Class 8 Honeydew NCERT

1. The Ant And The Cricket

2. INTRODUCTION
The ant and the cricket is a fable in the form of poetry by Aesop.
This poem is a story of a desperate and silly cricket and a
miserly ant. The cricket would sing during the months of
summer and spring. He never stored food for the winters. In the
winter season, he finds that there is no food to eat at home. He
was starving and thus, he went to the ant. He requested the ant
to lend him some food and shelter. The ant refused to help him
and told him to pass the winter also dancing. After saying this,
the ant threw the Cricket out of his house.

3. POEM
A silly young cricket, accustomed to sing
Through the warm, sunny months of gay summer
and spring,
Began to complain when he found that, at home,
His cupboard was empty, and winter was come.
Not a crumb to be found
On the snow-covered ground;
Not a flower could he see,
Not a leaf on a tree.
“Oh! what will become," says the cricket, “of me?"
MEANING/SUMMARY OF THE
STANZA-This poem is a work of the famous
Greek poet, Aesop. The two characters of the
poem are cricket and an ant. There was a young
cricket who used to sing and dance during the
summers and springs. He was happy and
enjoying but was silly. During the summers and
spring, there is greenery everywhere. So, ample
food and water are available. One does not need
to store any of these. Thus, the cricket was busy
enjoying and did not store any food for the
winters. In winters, the ground is covered with
snow and no flower or leaf could be seen.The
cricket passed the time singing and dancing and
soon the winter season came. Now, he was in
trouble as there was not even a crumb in his
house to eat and due to winter, he could not find
any food outside also.

4. At last by starvation and famine made bold,
All dripping with wet, and all trembling with
cold,
Away he set off to a miserly ant,
To see if, to keep him alive, he would grant
Him shelter from rain,
And a mouthful of grain.
He wished only to borrow;
He’d repay it tomorrow;
If not, he must die of starvation and sorrow.
MEANING/SUMMARY OF THE
STANZA-
He could thus eat nothing and was
starving. He somehow gathered his
courage and went to the ant asking for
help. Due to the starvation, chilling cold
and rains, the cricket got wet and was
shivering.He requested the ant to give him
some food and shelter in his house else he
will die of hunger, sorrow, and chilling
cold. He also promised him to repay it.

5. Says the ant to the
cricket, “I’m your servant
and friend,
But we ants never
borrow; we ants never
lend.
But tell me, dear cricket,
did you lay nothing by
When the weather was
warm?"
MEANING/SUMMARY OF THE
STANZA-
The ant told the cricket that he
thinks itself to be his servant as
well as a friend. But, the ants do
not borrow nor do they lend to
anyone. He also asked the cricket
that why did he not gather and
store food during the spring and
summer.

6. Quoth the cricket,
“Not I!
My heart was so light
That I sang day and night,
For all nature looked gay."
“You sang, Sir, you say?
Go then," says the ant, “and dance the winter away."
Thus ending, he hastily lifted the wicket,
And out of the door turned the poor little cricket.
Folks call this a fable. I’ll warrant it true:
Some crickets have four legs, and some have two.
MEANING/SUMMARY OF THE
STANZA-The cricket said that he did not
care much about the future and was busy
enjoying the pleasant weather. He
thought that food and water will always be
abundant.While the cricket was busy
enjoying, the ant was storing food for the
winter season. The ant thus annoyed told
him that he should pass the winter also
singing and dancing. The ant thus quickly
put the conversation to an end and
pushed him out of his house.In the end,
the poet concludes by saying that he
thinks that this fable is quite true. As there
are many human beings who do not care
about the future. They thus repent when
the time is gone.

7. CONCLUSION
The story teaches us that we shall not behave like cricket. We
shall always prepare for the future so that in difficult times
we do not have to beg to others for help. It also teaches us
that we shall also be helpful to others, unlike the ant.