The Ants and the Grasshoppers

A COLONY of Ants were busily employed in the care and preservation of their food, which they exposed to the air in heaps around their country habitation.

A Grasshopper, who had chanced to outlive the summer and was ready to die from cold and hunger, approached with great humility and begged that they would relieve his necessity with one grain of wheat or rye. One of the Ants asked him how he had disposed of his time in the summer, that he had not taken pains and laid in a stock as they had done.

"Alas! gentlemen," said he, "I passed away the time merrily and pleasantly in drinking, singing, and dancing, and never once thought of winter."

"If that be the case," replied the Ant, "all I have to say is that they who drink, sing, and dance in summer must starve in winter."