Simplified Fable 4: Mus Urbanus et Mus Rusticus

Now that I have finished the Segmented Grammar Commentaries on the fables (see the Complete Fables List for links), I'll be working through the fables again, this time providing "Simplified" versions of the fables. So, here is today's Simplified fable - Fable 4: De Mure Urbano et Mure Rustico, the famous story of the city mouse and the country mouse.

For more information about how these simplified versions of the fable can be useful to you, see this note about Simplified Fables at the Aesopus Ning.

Here is a Google Presentation version (larger version also available):



The original version is as follows:

Mus Rusticus, videns Urbanum Murem rus deambulantem, invitat ad cenam depromitque omne penum, ut tanti hospitis expleat lautitiam. Urbanus Mus ruris damnat inopiam urbisque copiam laudat, secumque in urbem ducit Rusticum. Qui, inter epulandum attonitus insolitis clamoribus, cum intellexerat periculum quotidianum esse, dixit Urbano Muri, “Tuae dapes plus fellis quam mellis habent. Malo securus esse cum mea inopia quam dives esse cum tua anxietate.”

Here are the simplified sentences:

Mus Rusticus videt Urbanum Murem.
This replaces the participle phrase in the original.

Urbanus Mus rus deambulabat.
This replaces the participle phrase in the original.

Mus Rusticus videt Urbanum Murem rus deambulantem.
The participle the previous two statements.

Mus Rusticus Urbanum Murem invitat ad cenam.

Mus Rusticus, videns Urbanum Murem rus deambulantem, invitat ad cenam.
The participle combines all three statements.

Mus Rusticus penum depromit.

Mus Rusticus omne penum depromit.
This adds in the adjective to the core sentence.

Mus Urbanus hospes est.
This is not an independent statement in the original.

Mus Urbanus tantus hospes est!
The adjective expands on the noun.

Mus Rusticus tanti hospitis lautitiam explere volebat.
This expresses the country mouse's desires directly.

Mus Rusticus tanti hospitis explere lautitiam volebat.
The noun phrase wraps around the infinitive.

Mus Rusticus depromit omne penum ut tanti hospitis expleat lautitiam.
This expresses the mouse's desires in the form of a purpose clause.

Urbanus Mus ruris inopiam damnat.

Urbanus Mus urbis copiam laudat.

Urbanus Mus Rusticum Murem in urbem ducit.

Urbanus Mus Rusticum in urbem ducit.
The noun murem is implied.

Urbanus Mus Rusticum secum in urbem ducit.
The prepositional phrase secum is added to the core sentence.

Mures epulantur.
The action is described with a verb.

Mus Rusticus attonitus est.

Inter epulandum Mus Rusticus attonitus est.
The gerund phrase combines the two sentences.

Inter epulandum Mus Rusticus clamoribus attonitus est.
The ablative explains what astonished the mouse.

Inter epulandum Mus Rusticus insolitis clamoribus attonitus est.
Adding an adjective to the core sentence.

Periculum quotidianum est.
This is a direct statement of the mouse's thoughts, expressed indirectly in the original.

Mus Rusticus intellexit periculum quotidianum esse.
The direct statement is made into an indirect statement.

Mus Rusticus, inter epulandum attonitus insolitis clamoribus, intellexit periculum quotidianum esse.
The participle attonitus combines the two statements.

Mus Rusticus dixit Urbano Muri:

Mus Rusticus, inter epulandum attonitus insolitis clamoribus, cum intellexerat periculum quotidianum esse, dixit Urbano Muri:
The cum clause is able to combine all three statements.

"Tuae dapes plus fellis quam mellis habent."

"Volo securus esse."

"Volo securus esse magis quam dives esse."

"Malo securus esse quam dives esse."
The phrase volo...magis becomes malo.

"Malo securus esse cum mea inopia quam dives esse cum tua anxietate."
The prepositional phrases are added to both sides of the comparison.

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