One summer day, a grasshopper was hopping around in the meadow, singing and playing his violin. He saw an ant carrying a grain of wheat to its nest.
“Hey, ant, why are you working so hard?” he asked. “Come and join me. Let’s have some fun.”
The ant shook its head and said, “I’m storing food for the winter. You should do the same.”
The grasshopper laughed and said, “Winter? That’s a long way off. There’s plenty of food around. Why worry about tomorrow?”
He continued to play his violin and enjoy himself.
The ant ignored him and went on with its work.
Soon, autumn came and the leaves began to fall. The grasshopper realized that he had no food stored for the winter. He became hungry and cold.
He went to the ant’s nest and knocked on the door.
“Please, ant, can you spare some food for me? I’m starving,” he begged.
The ant opened the door and looked at him with pity.
“I’m sorry, grasshopper,” he said. “But you wasted your time in summer while I worked hard. You should have thought of winter then.”
He closed the door and left the grasshopper outside.
The grasshopper realized his mistake too late. He learned that it is wise to prepare for the future and not be lazy when there is work to be done.
Moral: Work today and you can reap the benefits tomorrow.