The Ant and the Grasshopper

 The Ant and the Grasshopper

    "Oh, what a marvelous morning!" Grasshopper chirped contentedly. "It's a wonderful time for singing and playing." He leaned back to rest against a blade of grass and began humming.

    About that time, Ant passed by, dragging with great effort a huge crumb of bread that he'd found along the road. "Greetings, Ant," said Grasshopper. "Why not join me in singing and playing instead of working so hard?" He asked.

    Ant looked at Grasshopper with pity and replied, "I'm helping set aside food for the winter, and I have some good advice for you. You should do the same."

    "Who cares about winter?" asked Grasshopper, bending over to take a bite of a tender shoot of ivy. "There's plenty of food now," he said, licking his lips.

    "Yes," answered Ant, "it's a wonderful opportunity and you should take advantage of it."

    Ant continued to toil every day throughout the summer and fall, dragging food bit by bit to his home. Slowly, the amount of food he had stored increased, and he finally stopped to relax.

    Weeks later, when the ground was covered in snow and icicles dripped from trees, Ant was comfortable and warm in his home. Each day, he brought out bits of food to enjoy. A few feet away, Grasshopper realized that Ant had been right. It is best to prepare for times of need.