MAALAISHIIRI JA KAUPUNKILAISHIIRI
by Aesop · from Aisopoksen satuja : $b 56 eläintarinaa
Adapted Version
This is the Country Mouse. She lives in a small house. She is happy there. Her sister came to visit. This was the City Mouse. Country Mouse made food. She had bread. She had cheese. It was good country food.
City Mouse ate the food. She was very polite. But she did not like it. "My sister," she said. "Come to the city with me. There is much food there. It is very good food. We can have much fun."
Country Mouse thought about it. The city sounded nice. She wanted to see it. So she went with City Mouse. They walked a long way. They came to the city.
City Mouse had a big home. It was full of food. She showed Country Mouse many rooms. Then they went to a big room. There was a table there. Much food was on the table. It looked very good.
Country Mouse was surprised. She saw so much food. She felt very happy. City Mouse said, "Let's eat!" They sat on a soft cushion. The food was very tasty. Country Mouse ate and ate.
Suddenly, the door opened. It made a loud noise. Big people came in. Big dogs came in too. The dogs made loud barks. It was a very scary noise. The room was full of movement.
The mice were very scared. They ran to hide fast. City Mouse knew where to go. She ran very quickly. Country Mouse was not used to this. She shook with fear. She did not know what to do.
Country Mouse hid in a corner. She was very afraid. She shook with fear. The big dogs left the room. The people left too. Then the room was quiet.
Country Mouse talked to her sister. "City Mouse," she said. "I like my simple home. My home is safe. Here, I am always scared. I eat stale bread there. But I have no worry. I want to go home now."
Country Mouse went back home. She was happy there. Her home was simple. But it was safe. This was best for her. She liked her quiet life.
Original Story
MAALAISHIIRI JA KAUPUNKILAISHIIRI
Vanhan tarinan mukaan oli maalaishiiri kerran kutsunut kaupunkilaisen siskonsa maalaispitoihin ja hankkinut kestitykseksi kaikkea, mitä siellä päin oli saatavissa: homehtuneita leivänkuoria, juustonmuruja, eltaantuneita puuronjätteitä, pilaantunutta sianlihaa ja muuta semmoista. Mutta kaupunkilaishiiri oli niin hyvin kasvatettu, että tekeytyi kaikkeen tyytyväiseksi, virkkaen kuitenkin lopuksi: »Siskoseni, miksi viitsit olla näin kurjassa tilassa, vaikka voisit olla onnellinen? Miksi tahdot elää kituuttaa tällaisessa autiossa paikassa ja ihan kuolla nälkään? Eihän sinun tarvitsisi muuta kuin tulla minun kanssani kaupunkiin. Siellä saisit nauttia maailman ihanuuksista, mitä ikinä sydämesi osaisi haluta.» Tällaista houkutusta maalaishiiri ei kyennyt vastustamaan. Niinpä hiiret lähtivät yhdessä sipsuttamaan ja puoliyön tienoissa saapuivat perille. Kaupunkilaishiiri näytti ystävälleen aitan, ruokasäiliön, keittiön ja muut sopet, jonne sen oli tapa kerätä varastoa, ja sitten opasti sen ruokasaliin, missä vielä oli pöydällä runsaita tähteitä äskeisestä herkullisesta illallisesta. Maalaiselle tarjottiin nyt, mikä olisi sen mielestä parasta, ja molemmat kapusivat samettiselle pielukselle yhdessä syömään herkkua. Kun maalaistollikko ei ikinä ollut nähnyt tai kuullut, että maailma voi olla näin ihana, siunasi se mielessään olojensa muutosta, mutta silloinpa pahaksi onneksi ovi temmattiin äkkiä auki, ja sieltä ryntäsi sisään joukko mekastavia renkejä ja piikoja ja koiria. Nyt tuli hiirille kova hätä, kuinka pelastaisivat nahkansa. Pahemmassa pulassa oli vieras, joka ei ollut ennen joutunut tällaiseen leikkiin. Mutta sen onnistui kuitenkin pujahtaa nurkkaan, ja siellä se makasi läähättäen ja kauhusta vavisten, kunnes seurue meni tiehensä. Kun salissa sitten taas oli rauha, sanoi se: »Kuuleppa, hieno siskoni, jos täällä kaupungissa huhdotaan tällä tavalla, niin mieleni tekee päästä takaisin maalle, syömään vaikka homehtunutta juustoa; sillä paljoa mieluummin nakertelen pikku kolossani kuivia leivänkuoriakin, jollei tarvitse pelätä mitään vaaraa, kuin olisin koko maailman emäntä ja korvissani aina humisisi hätä ja riivattu melu.»
Story DNA
Moral
It is better to live a simple life in peace and safety than to live in luxury with constant fear and danger.
Plot Summary
A Country Mouse invites her City Mouse sister to a simple meal, which the City Mouse finds unappealing. The City Mouse persuades her sister to visit the city, promising a life of luxury. In the city, the Country Mouse is amazed by the abundant, delicious food in a grand dining room. However, their feast is interrupted by a terrifying intrusion of humans and dogs, forcing the mice to flee for their lives. Shaken by the experience, the Country Mouse declares that she prefers her humble, safe country life to the dangerous luxuries of the city and returns home.
Themes
Emotional Arc
contentment to fear to renewed contentment
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Aesop's Fables are ancient, originating in Greece, and are known for their moral lessons, often featuring anthropomorphic animals.
Plot Beats (10)
- The Country Mouse hosts her City Mouse sister, offering simple, rustic food.
- The City Mouse politely expresses dissatisfaction with the meager country fare and suggests her sister move to the city for a life of luxury.
- The Country Mouse is convinced and travels with her sister to the city.
- The City Mouse shows her sister her well-stocked pantry and then leads her to a dining room with abundant, delicious leftovers.
- The Country Mouse is overwhelmed by the luxury and begins to enjoy the feast on a velvet cushion.
- Suddenly, the door is thrown open, and servants and dogs burst into the room, creating a terrifying commotion.
- The mice scramble for safety, with the Country Mouse being particularly frightened as she's unaccustomed to such danger.
- The Country Mouse hides, trembling with fear, until the humans and dogs leave.
- Once peace returns, the Country Mouse tells her sister that she prefers her simple, safe country life, even with stale bread, to the constant fear of the city's luxuries.
- The Country Mouse returns to her peaceful rural home.
Characters
Maalaishiiri (Country Mouse)
Small, nimble, and somewhat scruffy, with fur that might be a duller, earthy brown from living outdoors. Its movements are quick and cautious, accustomed to open spaces but also to hiding in tight spots.
Attire: None, as a mouse. Its natural fur is its only covering.
Wants: To live a peaceful, safe life, free from danger. Initially, curiosity and the desire for a better, more comfortable existence drive it to the city.
Flaw: Naivety and a strong aversion to danger, which makes it easily overwhelmed by the chaos of city life.
Starts content, is tempted by the promise of luxury, experiences extreme fear, and ultimately learns that peace and safety are more valuable than abundance and excitement. It returns to its original state, but with newfound wisdom.
Hospitable, content, simple, easily swayed, fearful, practical.
Kaupunkilaishiiri (City Mouse)
Sleek, well-fed, and perhaps a bit plumper than its country counterpart, with fur that might be a richer, darker shade from a diet of varied human food. Its movements are confident and accustomed to navigating complex indoor environments.
Attire: None, as a mouse. Its natural fur is its only covering.
Wants: To enjoy the finest things in life and to share its perceived good fortune with its relative.
Flaw: Underestimates the value of peace and quiet, and the impact of constant danger on those not accustomed to it.
Remains largely unchanged, continuing its life of luxury and danger, but perhaps gains a slight understanding of why its cousin prefers a simpler life.
Polite, sophisticated (by mouse standards), persuasive, accustomed to luxury, resourceful, somewhat oblivious to the fears of others.
Locations
Maalaishiiri's Humble Dwelling
A small, rustic nook or burrow in the countryside, likely within a simple Finnish farmhouse or barn, filled with scavenged, modest provisions.
Mood: Simple, quiet, secure, but somewhat meager.
The country mouse hosts the city mouse, offering humble fare and receiving an invitation to the city.
City Palace Dining Hall
A grand, opulent dining hall within a wealthy Finnish manor or palace, featuring rich furnishings and the remnants of a luxurious feast on a large table.
Mood: Initially luxurious and abundant, quickly turning to chaotic and terrifying.
The mice feast on rich leftovers until interrupted by a sudden, terrifying intrusion of people and dogs.