The Ant and the Grasshopper
Aesop's Fables
The sun was shining brightly, and the flowers were blooming everywhere. Andy the Ant was very busy. He was carrying tiny seeds and crumbs of bread back to his cozy home. He scurried back and forth, back and forth, all day long. He knew winter was coming, and he wanted to have plenty of food stored up.
Nearby, Gregory the Grasshopper was having a wonderful time. He wasn't working at all. Instead, he was playing his little fiddle and singing happy songs. "La la la, what a beautiful day!" he chirped, hopping from one flower to another.
Gregory saw Andy struggling with a big crumb. "Hey, Andy!" called Gregory. "Why are you working so hard on such a lovely day? Come and sing with me! The sun is warm, the sky is blue!"
Andy wiped a tiny drop of sweat from his forehead. "I can't, Gregory," he said. "I need to gather food for winter. When the snow comes, there won't be anything to eat. You should gather some food too."
"Winter? That's so far away!" Gregory laughed. "There's plenty of food now. Don't worry so much, Andy! Enjoy the sunshine!" And he went back to his singing and dancing. Andy just shook his head and continued his work.
All summer long, Andy worked hard, filling his home with grains and seeds. And all summer long, Gregory played, sang, and danced without a care in the world.
Then, the days started to get shorter. The leaves turned yellow and red and fell from the trees. A chilly wind began to blow. Soon, winter arrived. Snow covered the ground, and it was very, very cold.
Gregory the Grasshopper was not singing anymore. He was cold, and he was very hungry. He couldn't find any food anywhere. All the flowers were gone, and the ground was frozen. His little fiddle was put away because his fingers were too cold to play.
Shivering, Gregory remembered Andy the Ant and his warm, full home. He hopped slowly and weakly to Andy's door and knocked. Tap, tap, tap.
Andy opened the door. He was warm and looked well-fed. "Gregory!" he said, surprised. "What are you doing out in this cold?"
"Oh, Andy," shivered Gregory, his voice weak. "I'm so cold and hungry. I haven't eaten for days. Can you please share some of your food?"
Andy looked at Gregory. "What were you doing all summer while I was working hard to gather food?" he asked.
"I was singing and playing my fiddle," whispered Gregory, feeling a little ashamed. "I was enjoying the beautiful weather."
"Well," said Andy, "you sang all summer when you should have been working. I worked hard for my food." Andy thought for a moment. He felt a little sorry for Gregory. "Alright," he said. "I will give you a little food to help you now. But next summer, you must remember to work and save food too. It's important to prepare for the future."
Gregory was very thankful. He ate the food Andy gave him and promised that next summer, he would work hard just like Andy. And from that day on, Gregory learned that it's good to have fun, but it's also very important to plan and prepare for the times ahead.
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