One sunny day near the end of autumn, a family of ants was hard at work.
They carried grain, sorted food, and made sure everything was ready for winter.
All summer long, they had worked hard and saved food for the cold days ahead.
As they worked, a grasshopper came hopping down the path.
He looked very hungry.
Under his arm, he carried his fiddle.
“Please,” said the Grasshopper softly, “could you spare a little food? I haven’t eaten all day.”
The ants stopped working and looked at him.
“You don’t have any food saved for winter?” asked one ant.
“No,” said the Grasshopper.
“What were you doing all summer?” asked another ant.
The Grasshopper sighed.
“I spent my days playing music,” he said. “I loved singing and playing my fiddle. I was having so much fun that I forgot to prepare for winter.”
The ants shook their heads.
“We worked hard all summer so we would have enough food now,” said one ant.
“Playing music is nice,” said another, “but it is also important to plan ahead.”
Then the ants returned to their work.
The Grasshopper realized he should have spent some time preparing for the future, not only having fun.
And from that day on, he remembered an important lesson.
The lesson: There is a time for work and a time for play. Wise people make time for both.
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