Once upon a time in a big field, there was a grasshopper who was sitting on an abandoned shoe. He was singing happily to his heart’s content and he started to dance around the shoe. He continued to sing and dance merrily without a care in the world. An ant who was passing nearby, heard the voice of the grasshopper and he came near to see what was happening. The ant saw the happy grasshopper and smiled to himself.
At the same time, the grasshopper saw the ant and stopped singing and dancing. The ant then asked why he was so happy. The grasshopper said that he needed no reason to be happy as life was meant to be enjoyed. But the ant then replied saying that this was what he always said whenever he asked him this question. The grasshopper laughed and he asked the ant what he was carrying in his hand. The ant said that it was carrying a kernel of corn in order to save food for the winter. The grasshopper laughed loudly and asked the ant why he was working so hard daily instead of enjoying life like how he did. To this, the ant said that winter was near and food had to be stocked up, otherwise there would be nothing to eat in the cold weather.
Again, the grasshopper laughed but the ant told him also to save food for the winter so that he would not starve. But the grasshopper was narrow minded and said that he will see to it when the time comes. The ant then left the spot, knowing that he could longer convince a fool to do something.
Soon, winter came and the field was covered with a thick blanket of snow. Needless to say, the grasshopper could not find anything to eat and for a few days, it was even too cold to search for food! After starving for many days, he decided to approach the ant for some food. The grasshopper then went to the ant’s house and knocked on the door. The ant asked him what he wanted and when he came to know that the grasshopper wanted food, he said that he would not be able to help him. The grasshopper tried to convince him, but the ant did not want to help the lazy grasshopper. So, without any further word, the ant shut the door on the grasshopper’s face and left him to his fate.
Moral - Make hay while the sun shines. The work which has to be done in its time, must be done without any excuse.