The Fable of the Cicada and the Ant 



little story, only echoes another fabulist. 

 The legend of the Cicada's sorry welcome 

 by the Ant is as old as selfishness, that is to 

 say, as old as the world. The children of 

 Athens, going to school with their esparto- 

 grass baskets crammed with figs and olives, 

 were already mumbling it as a piece for 

 recitation : 



" In winter," said they, " the Ants dry 

 their wet provisions in the sun. Up comes a 

 hungry Cicada begging. She asks for a few 

 grains. The greedy hoarders reply, * You 

 used to sing in summer; now dance in win- 

 ter.' " 1 



This, although a little more baldly put, is 

 precisely La Fontaine's theme and is con- 

 trary to all sound knowledge. 



1 Sir Roger L'Estrange attributes the fable to Anianus 

 and, as is usual in the English version, substitutes the 

 Grasshopper for the Cicada. It may be interesting to 

 quote his translation: 



" As the Ants were airing their provisions one winter, 

 up comes a hungry Grasshopper to 'em and begs a 

 charity. They told him that he should have wrought in 

 summer, if he would not have wanted in winter. 

 1 Well,' says the Grasshopper, ' but I was not idle 

 neither ; for I sung out the whole season.' ' Nay then,' 

 said they, ' you shall e'en do well to make a merry year 

 on't and dance in winter to the tune that you sung in 

 summer.' " Translator's Note. 



5 



