Poem: The Ant and the Cricket
Poem Summary
This poem is a fable in verse, telling the story of a foolish, young cricket who spent the warm, happy months of summer and spring singing and enjoying himself. He didn't save any food for the winter. When winter arrived, he found his cupboard was empty and he had nothing to eat. Starving and cold, he went to a miserly ant to ask for shelter and a mouthful of grain, promising to repay it.
The ant, however, tells the cricket that ants have a principle: they neither borrow nor lend. The ant asks the cricket what he was doing during the summer. When the cricket replies that he "sang through" the warm weather, the ant sarcastically tells him to go and "dance the winter away." The ant then throws the cricket out of his house, leaving him to his fate. The poet concludes by saying that people think this is just a fable, but he believes it is true, as there are many "two-legged crickets" (humans) who live for the present and don't plan for the future.
Working with the Poem
1. The cricket says, “Oh! what will become of me?” When does he say it, and why?
Answer: The cricket says this when winter arrives and he realises his cupboard is empty and he has no food to eat. He says it because he is facing starvation and is worried about how he will survive the cold winter without any savings.
2. (i) Find in the poem the lines that mean the same as “Neither a borrower nor a lender be”.
(ii) What is your opinion of the ant’s principles?
Answer:
(i) The lines are: “But we ants never borrow; we ants never lend.”
(ii) The ant's principles seem wise and practical for ensuring one's own survival. It encourages hard work and planning for the future. However, the principle also appears very harsh and unkind when applied without any compassion, especially when someone is in desperate need of help. It shows a lack of empathy.
3. The ant tells the cricket to “dance the winter away”. Do you think the word ‘dance’ is appropriate here? If so, why?
Answer: Yes, the word 'dance' is appropriate here. It is used sarcastically by the ant. The cricket said he "sang" all summer, which means he was merrymaking and not working. The ant's reply to "dance" the winter away is a taunt, meaning that if he could waste his time singing in summer, he should waste his time dancing in winter instead of complaining about having no food.
4. (i) Which lines in the poem express the poet’s comment? Read them aloud.
(ii) Write the comment in your own words.
Answer:
(i) The lines are: “Folks call this a fable. I’ll warrant it true: Some crickets have four legs, and some have two.”
(ii) The poet's comment means that while people think this story is just a fictional tale with a moral, he believes it is a true reflection of real life. The "crickets with two legs" he refers to are human beings who are lazy, live only for today's enjoyment, and never plan for the future. Like the cricket, they often end up in trouble and have to face the consequences.
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