The Ant and the Cricket

Introduction
This poem is a fable and teaches us a moral lesson. It is taken from Aesop’s Fables.

Characters
i) Cricket - A lazy creature who has to suffer for his laziness

ii) Ant – She is hardworking and miserly.

Background
The poem is about a careless cricket and a hardworking ant. We all know that ants are hardworking creatures.
The cricket, on the other hand, was a lazy being that just sang day and night and made no efforts to plan for the
future. What happens when the winter arrives? What does he find? Where does he go? Let’s see!

Paraphrase
Stanza 1 – There was a cricket who loved to sing. The poet calls him young and silly because he sang all
summer and spring with no worries in the world. He began to complain as the winter arrived. He found that his
cupboard was empty and he had no food to eat. Neither a leaf, nor a flower could he find. Everything was
covered under the snow. The cricket cried as he imagined his bad situation.
[Note:- This poem is a fable. A fable has animal characters. The insect cricket, as we all know, has this nature
of singing.]

Stanza 2 – Finally, out of hunger and starvation, being all wet and cold, the cricket set off to the house of a
miserly ant. He wanted to know if he would lend him a mouthful of grain and a shelter from rain. He promised
himself that he would repay the ant. He knew that if he didn’t do this, he would die of hunger and pain.

Stanza 3 – The ant said to the cricket that he is his servant and friend but they neither borrow nor lend. He asked
the cricket if he did not store a single grain of food when the weather was warm. The cricket carelessly replies
that he sang day and night as his heart was light and happy; he did not store any food. The ant told him to go
and dance the winter away.
[Note:- The cricket is foolish enough not to realize his mistake till the end. The ant’s behavior can be called
both- good or bad. Each reader has his/her own opinion.]

Stanza 4 – Thus ending the conversation, the ant quickly closed the door and turned the poor little cricket out of
the house. People call this a fable, but, the poet says that he assures it is true that some crickets have four legs
and some crickets have two.
[Note:- Students must know that the insect cricket has four legs. Then why does the poet say that some crickets
have two legs? The poet is comparing the lazy crickets to the two legged creature - the human being. The poet
wants to suggest that this story is not entirely a fable; rather, it is related to the real world. Some people are
careless and lazy like the cricket is in this poem. Just like the cricket, some humans also don’t plan out for the
future or the bad times. They just enjoy the present moment. The poet is thus calling such people as mindless as
the cricket.]

Theme
1. Hardwork versus laziness- Through the story of the lazy cricket and the hardworking ant, the poet teaches
us the virtue of hardwork. The cricket was foolish enough not to see the future. He made no plans or
provisions for the future. He lived in the present moment. The ant, on the other hand, was wise and
hardworking. She worked hard so that she could enjoy in the future. The poet wants us to learn an important
lesson in life. One must always save for the future. One should not be foolish enough to just enjoy the
present moment. ‘As you sow, so shall you reap.’ is a popular proverb that fits to this story. We must be
foresighted enough to see our future and make plans accordingly.

Word/ Meaning
1. gay- happy
2. dripping- falling in drops
3. trembling- shivering or shaking
4. grant- give
5. lay by- store
6. quoth- said

Question/Answer
1. Why has the young cricket been called silly?
 Ans. The young cricket has been called silly because he sang day and night all throughout the warm
weathers. He made no provisions for the future.

2. How did he spend his summer and spring?

Ans- he spent his summer and spring singing all day and night.

3. What did he find in winter?

Ans- He found that in winter his cupboard was empty and he had nothing to eat. Neither a flower nor a leaf
could be found, everything was covered under the snow;

4. Why did he suffer?

Ans- He suffered because he was lazy and careless. He had not made any plan or provision for the future.
He wasted his time when the weather was fine, so he had to starve in the winters.

5. Whom did he approach for help?

Ans- He approached a miserly ant for help.

6. What did the ant say?

Ans- The ant said that he is his servant and friend but they neither borrow nor lend; if he sang all summer
and spring then he should go and dance the winter away.

Reference to context
‘Folks call this a fable. I’ll warrant it true;
Some crickets have four legs, and some have but two.’

1. Who is ‘I’ here?

Ans- The poet is ‘I’ here.

2. What is a fable?

Ans- a fable is short peom that teaches a moral lesson. It is not based on facrs. It often has animals as
characters.

3. Why had the cricket to suffer in winter?

Ans- The cricket had to suffer in winter because of his lazy and careless nature. He was not wise enough to
plan the future and store food for the winter season.

4. What is the moral of the cricket’s story?

5. ‘…some have but two.’ Who are referred to here?

Ans- The crickets are referred to here .

Figures of speech
1. Personification- The ant and the cricket have been personified as human beings
2. Metaphor- ‘some have but two’. ‘Some’ crickets that have two legs refers to human beings who are as
lazy and careless as the cricket
3. Alliteration- “when the weather was warm?”
repetition of the same sound

Extras:-

 Book- Aesop’s Fables