It was a warm summers day in the field and the grasshopper was enjoying itself, hopping about, singing and dancing.
Nearby an ant was hard at work building its house and filling it with food for the winter.
‘Silly ant’ the grasshopper thought. ‘There is food everywhere. Why is it wasting a beautiful day?’
Every day that summer was the same: the ant worked hard, and the grasshopper played and sang a happy song:
“The summertime’s the time for me,
For then I am happy as can be,
I watch the butterflies and the bees,
I do whatever I may please.
I do not work the livelong day,
I pass the time in fun and play.
Oh, the summertime’s the time for me,
For I’m as happy as can be!”
Summertime, however, did not last forever, and soon the weather began to change. The air got colder, and each day the sun came up for less time. The leaves changed colour, and the flowers, butterflies and bees all began to disappear. Then, after autumn, winter arrived, and it began to snow.
The grasshopper was cold and hungry. He remembered the ant and its food, so knocked on its door.
“May I come in and have some of your food? It’s so cold outside, and I’m so hungry.”
The ant looked at him.
“Did you not save any food from the summer?”
“No” said the grasshopper. “I was busy singing and dancing.”
“Well” said the ant, “you sang and danced while I worked, so you can sing and dance while I eat.”
And it closed the door, with the grasshopper still outside. The grasshopper walked away, now singing a sad song:
“I did no work all summer long
And now I know that I was wrong.
It isn’t fair for me to play
While others work the livelong day.
Next time I’ll work as well as dance,
Then I’ll be ready, like the ant.”
Moral: Prepare for times of needIt was a warm summers day in the field and the grasshopper was enjoying itself, hopping about, singing and dancing.
那是一个风和日丽的夏日，一只蚱蜢正在欢快地到处蹦跳，歌唱，舞蹈，尽情享受着它的惬意时光。
Nearby an ant was hard at work building its house and filling it with food for the winter.
然而在不远处，一只蚂蚁正在筑巢，屯食物，积极地为过冬做准备。
‘Silly ant’ the grasshopper thought. ‘There is food everywhere. Why is it wasting a beautiful day?’
“真是一只愚蠢的蚂蚁。”蚱蜢心想“食物到处都有，何苦为了它而生生错过这大好的景致？”
Every day that summer was the same: the ant worked hard, and the grasshopper played and sang a happy song:
之后日复一日皆如此。蚂蚁辛勤劳作，而蚱蜢一边游乐右边哼着快乐的小曲：
“The summertime’s the time for me,
For then I am happy as can be,
I watch the butterflies and the bees,
I do whatever I may please.
I do not work the livelong day,
I pass the time in fun and play.
Oh, the summertime’s the time for me,
For I’m as happy as can be!”
“夏日时光为我用，极尽所能享其乐。观蝶嬉戏花丛中，肆意任我来逍遥。
工作劳动绝不干，玩乐之中享人生。噢！夏日时光为我用，极尽所能享其乐！”
Summertime, however, did not last forever, and soon the weather began to change. The air got colder, and each day the sun came up for less time. The leaves changed colour, and the flowers, butterflies and bees all began to disappear. Then, after autumn, winter arrived, and it began to snow.
当然，这美好的夏天并没有持续多久，很快天气渐渐冷了起来。空气中弥漫着凛冽的味道，每天能见到太阳的时间也越来越少。绿叶失去了新色，而那些美丽的花朵，蜜蜂和蝴蝶也慢慢消失不见了。紧接着，秋意渐去，冬天接踵而至，雪也随之而来。
The grasshopper was cold and hungry. He remembered the ant and its food, so knocked on its door.
蚱蜢又冷又饿。他想起了蚂蚁和蚂蚁的食物，于是，他敲开了蚂蚁家的门。
“May I come in and have some of your food? It’s so cold outside, and I’m so hungry.”
“我能进来吃点儿你的东西么？外面好冷，而且我又好饿。”
The ant looked at him.
“Did you not save any food from the summer?”
蚂蚁看了他半晌，说“你没有在夏天时为你的冬天储存任何事物么？”
“No” said the grasshopper. “I was busy singing and dancing.”
“没有…”蚱蜢说“我忙着唱歌跳舞。”
“Well” said the ant, “you sang and danced while I worked, so you can sing and dance while I eat.”
“那么”蚂蚁说，“你在我辛勤劳作的时候唱歌跳舞，那你当然也可以在我吃东西的时候载歌载舞。”说完，
And it closed the door, with the grasshopper still outside. The grasshopper walked away, now singing a sad song:
蚂蚁关上了门。蚱蜢默默地走开了，边走边唱了一首悲伤的歌
“I did no work all summer long
And now I know that I was wrong.
It isn’t fair for me to play
While others work the livelong day.
Next time I’ll work as well as dance,
Then I’ll be ready, like the ant.”
“浑浑噩噩度夏天，如今悔意才渐现。别人劳作我在玩，结果注定很伤感。下次玩耍也劳作，要为冬天留晚餐！”
Moral: Prepare for times of need
寓意：凡事皆要为将来做打算，以备不时之需。