Poem-1 The Cricket and the Ant

The Cricket and the Ant

📚 Summary of “The Cricket and the Ant”

The poem tells the story of a young cricket who sings and enjoys himself all summer instead of preparing for the future. When winter comes, he has no food and is cold and hungry. He goes to an ant to ask for help. The ant, who has worked hard during summer to store food, scolds the cricket for being careless and refuses to give him anything. The poem teaches the importance of hard work and planning for the future.

Moral:
Work today to enjoy tomorrow. Laziness leads to suffering.

हिंदी अनुवाद (Translation in Hindi)

यह कविता एक छोटे झींगुर की कहानी बताती है जो गर्मी के मौसम में गाना गाता है और मज़े करता है। उसने सर्दियों के लिए कोई तैयारी नहीं की थी। जब ठंड आती है, तो उसके पास खाने को कुछ नहीं होता और वह भूखा और ठंडा होता है। फिर वह चींटी के पास मदद मांगने जाता है। चींटी, जिसने गर्मी में मेहनत कर भोजन इकट्ठा किया था, उसे डाँटती है और सहायता देने से मना कर देती है।
सीख: मेहनत और भविष्य के लिए तैयारी ज़रूरी है।

✅ Solved Questions and Answers

1.When does the cricket say, “Oh! what will become of me?” and why?

The cricket says this in winter because he has no food to eat. He is hungry and cold and does not know what to do.

2.(i) Find the lines that mean “Neither a borrower nor a lender be.

“The lines are:

“But we ants never borrow; we ants never lend.”
(It means ants never take or give things.)

(ii) What do you think about the ant’s rules?
Answer:
The ant’s rules are good. She works hard and saves food. She teaches that we should work today to be safe tomorrow.

3.Is the word ‘dance’ correct here? Why?
Answer:
Yes, it is correct. The cricket only danced and sang in summer. The ant tells him to dance now too because he did not work and save food.

4.(i) Which lines are the poet’s own words?
The poet’s comment is:
“Folks call this a fable. I’ll warrant it true: Some crickets have four legs, and some have two.”

(ii) Write the poet’s comment in your own words.
Answer:
The poet says this story is true. Some people are like the cricket — they waste time and do not plan for the future.

Extra Questions

Q1. What did the cricket do during summer?
Answer:
The cricket spent all summer singing and enjoying himself without saving any food for winter.

Q2. Why did the cricket go to the ant?
Answer:
The cricket went to the ant because he was hungry and cold in winter and had no food.

Q3. What did the ant tell the cricket?
Answer:
The ant told the cricket that he should have worked during summer instead of singing. She refused to help him.

Q4. What lesson does the poem teach us?
Answer:
The poem teaches us to work hard and plan for the future instead of being careless and lazy.

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