Æsop. (Sixth century B.C.) Fables. The Harvard Classics.
1909–14. [View Full Quote] The Ant and the Grasshopper IN a
field one summer’s day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping
and singing to its heart’s content. An Ant passed by, bearing
along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest.
1 “Why not come and chat with me,” said the Grasshopper,
“instead of toiling and moiling in that way?” 2 “I am helping to
lay up food for the winter,” said the Ant, “and recommend you to
do the same.” 3 “Why bother about winter?” said the Grasshopper;
“we have got plenty of food at present.” But the Ant went on its
way and continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper
had no food, and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the
ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they
had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew: “IT IS
BEST TO PREPARE FOR THE DAYS OF NECESSITY.” The moral of the
story is not to cast aspersion upon the poor. If that is all you
took from it, the