Once there were two mice, Tony and Rick. They were _______. When they were young, they lived together in the country. When they grew up, Rick moved to the city, but Tony stayed in the _______. Tony loved the country, but Rick did not. "I love the country. It's clean, it's quiet, and it's safe."
One day Tony got a ______ from Rick. "Rick is coming to visit me here in the country. This is so fantastic! I can't wait to see my cousin again."
"Hello, Tony."
"Hello, Rick. I ______ you very much."
"I have missed you too, cousin."
Now Tony had a very ______ house. He lived in the back of an old barn. He also had little to eat, just a few crumbs. But he had worked very hard to prepare a nice dinner for his cousin Rick. "I have made you a very _____ dinner, Rick. Tonight we will eat some very nice carrots and cabbage."
After dinner was finished, Rick smiled at Tony and said, "Tony, my country cousin, you are very poor. Your house is nothing but a barn, and you have almost nothing to eat. In the city I eat cheese, meat, and bread every night."
Tony looked very surprised. He said with ____, "Cheese, meat, and bread every night?"
"Oh yes. And I live in a beautiful, warm house. Your barn is cold and dark."
Tony became very envious of the city mouse. He decided to leave his poor country house. "I want to live in the city. I want to live in a beautiful, warm house."
"Come with me to the city. You can have all you want."
So the next day, the two mice went to the city. But Tony didn't like the city. "The city is very _____ and _____. Where are the birds? I can't hear them sing."
"We don't have any birds."
"Where are the frogs? I can't hear them _____."
"No frogs here."
"Where is the sun? I don't see it shine."
"It's behind the tall _________. Would you like to see my beautiful house?"
"Of course."
So off they went to Rick's house. The house was indeed beautiful and very large. When Tony saw the house, he was ______. "What a wonderful house!"
"Shh! You must be very quiet or the woman will see you. If the woman sees you, she will kill you."
Tony was very ______. He did not want the woman to see him.
"Let's eat!"
When Tony saw the wonderful pile of food scraps, his eyes almost popped out of his head. "Look at this food. I have never seen so much food in my life." Tony began to eat the wonderful food.
But then,
bam
! A large broom came crashing down in front of him.
"Run, cousin! Run! If the woman catches you, she will ____ you."
Tony ran and he ran and he ran. He ran all the way back to the country. He was very __________. He did not stop running until he was safe in his barn.
"I will never go back to the city. I love the country. I am safe here. It is clean and quiet. I love the birds. I love the frogs. I love the sun."
Tony never ever ____ the country again.