The Ant and the Grasshopper

A Busy Ant and a Happy Grasshopper

It was a warm summer day. A little Ant was working hard. She carried a seed on her back. Step, step, step.

Near her sat a Grasshopper. He was playing his fiddle and singing. La, la, la!

"Why do you work so hard, Ant?" said the Grasshopper. "Come and play with me!"

"I cannot play," said the Ant. "I am storing food for winter. When the cold comes, there will be nothing to eat."

The Grasshopper laughed. "Winter is far away! The sun is warm. Let us sing!"

Working All Summer

All summer long, the Ant worked. Step, step, step. She carried seeds and grains back to her home, one by one. Her little house grew full of food.

The Grasshopper did not work. He played all day. He hopped in the grass. He sang in the sun. "There is plenty of time," he said.

The days grew shorter. The leaves turned brown. But the Grasshopper still did not save any food.

When Winter Came

Then winter came. Brrr! The wind blew cold. Snow covered the ground. There were no seeds. There was no grass.

The Grasshopper was cold and hungry. His tummy rumbled. Grumble, grumble. He had no food at all.

He saw the Ant's cozy home. A warm light glowed inside. The Grasshopper knocked. Knock, knock.

"Please," he said. "I am cold and hungry. I did not save any food."

A Kind Ant

The kind Ant opened her door. "Come in," she said. "Get warm by my fire."

She gave the Grasshopper a bowl of seeds. He ate every bit.

"Thank you," said the Grasshopper. "Next summer I will work hard, like you. I will save food, and I will be ready for winter."

And he did.

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The moral: Work hard today so you are ready for tomorrow — and always be kind enough to share.

Want more read-along tales? Try The Tortoise and the Hare or The Lion and the Mouse next.