The Grasshopper and the Ants 蚱蜢和蚂蚁


It is summer. The sun is shining brightly. It is very hot. The Grasshopper is lying under the shade and drinking a cold glass of lemonade. The Ants are busy doing something..
Grasshopper: Jeez! What a hot day!
I am so hot and thirsty.
Mmm.This lemonade is so sweet and cold.
I love the summer.
Ants: One, two!
Anta: Let’s work!
Ants: Three, four!
Ants: All day!
Grasshopper: Look at those Ants.
What are they doing?
Why are they working so hard?
It is too hot to work today.
They must be crazy.
Queen: Come on! Work faster!

The Ants are busy gathering food. All of the Ants are sweating.
Grasshopper: Oh, my, my!
Look at those silly Worker Ants!
They are likes slaves.
Look at them sweat! Terrible!

The Queen Ant tells the Worker Ants to work harder.
Queen: We don’t have much time.
Hurry up! We have to gather more food!
Ants: Yes, ma’am!
Grasshopper: Gather food? No time?
What does the Queen Ant mean?
There is lots of food here. How silly!

The Grasshopper doesn’t understand why the Ants are working so hard. But, he becomes a little curious. He calls the Queen Ant to talk.
Grasshopper: Hello there, Queen Ant!
Can I ask you a question?
Queen: What is it? I am very busy.
Grasshopper: It is very hot today.
Come under the shade and rest for a while.
Queen: I don’t have time to rest.
Please ask your question.
Grasshopper: Okay. Why are you gathering food?
Queen: It will be winter soon.
We must be prepared.
Grasshopper: The winter?! You must be kidding!
It is July. Winter is far away.
There is lots of food everywhere.
Stop working.
Come sing and dance with me.
Queen: There is no time to sing and play.
Winter will come soon, I say.
You should also gather some food.
Or else, you will starve in the winter.
Grasshopper: No, thank you. You keep working.
I’ll keeps singing and dancing in the shade.
Queen: Do as you please.
But don’t come to me for food later.
Grasshopper: Don’t worry, I won’t.
There is lots of food.

The Queen Ant and the Worker Ants continue to work.
Grasshopper: Poor Ants!
They have no fun. I will sing alone.

The Grasshopper sings his favorite song.
Grasshopper: “It’s summer. Let’s have some fun.
Let’s sing and dance all day long.
La, la-la, la, la. La, la-la, la, la
What a great song!

The Grasshopper continues to sing and dance all summer long. He does not gather any food. Soon autumn comes and weather gets colder each day. The fields turn yellow and the leaves fall. The Grasshopper wakes up one autumn morning with a cold.
Grasshopper: Achoo! It is cold this morning.
It is much colder than yesterday.
Where are all the leaves?
Is it already autumn?

The Grasshopper looks around the field. He suddenly realizes that summer is over, but he doesn’t worry too much.
Grasshopper: It is a little cold.
But it’s not too bad.
And there is still enough food.
I shall sing a little more.
Grasshopper: La, la-la, la-la, la, la.
La, la-la, la-la, la, la.

The Grasshopper continues to sing and dance all through the autumn. The fields are now covered with snow, and the wind is very cold. There is nothing to eat. It is winter.
Grasshopper: I’m very cold.
I hate the cold weather.
I hate the winter.

The Grasshopper looks around for food in the cold. He is freezing and starving to death, but he can’t find any food.
Grasshopper: Where is all the food?
I am so hungry and cold.

The Grasshopper is about to fall to the ground when suddenly he thinks of the Queen Ant and Worker Ants.
Grasshopper: I wonder what the Ants are doing.
They must have lots of food.
Perhaps, they might help me.

The Grasshopper finds the Queen Ant’s house. He hears singing and dancing coming out from the inside. He knocks at the door.
Queen: I wonder who it is.

The Queen Ant opens the door and is very surprised.
Queen: Mr. Grasshopper! What brings you here?
And why are you so pale?
Grasshopper: I haven’t eaten for five days.
Queen: Why not?
Didn’t you gather any food during the summer?
Grasshopper: No, I didn’t.
I was too busy singing and dancing.
Queen: Too bad. What do you want?
Grasshopper: Can I have something to eat, please?
Queen: Remember what I said,
“Don’t come to me for food later…”
Grasshopper: Yes, I do. But I am so hungry.
Please, give me a little bread.
Queen: Well, okay. Just wait here for a minute.

The Queen Ant feels sorry for the Grasshopper and goes to the kitchen to get him some bread. But when she comes back, the Grasshopper and his guitar have already frozen like ice.
Queen； Poor Mr. Grasshopper!
Why don’t you sing and dance now?

MORAL
Don’t be lazy.
Always be prepared and diligent.
Then you will always be happy.