ENGLISH
M VI CLASS-CBSE
5. 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!"
a) Do you think that the ant's behaviour was like that of a servant or was it like that of a friend?
b) What do the ants not do according to the passage?
c)
The ant scolded the Cricket because
d) The word 'Quoth' means
Answers
Answer:
The ant and the cricket is a fable in the form of poetry by Aesop. This poem is a story of a desperate and silly cricket and a miserly ant. The cricket would sing during the months of summer and spring. He never stored food for the winters. In the winter season, he finds that there is no food to eat at home. He was starving and thus, he went to the ant. He requested the ant to lend him some food and shelter. The ant refused to help him and told him to pass the winter also dancing. After saying this, the ant threw the Cricket out of his house.
The Ant and the Cricket Summary in English
This poem is a work of the famous Greek poet, Aesop. The two characters of the poem are cricket and an ant. There was a young cricket who used to sing and dance during the summers and springs. He was happy and enjoying but was silly. During the summers and spring, there is greenery everywhere. So, ample food and water are available. One does not need to store any of these. Thus, the cricket was busy enjoying and did not store any food for the winters. In winters, the ground is covered with snow and no flower or leaf could be seen.
The cricket passed the time singing and dancing and soon the winter season came. Now, he was in trouble as there was not even a crumb in his house to eat and due to winter, he could not find any food outside also. He could thus eat nothing and was starving. He somehow gathered his courage and went to the ant asking for help. Due to the starvation, chilling cold and rains, the cricket got wet and was shivering.
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He requested the ant to give him some food and shelter in his house else he will die of hunger, sorrow, and chilling cold. He also promised him to repay it.
The ant told the cricket that he thinks itself to be his servant as well as a friend. But, the ants do not borrow nor do they lend to anyone. He also asked the cricket that why did he not gather and store food during the spring and summer. The cricket said that he did not care much about the future and was busy enjoying the pleasant weather. He thought that food and water will always be abundant.
While the cricket was busy enjoying, the ant was storing food for the winter season. The ant thus annoyed told him that he should pass the winter also singing and dancing. The ant thus quickly put the conversation to an end and pushed him out of his house.
In the end, the poet concludes by saying that he thinks that this fable is quite true. As there are many human beings who do not care about the future. They thus repent when the time is gone.
Conclusion of The Ant and the Cricket
The story teaches us that we shall not behave like cricket. We shall always prepare for the future so that in difficult times we do not have to beg to others for help. It also teaches us that we shall also be helpful to others, unlike the ant.