The Ant and the Grasshopper
While the grasshopper dances through summer, the ant works hard, gathering food. Which one will survive when winter arrives?
On a warm summer day, in a big, grassy field, a little ant was busy working. She carried heavy grains of wheat and corn back to her home, step by tiny step. She knew that when winter came, food would be hard to find.
Nearby, a grasshopper was having the time of his life. He sang cheerful songs, danced in the sunshine, and played his violin. He didn’t have a single worry.
“Ant, why are you working so hard?” the grasshopper asked, strumming his violin. “The sun is shining, and there’s plenty of food everywhere! Come sing with me!”
The ant wiped her forehead and shook her head. “I’m storing food for winter. When the cold comes, there won’t be anything left to eat.”
The grasshopper laughed. “Winter is far away! Let’s enjoy today!” He leaped into the air and played another tune.
Day after day, the ant worked, while the grasshopper danced, sang, and played.
Then, winter arrived. The sun disappeared behind gray clouds, and snow covered the fields. The grasshopper shivered in the cold. His stomach rumbled, but there was no food to be found.
Desperate, he knocked on the ant’s door. “Ant, please help me,” he begged. “I have nothing to eat. Could you share some food?”
The ant peeked out from her warm, cozy home, filled with food she had worked so hard to gather. She sighed. “Grasshopper, you played all summer while I worked. Now winter is here, and there isn’t enough for both of us.”
She gently closed the door, leaving the grasshopper out in the cold.
As the snow fell around him, the grasshopper hugged his empty belly and wished he had listened to the ant.
Featured in the Book Audio available for B1 version
On a warm summer day, in a big, grassy field, a little ant was busy working.
She carried heavy grains of wheat and corn back to her home, step by tiny step.
She knew that when winter came, food would be hard to find.
Nearby, a grasshopper was having the time of his life.
He sang cheerful songs, danced in the sunshine, and played his violin.
He didn’t have a single worry.
“Ant, why are you working so hard?” the grasshopper asked, strumming his violin.
“The sun is shining, and there’s plenty of food everywhere!
Come sing with me!”
The ant wiped her forehead and shook her head.
“I’m storing food for winter.
When the cold comes, there won’t be anything left to eat.”
The grasshopper laughed.
“Winter is far away!
Let’s enjoy today!”
He leaped into the air and played another tune.
Day after day, the ant worked, while the grasshopper danced, sang, and played.
Then, winter arrived.
The sun disappeared behind gray clouds, and snow covered the fields.
The grasshopper shivered in the cold.
His stomach rumbled, but there was no food to be found.
Desperate, he knocked on the ant’s door.
“Ant, please help me,” he begged.
“I have nothing to eat.
Could you share some food?”
The ant peeked out from her warm, cozy home, filled with food she had worked so hard to gather. She sighed.
“Grasshopper, you played all summer while I worked.
Now winter is here, and there isn’t enough for both of us.”
She gently closed the door, leaving the grasshopper out in the cold.
As the snow fell around him, the grasshopper hugged his empty belly and wished he had listened to the ant.
ذات يوم، في حقل كبير، عاش هناك نملة وجندب. كانت النملة تعمل بجد كبير. خلال أيام الصيف المشمسة، كانت تجمع الطعام لفصل الشتاء. كل يوم، كانت تجد حبات القمح وقطع الذرة وتحملها إلى منزلها.
أما الجندب، فقد كان يحب الاستمتاع بوقته. كان يقضي أيامه يغني الأغاني ويرقص تحت الشمس. كان يعزف على كمانه ويقفز حوله دون أي قلق. لم يفكر أبداً فيما سيحتاجه في المستقبل ولم يخزن أي طعام للأوقات الباردة.
ثم جاء الشتاء. كان الجو بارداً جداً، ولم يكن هناك طعام في أي مكان. كانت النملة مرتاحة ولديها الكثير لتأكله في منزلها الدافئ. لكن الجندب كان جائعاً جداً ولم يكن لديه مكان ليبقى دافئاً.
شعر الجندب بالحزن والندم، فذهب إلى منزل النملة وطلب منها بعض الطعام. سألته النملة: "لماذا لم تجمع الطعام خلال الصيف كما فعلت أنا؟ الآن، عليك أن تواجه نتائج عدم استعدادك."
بعد أن قالت هذا، عادت النملة إلى منزلها، تاركة الجندب في الخارج في البرد. شعر الجندب بحزن شديد وندم على عدم عمله بجد عندما كانت لديه الفرصة.
Es war einmal auf einer großen Wiese, da lebten eine Ameise und ein Grashüpfer. Die Ameise war sehr fleißig. Während der sonnigen Sommertage sammelte sie Essen für den Winter. Jeden Tag fand sie Weizen- und Maiskörner und brachte sie zurück in ihr Zuhause.
Der Grashüpfer hingegen liebte es, Spaß zu haben. Er verbrachte seine Tage damit, Lieder zu singen und unter der Sonne zu tanzen. Er spielte seine Geige und hüpfte umher, ohne sich Sorgen zu machen. Er dachte nie daran, was er in der Zukunft brauchen würde und sparte kein Essen für die kälteren Jahreszeiten.
Dann kam der Winter. Es war sehr kalt und es gab nirgendwo Essen. Die Ameise hatte es gemütlich in ihrem warmen Zuhause und genug zu essen. Der Grashüpfer allerdings war sehr hungrig und hatte keinen Ort, um sich warmzuhalten.
Traurig und voller Selbstmitleid ging der Grashüpfer zum Haus der Ameise und bat sie um etwas Essen. Die Ameise fragte ihn: „Warum hast du im Sommer kein Essen gesammelt, so wie ich es getan habe? Jetzt musst du die Folgen deines Nichtstuns tragen.“
Nachdem sie das gesagt hatte, ging die Ameise zurück in ihr Zuhause und ließ den Grashüpfer draußen in der Kälte stehen. Der Grashüpfer war sehr traurig und bereute es, nicht fleißig gewesen zu sein, als er die Chance dazu hatte.
एक समय की बात है, एक बड़े खेत में एक चींटी और एक टिड्डा रहते थे। चींटी बहुत मेहनती थी। गर्मियों के धूप वाले दिनों में, वह सर्दियों के लिए खाना इकट्ठा करती रहती थी। हर दिन वह गेहूं के दाने और मक्के के टुकड़े ढूंढती, और उन्हें अपने घर ले जाती थी।
दूसरी ओर, टिड्डा मज़े करने में रुचि रखता था। वह अपना दिन गाने गाकर और धूप में नाचते हुए बिताता था। वह अपनी बीन बजाता और बिना किसी चिंता कूदता-फांदता था। उसने कभी यह नहीं सोचा कि भविष्य में उसे क्या चाहिए होगा और उसने ठंड के दिनों के लिए कुछ भी इकट्ठा नहीं किया।
फिर, सर्दियां आ गई। बहुत ठंड थी और हर जगह खाना ढूंढना कठिन हो गया था। चींटी अपने घर में आराम से थी और उसके पास खाने के लिए बहुत कुछ था। लेकिन टिड्डा भूखा था और उसके पास ठंड से बचने का कोई ठिकाना नहीं था।
उदासी और पछतावे से भरा हुआ टिड्डा चींटी के घर पहुंचा और उससे खाने के लिए कुछ माँगा। चींटी ने उससे पूछा, "तुमने गर्मियों में मेरी तरह खाना क्यों नहीं इकट्ठा किया? अब तुम्हें अपनी मेहनत न करने का परिणाम भुगतना पड़ेगा।"
यह कहकर चींटी अपने घर के अंदर चली गई, और टिड्डा ठंड में बाहर ही रह गया। टिड्डा बहुत दुखी हुआ और उसे पछतावा हुआ कि जब उसके पास अवसर था, तब उसने परिश्रम क्यों नहीं किया।
Det var en gång för länge sedan en myra och en gräshoppa som bodde på en stor äng. Myran var väldigt flitig. Medan det var sommar och sol samlade hon mat inför vintern. Varje dag hittade hon vetekorn och majsbitar som hon bar hem till sitt bo.
Gräshoppan däremot älskade att ha roligt. Han tillbringade sina dagar med att sjunga sånger och dansa i solen. Han spelade på sin fiol och hoppade omkring utan att bekymra sig. Han tänkte aldrig på framtiden och samlade ingen mat inför kallare tider.
Sedan kom vintern. Det var väldigt kallt, och det fanns ingen mat någonstans. Myran hade det varmt och skönt i sitt bo, och hon hade massor att äta. Men gräshoppan var mycket hungrig och hade ingenstans att värma sig.
En känsla av sorg och ånger fick gräshoppan att gå till myrans bo och be henne om lite mat. Myran frågade honom:
”Varför samlade du inte mat under sommaren, som jag gjorde? Nu måste du ta konsekvenserna av att inte ha förberett dig.”
Efter att ha sagt detta gick myran in i sitt varma bo igen och lämnade gräshoppan ute i kylan. Gräshoppan blev väldigt ledsen och ångrade att han inte arbetat hårt när han hade chansen.
很久很久以前，在一片广阔的田野上，住着一只蚂蚁和一只蚱蜢。蚂蚁非常勤劳。阳光明媚的夏天里，她忙着为冬天储备食物。每天，她都会找到小麦粒和玉米粒，然后把它们带回自己的家。
而蚱蜢却喜欢玩乐。他整天唱歌跳舞，在阳光下尽情地欢笑。他拉着小提琴，到处蹦跳，毫不担心未来的日子。他从不考虑冬天需要什么，也没有为寒冷的日子储备食物。
然后，冬天来了。天气非常冷，到处都找不到食物。蚂蚁在温暖的家里，舒舒服服地享用着她储存的食物。而蚱蜢却又冷又饿，没有地方可以躲避寒冷。
感到难过和后悔的蚱蜢来到了蚂蚁的家，向她乞求一些食物。蚂蚁问他：“为什么夏天的时候你不像我一样收集食物呢？现在，你必须面对没有准备带来的后果。”
说完这话，蚂蚁转身回到自己温暖的家里，留下蚱蜢独自在寒冷中。蚱蜢非常伤心，后悔自己没有在有机会的时候努力工作。
Ngemini eshushu yasehlotyeni, kwintsimi enkulu enengca, imbovane encinane yayixakekile isebenza. Yathwala iinkozo ezinzima zengqolowa kunye nombona yabuyela ekhayeni layo, inyathelo ngenyathelo elincinci. Yayisazi ukuba xa kufika ubusika, kwakunzima ukufumana ukutya.
Kufuphi, intethe yayizonwabele. Yayicula iingoma ezichwayitileyo, idanisa elangeni, yaye idlala ivayolin yayo. Ingenalo nexhala elinye.
“Mbovane, kutheni usebenza nzima kangaka?” intethe yabuza, ibetha ivayolin yayo. “ILanga liyakhanya, kwaye kukho ukutya okuninzi kuyo yonke indawo! Yiza, ucule nam!”
Imbovane yosula ibunzi yaza yashukumisa intloko. “Ndigcina ukutya, ebusika xakufika ingqele, akusayi kubakho nto iseleyo yokutya.”
Yahleka intethe. “ubusika bukude! Masonwabe namhlanje!” Watsibela emoyeni waza wadlala enye ingoma.
Imihla ngemihla, imbovane yayisebenza, noxa intethe yayidanisa, icula yaye idlala.
Kwandula ke, kwafika ubusika. ILanga lanyamalala emva kwamafu angwevu, yaye ikhephu lagubungela amasimi. Intethe yangcangcazela yingqele. Isisu sakhe saduma, kodwa akuzange kufumaneke ukutya.
Ephelelwe lithemba, wankqonkqoza kucango lwembovane. “Mbovane, ndicela undincede,” wacenga. “Andinanto yokutya. Ingaba ungabelana ngokutya?”
Imbovane yakroba kwikhaya layo elifudumeleyo nelithuthuzelayo, elizaliswe kukutya eyayikusebenzele nzima ikuqokelela. Yancwina, “ntethe, ubudlala ihlobo lonke ngelixa ndisebenza. Ngoku ubusika bulapha, kwaye akukho okwanele thina sobabini.”
Waluvala ngobunono ucango, eshiya intethe ngaphandle kubanda.
Njengoko ikhephu lalisiwa ngakuye, intethe yagona isisu sayo esingenanto yaza yanqwenela ukuba yayimamele imbovane.
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Word Finder
Grains
Small, hard seeds people and animals eat.Cheerful
Feeling or showing happiness and joy.Strumming
Playing a musical instrument by brushing strings.Wiped
Cleaned or removed something by rubbing.Storing
Keeping things safe for later use.Disappeared
Went away and could not be seen.Shivered
Shook because of cold or fear.Rumbled
Made a deep, rolling sound.Desperate
Feeling hopeless and needing help badly.Cozy
Warm, comfortable, and safe.
Understanding Questions
- What did the ant do during the warm summer days?
- How did the grasshopper spend his summer days?
- What happened when winter came?
- Where did the grasshopper go when he was hungry and cold?
- How did the ant respond when the grasshopper asked for food?
Reflection Questions
1. What did the ant do during the summer, and why did she work so hard?
2. What happened to the grasshopper when winter came?
3. Can you think of a time when you worked hard for something?
4. What lesson does this story teach us about planning for the future?
5. How can we balance having fun and being responsible in our daily lives?
Fable Quotes
Don't count your chickens before they hatch.
Responsibility is the key to safeguarding dreams; neglecting it can spill success into despair.
A wise person focuses on the present while preparing for the future.
Just One More Fable
- Deception
- Survival
The Wise Goat and the Wolf
A wise goat outsmarts cunning wolves who try to trick her, eventually scaring them away with the threat of powerful friends.
- Consequences
- Responsibility
The Lion in A Farmyard
A lion entered a farm, the farmer trapped it but regretted it as the lion attacked and destroyed his animals.
- Consequences
- Wisdom
The Grasshopper and The Owl
An Owl disturbed by a chirping Grasshopper asks it to leave, but when the Grasshopper ignores, the Owl cleverly eats it to regain peace.
- Trust
- Wisdom
The Fowler and The Birds
A bird hunter accidentally pricks himself, and a young bird mistakes his tears for remorse, but an older bird knows the truth.
Read it on paper, too
“The Ant and the Grasshopper” is one of the 25 illustrated fables in our book, 25 Fables for Fun Quality Time.
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