The Ants and the Grasshopper

The Ants were employing a fine winter's day in drying grain collected in the summer time. A Grasshopper, perishing with famine passed by, and earnestly begged for a little food. The Ants inquired of him: "Why did you not treasure up food during the summer?" He replied: "I had not leisure; I passed the days in singing." They then said: "If you were foolish enough to sing all the summer, you must dance supperless to bed in the winter."

Idleness brings want.


蚂蚁们在一个晴朗的冬日里，晾晒夏天采集的谷物。一只快要饿死的蚱蜢经过，恳切地乞求一点食物。蚂蚁问他：“夏天你为什么不储存食物？”他回答说：“我没有闲暇时间，我当时每天都在唱歌。”然后蚂蚁说：“如果你愚蠢到整个夏天都唱歌，那么你应该在床上跳舞度过你没有晚饭的冬季。”