The Ant & the Grasshopper

#####The Ant & the Grasshopper

one glorious summer’s day, a grasshopper was sitting on a blade of grass, enjoying the warmth of the sun.

“This is such a lovely time of year,” he said to himself. “I can’t understand why everyone else is working. They should follow my example and have a good time.”

Out of sheer happiness he then began to leap from one blade of grass to the next. He leapt right over a tiny black ant who was struggling to carry a grain of corn back to her store-cupboard.

“Stop working so hard,” cried the grasshopper. “Come and enjoy this wonderful day.”

The ant looked up at him and sighed. “I’m thinking ahead,” she said. “And so should you. If you don’t start storing some food now, you’ll have nothing to eat in the winter.”

But the grasshopper laughed. “Think of the present,” he called, and leapt out of sight.

One morning, a few months later, the grasshopper was creeping over the frozen ground. He was so cold and hungry that he could hardly move. As he trudged slowly past a group of ants, he saw that they were tucking into a breakfast of corn.

“Oh, please give me some of your food,” he pleaded. “You have so much, and I have nothing.”

“I know you,” one of the ants cried. “You laughed when I told you to plan ahead. Think of the present you said.

Well, now you can go and find your own food.” And the ant turned her back on the grasshopper and cheerfully finished off her breakfast.