The Grasshopper had spent his entire summer singing, dancing and playing.
He had even went so far in his fun to laugh at and tease his friend the Ant,
who had spent her days and nights gathering food. "Ho there, Ant!"
the Grasshopper laughed, "What a fine day it is to dance! And yet you waste your time doing everyday jobs!
"Do you not know how to enjoy life?" The Ant, tired from her work,
nonetheless shook her head and continued. "I'm working," she said as she continued her tasks
"There will be plenty of time to sing and dance when the everyday jobs are finished."
To this statement the Grasshopper simply laughed and danced some more.
"You collect more food than you can possibly eat in a day!" The world is plentiful, dear Ant!
Do not be so greedy!" he cried as he moved himself in circles. The Ant continued her work
The Ant continued her work carefully as summer turned to fall and then to winter.
As the snow fell and the blizzards rages, the Ant found comfort in her home stored
well with food and supplies. One day a knock came on her door, and she was surprised to find
the Grasshopper outside, thin and freezing. "Please, dear Ant," he begged "Please
give me some food and protection!" The Ant looked upon him and said "Grasshopper, I worked
hard all summer long and gathered enough supplies to feed and shelter myself for the winter,
but not for you as well... what did you do all summer long?" To this the once happy
Grasshopper replied "I sang and danced and played, all through the days and into the nights!
It was a wonderful time!" The Ant shook her head and said "If it was so enjoyable a thing to
be doing, perhaps you should continue to do so now." The Grasshopper, shivering and
weak, cried "I cannot! I am too cold and hungry! Have mercy, dear Ant! I will pay back you
in kind this summer!" The Ant, seeing that the Grasshopper had learned his lesson,
invited him in for soup. She had worked harder than she had admitted, just in
case an emergency such as this might happen, and had sufficient supplies for the two of them.
The following summer the Grasshopper helped the Ant with the everyday jobs each day,
which left each evening for the both of them to enjoy singing and dancing, and never again did
the Grasshopper find himself in the cold during the winter.