The Ants and the Grasshopper
One sunny day in late autumn, a family of Bugs was bustling about in the warm sunshine, drying out the grain they had saved up during the summer when a hungry Grasshopper, his fiddle under his arm, came up and humbly begged for a bite to eat.
“What!” cried the Bugs in surprise, “haven’t you saved anything away for the winter? What in the world were you doing all last summer?”
“I didn’t have time to save up any food,” whined the Grasshopper;
“I was so busy making music that before I knew it the summer was gone.”
The Bugs shrugged their shoulders in disgust.
“Making music, were you?” they cried. “Very well; now dance!”
And they turned their backs on the Grasshopper and went on with their work.
Moral of the story
It’s important to plan and be prepared for the future.
There’s a time for fun, but responsibilities come first.
Questions for the children
- Why do you think the Bugs were upset with the Grasshopper?
- When is a good time to have fun, and when is a good time to work or be responsible?
Post Note: This story is based on Aesop’s fable, written around 600 BC. In this retelling, we’ve used simpler words to make the story easier for young readers to understand.
