Sorrel lives in a quiet field. Fitz lives in a busy city. In this town mouse and country mouse story, the two cousins tell the whole adventure in their own letters.
Letters Between Two Mouse Cousins
Letter 1: From the Country
Dear Cousin Fitz,
Please come and visit me! My hole under the old fence is small, but it is cozy.
We can eat barley seeds and wild strawberries. We can watch the cows. At night, the crickets sing us to sleep.
Your cousin,
Sorrel
Letter 2: From the Town
Dear Cousin Sorrel,
Thank you for having me! Your field was very green. Your strawberries were very sweet.
But I must be honest. It was a little quiet. And barley seeds are a bit crunchy for me.
Now YOU must visit ME. I live behind a bakery in the big city. We have cake crumbs, cheese, and lights all night long!
Your cousin,
Fitz
Letter 3: From the Country Mouse, in the Big City
Dear Mama,
I am writing from Cousin Fitz’s house. The city is so big!
There are cars that go HONK. There are doors that go SLAM. There is a baker who goes SHOO, SHOO! every time we try to eat a crumb.
We ate fancy cake for dinner. It was delicious. But we had to run and hide in the middle of it. Twice.
Tonight I can’t sleep. The lights are too bright and there are no crickets. I miss the field.
Love,
Sorrel
Letter 4: Back Home
Dear Cousin Fitz,
I am home again, under my old fence. Thank you for the cake and the bright lights. Your city is exciting, and I can see why you love it.
But I found out something about me. I like crunchy seeds better than fancy cake, if I can eat them slowly. I like crickets better than car horns.
Your home is perfect for you. And mine is perfect for me.
Let’s keep writing letters. And maybe, next summer, we can meet halfway, in a little park with a pond and one quiet bench.
Your cousin forever,
Sorrel
P.S. The crickets say hello. I fell asleep before they finished their song.
The end. The best home is the one that feels right for you.
Retold by the TalesKids team · Ages 4-7 · About 5 minutes to read aloud
Write Your Own Letter
Sorrel and Fitz stay close by writing to each other. Your child can try it too. Little ones can draw the letter, and you can write the words they say.
- Pick someone who lives far away: a grandparent, a cousin, or a friend.
- Start with “Dear…” and tell them one thing you love about your home.
- Ask them one question about their home.
- Add a P.S., just like Sorrel!
This story is based on one of Aesop’s fables from ancient Greece. You can read the classic version for free in Aesop’s Fables at Project Gutenberg.
Another mouse who loves adventure: Milo the Mouse and the Giggle Cheese. Or try Goldilocks and the Just-Right Garden and Rapunzel and the Window Garden.
