[Cerpen] Fable: The Grasshopper And The Ants

The wet season was just over. The dry season had arrived. It was time for everybody to enjoy the warm days. Lazy grasshopper was very happy. He spent his days by sitting in the sun, visiting friends, or just enjoying the beautiful view in the park.

One day, he saw some ants walking in the tidy line by carrying their food. He asked one of them, “What are you doing to do with that food? Why don’t you just eat it?”

The ant answered, “We are collecting it for rainy days.”

“You are foolish to work on such sunny day. Why don’t you just relax and enjoy the beautiful day like me?”

“No, thank you. We have plain for rainy days when we can’t find food. Why don’t you do the same?”

“Ha, ha, ha! Why should I waste my time on such a beautiful day?” the grasshopper replied. Then the grasshopper spent his days with playing and many things without work for the rainy days like ants.

Day by day, month-by-month, then the sunny days were soon over and the rainy season came again. The diligent ants enjoy their food inside their warm nest. They sang, played music, danced, and happy, while the grasshopper sat in the cold weather with nothing to eat. Finally, he knocked on the ants’ door and asked for some food and shelter.

“Come in,” said kind ants. Then they gave the grasshopper some food. After feeling better, the grasshopper said, “I’m so ashamed, my friends. You were right about collecting food for the rainy days. From now on, I will as diligent as you are.”