approved of this proposal, but an old wise mouse got up and said, "That is all very well, but who will tie the bell to the cat?" The mice looked at each other, but nobody spoke.
老鼠开会
从前，一所房子里面有一只大猫，他抓住了很多偷东西的老鼠。
一天，老鼠在一起开会商量如何对付他们共同的敌人。会上大家各有各的主张，最后，一只小老鼠站出来说他有一个好主意。
“我们可以在猫的脖子上绑一个铃铛，那么如果他来到附近，我们听到铃声就可以马上逃跑。”
大家都赞同这个建议，这时一只聪明的老耗子站出来说：“这的确是个绝妙的主意，但是谁来给猫的脖子上绑铃铛呢?”老鼠们面面相觑，谁也没有说话。
寓意: 有些事情说起来容易，做起来却很难。
Once there were two mice. They were friends. One mouse lived in the country; the other mouse lived in the city. After many years the Country mouse saw the City mouse; he said, "Do come and see me at my house in the country." So the City mouse went. The City mouse said, "This food is not good, and your house is not good. Why do you live in a hole in the field? You should come and live in the city. You would live in a nice house made of stone. You would have nice food to eat. You must come and see me at my house in the city." The Country mouse went to the house of the City mouse. It was a very good house. Nice food was set ready for them to eat. But just as they began to eat they heard a great noise. The City mouse cried, " Run! Run! The cat is coming!" They ran away quickly and hid. After some time they came out. When they came out, the Country mouse said, "I do not like living in the city. I like living in my hole in the field. For it is nicer to be poor and happy, than to be rich and afraid."
故事读完了，乡下老鼠虽然居住条件差，没有可口的食物，但它过的安逸而愉快：城里老鼠住着漂亮的房子，享用着美味的食物，但却时刻面临着生命危险。如果是你，你会选择哪种生活呢?
词汇：
-country 乡下
-hole 洞
-made of 由...制成
-nice food 美味的食物
-noise 响声，噪音
-cried 喊
-ran away 逃跑
-afraid 恐惧的