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The Ant and the Grasshopper

Long ago there lived an ant and a grasshopper.

During the summer the grasshopper would lie in the sun all day, chirping and singing.

The ant, however, rushed around all day, collecting grass seeds for the winter. From morning to night she was always working.

"Oh, come on, have a little fun," called the grasshopper to the ant. "It's such a beautiful day, and you're still working."

But the ant didn't listen to the grasshopper. "Summer won't last forever," said the ant. "I have to get ready for the cold winter that's coming."

"Who cares about winter?" the grasshopper laughed at the ant. He kept on singing.

But soon the leaves began to fall from the trees. It got colder and colder; and then it began to snow.

The ant and her family were warm and comfortable in their nest under a stone. They had enough food for the winter.

Outside the ant heard a faint chirruping sound. It was the grasshopper. "Dear Ant," he begged. "Please give me some food. I don't have any at all stored up for myself."

But the Ant was firm. "I'm sorry, Grasshopper," she said. "But you should've thought of that before. If I give you food, I won't have enough to feed my family."

The hillside was covered with snow, no place to find food. The grasshopper had been foolish during the summer, and so he went to bed supperless in the winter.