Printable Scholar
The Ant and the Grasshopper: the whole story
Read it aloud straight from the screen, or print the read-aloud storybook.
One fine summer’s day, in a sunny green meadow, a Grasshopper was hopping about, singing to his heart’s content. “Oh, what a beautiful day for a song!” he said.
Along came an Ant, carrying a heavy grain of corn back to her nest.
“Hello, little Ant! Why are you working so hard? Come and sing with me!” said the Grasshopper.
“I can’t,” said the Ant. “I’m gathering food for the winter. You should do the same.”
“Winter? Winter is ages away!” laughed the Grasshopper. “There’s plenty of food right now!”
But the Ant picked up her corn and went on her way.
All summer long, the Ants carried grain to their nest, one piece at a time. And all summer long, the Grasshopper sang and danced and played.
“Winter is coming, Grasshopper! Better hurry!” called the Ant.
“Not today, little Ant! I have one more song to play!” said the Grasshopper.
He never gathered a single grain.
Then the days grew shorter, the leaves turned gold and fell. “Oh my! The wind is getting cold,” said the Grasshopper.
...and winter came. Snow covered the meadow. There was nothing left to eat.
“I’m so hungry...” said the Grasshopper.
Down by the anthill, the Ants were busy drying their corn. They had plenty to eat.
The Grasshopper knocked on the door. “Please, kind Ants, may I have a few grains of corn? I’m so hungry.”
“What were you doing all last summer?” asked the Ant. “Why didn’t you gather food for the winter?”
“I was so busy singing, I didn’t have time,” said the Grasshopper.
“If you spent the summer singing, you can’t do better than spend the winter dancing...” said the Ant. “...with us! Come in out of the cold.”
The Ants shared their food, and the Grasshopper played his fiddle. And all winter long, they danced.
“Thank you, little Ant,” said the Grasshopper. “Next summer, I’ll help you gather the corn.”
And he did. There is a time for work, and a time for play.
The end.