The Grasshopper and the Ants

"Look, Applejack, look!" cried Andy the Ant to his little brother. "Isn't that Jerome the Grasshopper coming our way?"

"It sure is!" said Applejack. "I wonder what he has on his mind."

They waited until Jerome slowly hopped his way to the anthill. It was a beautiful autumn day. The sky was blue, the sun was shining, and there were little white fleecy clouds chasing each other in the sky. There were bright butterflies flying around, and bees buzzing. But Jerome the Grasshopper didn't seem to notice all that. He looked tired and unhappy.

"What's the matter, Jerome?" asked Andy while nibbling on a grain of corn. "You look a little tense. Is everything okay?"

"Well, not really," said Jerome sadly. "I'm just a little hungry." Then suddenly he seemed to have hit upon an idea. He moved closer to Andy and Applejack, and put his hands on their shoulders. "Say, you guys wouldn't happen to have any leftover lunch around, would ya?" he asked with a grin on his face.

Andy and Applejack stole a quick glance at each other. "You mean you didn't gather any food for the winter?" asked Andy.

"Naah," said Jerome carelessly. "I was going to, but so many things came up. First there was this beetles concert in Radison Round Garden which I just couldn't miss. Then there were the playoffs between the bears and the lions, and I barely made it to the game before the tickets were sold out. Then there was a huge sale at the flea market, and I just had to check that out. And then I couldn't refuse my cousin's invitation to his party. We had a band, and it was such fun! What can I say, before I knew it, it was too late to gather food. But so what, I know I have nothing to worry as long as I have great friends like you two, right?"

Andy and Applejack realized what Jerome was up to, but they also felt sorry for him. Just as they were about to offer him lunch, Betty the Beetle came crawling along. Betty was like an elderly aunt to everyone in Bugstown and they respected her very much.

"I couldn't help overhearing your conversation," Betty said. Then she turned to Jerome, adjusted her bifocals, and frowned at him. "You think you are smart, don't you? You should have thought about gathering food before you played, Jerome. Didn't you see how hard Andy and all the other ants worked? They finished gathering their food, so now they have time to relax and enjoy. But you wasted your time away, and now you expect others to feed you?"

Jerome's face fell. He realized he was wrong. He also knew he was going to be very hungry, because now he wouldn't be able to talk Andy and Applejack into feeding him. Aunt Betty always had the last word in these matters.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Betty," Jerome apologized. "I know I was wrong, but I promise not to waste my time in future."

"I hope so, Jerome," Aunt Betty said sternly. "Now come one along, Andy and Applejack. We are all going to the carnival in town, Jerome. You better get busy with gathering whatever food you can find. I'm sorry you are going to miss all the fun, but that is what happens when you don't do your chores at the proper time."

With this, Aunt Betty, Andy, Applejack and all their neighbors headed for the carnival. Jerome stood sadly and watched them go. "I have learned my lesson," he said to himself. "I will never let this happen next summer. I am going to work hard, gather food, and then play."

by Shivani Dewoolker -- Sapling/July 1994