An Aesop fable re-told by Andrew Wright
One day, in the winter, some ants brushed the snow out of their pantry. A grasshopper came and said, ‘Oh, please give me some or your corn! I am very hungry!’
The ants stopped work for just one moment (usually ants never stop working) and said, ‘Excuse us! But what were you doing last summer? Why didn’t you collect food for the winter?’
The grasshopper said, ‘I was very busy in the summer. I was singing!’
The ants replied, ‘Well, you sang in the summer. Now you can dance in the winter!’
My comments
There are variations of this story all over the world. Save now and you will be safe in the winter. Joseph made the Egyptians save for seven years and to be ready for the seven years of famine.
If we saved now our world might not be destroyed in the future.
I feel slightly uncomfortable telling the story to children because it is a teaching story and I don’t think it is very engaging in itself.
For another version of this story see: The Flies and the Bees.
Aesop
Aesop’s fables have been attributed to Aesop, a Greek slave in the sixth century. They remain as relevant now as at any time during the 2500 years it is believed they have been told and listened to.
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