The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

このストーリーについて

The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse is one of Aesop's Fables; the Roman poet Horace retold it in his Satires, and Beatrix Potter later turned it into The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse. This VoiceSmiths retelling follows plain, cheerful Barley and his posh cousin Reginald from a cosy burrow to a midnight feast with a broom-waving cook and a purring cat, as a full-cast audio story.

読み聞かせのコツ

• Give the two mice very different voices, one posh and one homely, so children can tell them apart.
• Ask children which home they would choose and why; there is no wrong answer.
• Talk about the things that make your own home feel safe and cosy.

よくある質問

What is the moral of The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse?

A plain life in safety is better than a rich life full of fear. An old English version puts it as: better beans and bacon in peace than cakes and ale in fear.

Who wrote The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse?

It is one of Aesop's Fables, traditionally credited to Aesop, a storyteller said to have lived in ancient Greece around the sixth century BCE. The Roman poet Horace told it in his Satires, and Beatrix Potter retold it in 1918 as The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse; this version is a VoiceSmiths retelling.

What age is The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse for?

It suits children from about 4 to 9. Younger children love the chase with the broom and the cat, and older children can talk about what really makes a good home.