The Ant and the Cricket Poem Summary Theme Moral Message & Stanza Wise Explanation: The first chapter in the poetry section of CBSE Class 8 English Honeydew is titled “The Ant and the Cricket,” and it is a piece of writing from Aesop’s Fables, a collection of fables attributed to Aesop. Here, students would find a summary and explanation of the poem and also the solutions. Students can utilize Class 8 English Notes to prepare for their English exam. The poem “The Ant and the Cricket” tells the story of a silly young cricket who, after having enjoyed singing and living carefree during the warm and sunny months of spring and summer, finds himself in trouble during the winter season when his cupboard is empty, and he is starving.
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The Ant and the Cricket Poem Text
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?”
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.
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!
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.”
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 Meanings: The and the Cricket
- accustomed to sing – used to singing; in the habit of singing
- famine – scarcity of food; having nothing to eat
- lay nothing by – save nothing
- quoth: (old English) said
Summary: The ant and the Cricket
The poem “The Ant and the Cricket” is a fable that teaches us a valuable lesson about the importance of being prepared for the future. The cricket, who spent his time singing and enjoying himself during the warm months, did not prepare for the cold and harsh winter that was to come. As a result, he found himself starving and in need of help from the ant.
Despite the cricket’s plea for assistance, the ant refused to lend him any food, explaining that ants never borrow or lend. Instead, the ant questioned the cricket about whether he had saved anything during the summer months when he had plenty of food and was carefree. The cricket admitted that he had not saved anything, and the ant turned him away, telling him to dance his way through the winter.
The poem ends by suggesting that while the story may be a fable, it is a true one. The moral of the story is that we should be prepared for the future and save for a rainy day. It is not enough to simply enjoy ourselves in the present moment without considering what may lie ahead. By planning ahead and being responsible, we can avoid the hardships and difficulties that come with being unprepared.
Theme of the Poem ‘The Ant and the Cricket’
The central theme of the story, which is the importance of hard work, planning, and preparation for the future.
In the context of the poem, the grasshopper represents those who live for the moment and do not plan for the future, while the ant symbolizes those who are hardworking, responsible, and prepare for the future.
The grasshopper’s plea to the ant for help represents a realization of its folly and a desire to rectify its mistake by seeking help from someone who was better prepared for the future. However, the miserly ant’s refusal to help the grasshopper teaches a valuable lesson about the importance of hard work and planning for the future.
Thus, the second stanza of the poem reinforces the central theme of the story, which is the importance of hard work, planning, and preparation for the future. It shows that those who are prepared and responsible are likely to fare better than those who are not.
Moral Message of the Poem ‘The Ant and the Cricket’
The poem is a fable that teaches the moral lesson of the importance of hard work, planning, and saving for the future. The ant, who worked hard during the summer to store food for the winter, is portrayed as the wise and responsible character, while the cricket represents the foolish and carefree character who pays the price for his lack of planning.
Overall, the poem serves as a cautionary tale, warning against laziness and procrastination. It highlights the importance of hard work and preparation, as well as the consequences of failing to plan ahead.
Stanza Wise Explanation: The Ant and the Cricket
The poem “The Ant and the Cricket” tells the story of a silly young cricket who, after enjoying the warm and bountiful months of summer and spring, finds himself without food or shelter during the winter. The poem is divided into seven stanzas, and each stanza serves a unique purpose in developing the story.
Stanza 1:
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.
This stanza describes a silly young cricket who used to sing happily during the warm and sunny months of summer and spring. However, when winter arrived and he realized that his cupboard was empty, he started complaining.
The stanza highlights the cricket’s lack of foresight and preparedness. He enjoyed the pleasures of summer and spring without thinking about the future, and when winter arrived, he found himself unprepared and in need of food.
Stanza 2:
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?”
The stanza describes the cricket facing a difficult situation because of the lack of food and resources during the winter season. The first line sets the scene, indicating that the cricket’s cupboard is empty, suggesting that he has no food or resources to survive the harsh winter. The second line emphasizes the severity of the situation, stating that there is not even a crumb to be found, indicating a complete absence of food.
The third and fourth lines provide additional context by highlighting the environment around the cricket. The snow-covered ground and the absence of flowers and leaves on the trees indicate the barrenness of the surrounding area, which makes it difficult for the cricket to find food or shelter.
Finally, in the last line, the cricket expresses his concern for his survival. The phrase, “Oh! what will become of me?” conveys the cricket’s desperation and the gravity of his situation. The stanza as a whole paints a picture of a dire circumstance in which the cricket is struggling to survive and highlights the harsh realities of the winter season.
Stanza 3:
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
The stanzas describe the desperate state of the grasshopper after he has been unable to find food or shelter for himself during the winter. He is cold, wet, and starving, and finally decides to seek help from the ant, who he knows has stored food for the winter.
The use of words like “starvation,” “famine,” “dripping with wet,” and “trembling with cold” emphasize the dire situation the grasshopper is in. The fact that he has to turn to the ant, whom he previously ignored, highlights the consequences of not being prepared and not planning ahead. The fable serves as a cautionary tale, teaching the importance of hard work and preparation for the future.
Stanza 4:
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.
The cricket asks the ant for shelter and a mouthful of grain, promising to repay him tomorrow. The ant is reluctant to lend the cricket anything, but he agrees to consider the request.
The ant is known for its hard-working and industrious nature, and the cricket hopes that the ant will be willing to lend him some food and shelter. The cricket is willing to repay the ant the next day (in future) if he is able to borrow from him.
The second stanza highlights the desperation of the cricket and how he is willing to go to any extent to survive. It also shows the importance of compassion and helping others in times of need.
Stanza 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!
In this particular stanza, the ant and the cricket are having a conversation. The ant offers to be the cricket’s servant and friend but tells the cricket that ants never borrow or lend. The ant then asks the cricket if it had saved anything during the warm weather. The cricket responds by saying, “Not I!” indicating that it had not saved anything for the future and had been careless in its preparations.
The stanza highlights the difference in the attitudes and behaviors of the ant and the cricket. The ant is hardworking, industrious, and forward-thinking, while the cricket is carefree, lazy, and imprudent. The ant’s refusal to borrow or lend indicates its self-reliance and prudence, whereas the cricket’s lack of savings reveals its shortsightedness and imprudence.
Stanza 6:
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.”
The stanza shows the Cricket responding to explain confession. The cricket responds that he did not, as he was too busy singing and enjoying himself.
The ant, who is known for being diligent and hardworking, suggests that the cricket go and continue to dance and sing the winter away, without any concern for the future. This can be interpreted as a warning against the folly of not being prepared for the future and not having the discipline to work hard and save for difficult times.
Stanza 7:
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.
In this last stanza, the poet describes the moment when the ant decides to let the cricket go out of his house. He quickly opens the door and pushes the poor little cricket outside, leaving him to face the harsh winter weather on his own. The poet then comments on the story, stating that some people may call it a fable, but he believes that it is a true story. The poem ends with a playful twist, stating that some crickets have four legs, while others have two, which highlights the satirical whimsical nature of the poem.
NCERT Solutions: The Ant and the Cricket
Working with the Poem
Q. 1. The cricket says, “Oh! what will become of me?” When does he say it, and why?
Ans. The cricket says these words during the winter season when his cupboard was empty and he had no food to eat, leaving him feeling famished.
Q. 2. (i) Find in the poem the lines that mean the same as “Neither a borrower nor a lender be.” (Shakespeare).
Ans. The following lines in the poem mean the same as in Shakespeare’s poem ………
“But we ants never borrow; we ants never lend.”
(ii) What is your opinion of the ant’s principles?
Ans. I think following the principles of ants can help us lead a good life. We shouldn’t make borrowing or lending money a habit as it can ruin our relationships with friends.
Q. 3. The ant tells the cricket ‘dance winter away.’ Do you think the word dance is appropriate here? If, so why?
Ans. I think the word ‘dance’ is appropriate here because it is used as a satire on the poor cricket who just spent his summer days leisurely without doing any work.
Q. 4. (i) Which lines in the poem express the poet’s comment? Read them aloud.
Ans. Folks call it a fable but “Some crickets have four legs, and some have two.”
(ii) Write the comment in your own words.
Ans. This means that even though the poem appears to be a story with animal characters, the ant and the cricket represent people and their habits. Specifically, some people are lazy like the cricket.
