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The Ant and the Grasshopper
One bright summer afternoon a grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to his heart’s content. As he was dancing around, he noticed a very busy little ant doing her work. “Why are you working so hard?” he asked the ant. “Come and enjoy the music. The weather is just right to have a lot of fun.”
“I am storing food for the winter,” said the busy ant. ”I suggest that you should also start collecting food for the cold winter ahead.”
The grasshopper was not bothered. He sat under the shade of a little mushroom and continued singing. “There is a long time for winter,” he thought “and I will not be bothered about it now. I have too many things to enjoy just now.”
The ant went on her way and continued her hard work. She toiled all day finding food and carrying it to her storehouse.
The days passed into months and the ant had collected plenty of food. Meanwhile, the grasshopper continued his lazy ways.
Finally, winter came and air becomes chilly. The grasshopper hopped all over searching for food. He could find nothing to eat. The ant and her family were drying grain collected during summertime.
The grasshopper went to the ants and begged, “Can you please give me something to eat? I am starving.”
“We have just enough grains to last our family through the harsh cold months,” said the ant. “In summer, while we were toiling hard, you were busy singing and dancing. You never paid any heed to our advice. You wasted your time.”
“Now if you want food, you will have to get it the hard way,” said the ant. “Go and search for it in the cold, or go to bed without your supper.”
The grasshopper learnt his lesson the hard way and was hungry for most of the winter.
Moral of the story : “It is prudent to prepare today for the wants of tomorrow.”
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