The Grasshopper and the Ants

All summer long, the little ants worked hard. They carried grain, piece by piece, to their cozy underground home. 'Grain by grain, we fill our store,' they sang.

Nearby, a bright grasshopper stretched in the warm sun. She played her fiddle and sang all day. She did not think about winter at all.

The ants marched past her, morning and evening. 'Come help us!' they called. But the grasshopper just kept right on singing.

Summer faded and the leaves turned gold and red. Still the ants worked without stopping. 'Grain by grain, we fill our store,' they sang.

Then the first snowflakes fell. Winter had come. The grasshopper looked around at the cold, bare meadow.

She had no food and no warm place to sleep. Her little fiddle felt cold against her leg. She was very, very hungry.

She walked to the ants' little door and knocked. Her breath made tiny white clouds in the cold air.

A small red ant opened the door. Warm golden light spilled out into the snow. 'Please,' said the grasshopper, 'could you spare a little grain?'

'What did you do all summer?' the ants asked gently. 'I sang,' said the grasshopper softly. 'I sang, and I didn't gather any food.'

The ants shared a small bowl of grain with her. 'Come inside and get warm,' they said. The grasshopper stepped in, grateful and tired.

The grasshopper sat at a little table by the ants' lantern. She ate the grain slowly and felt warm again. Outside, the snow kept falling, soft and quiet.

The grasshopper closed her eyes, safe and warm at last. She was sorry, and promised to work hard next summer. A little work today means a cozy winter tomorrow.