PASSAGE

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?”

Word Meaning:

• Accustomed to sing – used to singing; in the habit of singing
• Gay – light-hearted and carefree
• Crumb – a small fragment of bread, cake, or biscuit

Explanation of the Poem:

The poem introduces us to a carefree young cricket who spends his time singing and enjoying himself during the warm months of summer and spring. These seasons are called “gay” because everything is cheerful, green, and blooming. Food and resources are abundant, making it easy to live without worries.

However, when winter arrives, the cricket’s situation changes drastically. His cupboard at home is empty, and he begins to complain, realizing too late that he had not prepared for the harsh season. He looks around but finds nothing to eat—not even a tiny crumb. The snow-covered ground has no flowers or leaves in sight since winter has taken over everything. The cricket now feels helpless and worried, wondering what will happen to him without food or shelter.

PASSAGE

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.

Word Meaning:

• Starvation – suffering or death caused by lack of food
• Famine – extreme scarcity of food
• Dripping with wet – soaked or very wet
• Trembling – shaking due to cold or fear
• Miserly – stingy or unwilling to share
• Grant – to give or allow
• Mouthful – a small amount of food
• Sorrow – deep sadness or distress

Explanation of the Poem:

The cricket, left without food or shelter, grows desperate due to hunger and the cold winter. Starvation and the fear of death give him the courage to seek help from a miserly ant. Soaked from the rain and shivering with cold, the cricket sets off to the ant, hoping to borrow some food and shelter to survive the harsh weather.

He asks the ant for just a little shelter and a small amount of grain to eat. The cricket promises to return whatever he borrows once the weather improves. If the ant refuses to help, the cricket knows he will have no choice but to face death from hunger and sorrow.

PASSAGE

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?” Quoth the cricket,

“Not I!

Word Meaning:

• Servant – one who is willing to help
• Lend – to give something temporarily
• Lay by – to save or store for future use
• Quoth – an old-fashioned way of saying “said”

Explanation of the Poem:

The ant responds politely to the cricket, addressing him as a friend and servant, but also makes it clear that ants follow a strict principle: they neither borrow nor lend. This reflects the hardworking and self-reliant nature of ants, who prepare in advance for difficult times.

The ant then asks the cricket if he had saved anything during the warm months when resources were abundant. The cricket admits that he did not store anything for the future, suggesting that he spent all his time singing and enjoying himself, without thinking about the coming hardships of winter.

PASSAGE

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.”

Word Meaning:

• Heart was so light – feeling happy and carefree
• Sang day and night – sang continuously without concern
• Nature looked gay – everything in nature appeared cheerful and bright
• Dance the winter away – to enjoy oneself without worrying about the consequences

Explanation of the Poem:

The cricket reflects on his carefree attitude during the warmer months, describing how happy he felt, which made him sing day and night. He emphasizes that nature seemed joyful and vibrant, contributing to his light-heartedness.

However, the ant’s response is sharp and ironic. Instead of offering help, the ant points out the cricket’s foolishness. When the cricket admits to having sung instead of preparing for winter, the ant sarcastically suggests that he should continue to dance and sing away the winter, implying that he should bear the consequences of his choices. This highlights the theme of responsibility and the importance of preparing for the future, contrasting the cricket’s carelessness with the ant’s diligence.

PASSAGE

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.

Word Meaning:

• Ending – concluding
• Hastily – quickly or hurriedly
• Lifted the wicket – opened the small door
• Warrant it true – guarantee that it is true
• Fable – a short story, typically with a moral lesson
• Crickets have four legs, and some have two – a playful reference to different types of crickets or their appearances

Explanation of the Poem:

In the final lines, the poem concludes with the cricket quickly leaving after the ant’s refusal to help. The mention of “ending” signifies the resolution of the story, where the cricket must face the consequences of his actions alone.

The narrator refers to the story as a fable, suggesting that it carries a moral lesson about the importance of preparation and hard work. The playful remark about crickets having “four legs, and some have two” serves as a light-hearted twist, indicating that not all crickets are the same, and perhaps implying that there are different kinds of people too—some who prepare for the future and others who do not. This reinforces the overall theme of the poem, highlighting the lessons learned from the cricket’s foolishness and the ant’s wisdom.