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 out-live 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.”