Aesop knew the value of preparation…
In a field one summer’s day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart’s content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest.
“Why not come and chat with me,” said the Grasshopper, “instead of toiling and moiling in that way?”
“I am helping to lay up food for the winter,” said the Ant, “and recommend you to do the same.”
“Why bother about winter?” said the Grasshopper; “We have got plenty of food at present.” But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil.
When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger – while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew: It is best to prepare for days of need.
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
Very wise words.
Bert (alter ego- Mister P)
MisterP.org/blog
I’ve alway loved that fable. Here is the modern version of the fable(Only in America!)
It starts out the same but when winter comes the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving. CBS, NBC, and ABC show up and show pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to some film of the ant in his comfortable warm home with a table filled with food.
America is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can it be, in a country of such wealth that this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?
Then a representative of the N.A.A.G.B. (The National Association of Green Bugs) shows up on Night Line and charges the ant with “Green Bias” and makes the case that the grasshopper is the victim of 30 million years of greenism. Kermit the frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper and everybody cries when he sings “It’s Not Easy Being Green.”
Barack and Michelle Obama make a special guest appearance on the MSNBC and tell a concerned Keith Osterman that they will do everything they can for the grasshopper who has been denied the prosperity he deserves by those who benefitted unfairly during the summer, or as Barack refers to it, the “Temperatures Of The 80’s”.
Finally the E.E.O.C. drafts the “Economic Equity and Anti-Greenism Act” RETRO- ACTIVE to the beginning of the summer. The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs and having nothing left to pay his Retro-Active Taxes, his home is confiscated by the government.
The modern version of the story ends as we see the grasshopper finishing up the last little bits of the ant’s food while the government house he’s living in …. which just happens to be the ant’s old house …. crumbles around him since he doesn’t know or seem to care how to maintain it.
The ant has disappeared in the snow. And on the big screen TV, which the grasshopper bought by selling most of the ant’s food, Barack Obama is standing before a wildly applauding group of Liberals announcing that a new era of “Fairness” has dawned in America!
And that’s the way it is.
Steve Chambers
Sales Training Speaker
Well, that is hard to follow! Says it all really. Damn grasshoppers. I think we have some kind of festival here where they are eaten in several innovative cooking methods. Ewww. Such is nature.
Keri Eagan
Alternative*Insight
I love this fable! And wow, Steve’s modern version is quite interesting to the say the least. LOL.
MissMentor
That was an excellent story it made a strong point of preparing
Jose Escalante
http://www.joseescalante.com
Nice one! You beat me to it! I was going to post this fable a week ago, but couldn’t remember the types of creatures… Thanks.
Greg Dougall, Literary Agent
Grasshopper is shrimp with wings!
Make hay while the sun shines.
The ant shut the door when the weather shifted.
Rob,
Great fable.
Makes no difference how many people see the need, some people will never prepare.
Lynn Lane –>The Warrior Of Success
I love the story and Steve’s follow up is a riot.
Basically we all need to be prepared and isn’t that what we’re trying to do?
Jennifer Battaglino
The Harwood Group – Tinnitus, Chronic Illness, Fears, and Anxiety
I’m a little of both. Super industrious, storing up for winter… and I whistle while I work!
Great reminders to plan ahead and HAVE a plan.
Happy Dating and Relationships,
April Braswell
Single Boomer Dating Expert
Rob you are so right!!!
Great comment Steve, and you said it all.
Martin O’Connor
http://smallbusinessdesigncenter.com
I like Aesop’s version and Steve (Aesop of the new mellenium)’s version, which, sadly, is probably more realistic.
http://www.martin-wright.com
Sttrategies For Success
Great fable, fits your blog perfectly.
Robert Martin
http://www.carbuyinghq.com
This also reminds me of the hen who made some bread. Nobody wanted to help with the bread, from planting the wheat to taking the loaf of bread out of the oven, but all wanted to eat the bread.
Great story!
Martin O’Connor
http://smallbusinessdesigncenter.com
It reminds me the Bible Story (Prince of Egypt?) about the 7 years of harvest, then followed by 7 years of famine.
John HO
Numerology Expert Helps Understanding Personality for Better Influence & Persuasion
Talk about preparing for uncertain times. Get this.
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2009/10/action-alert-obama-to-cede-us-sovereignty-in-december.html
Martin O’Connor
http://smallbusinessdesigncenter.com
Great fable.
I enjoyed Steve’s story too, even though I think that Obama’s presidency is a big step forward for the world.
Nice update Steve, no doubt.
Katie
I always loved this story too. I remember telling this story to some kids I babysat for before, but they didn’t get it. I explained it and they still didn’t get it. THey kept asking questions like, “Well why didn’t he go live with his mother?” I gave up.
Lisa McLellan, Child Care Expert
Babysitting Services, Babysitting Tips, Babysitters, Nannies
You know, Fox news has gone from not existing to being considered a major threat to the White House . . . while I unplugged in March of 1992, I love the fact that my lightly-liberal (he’s 24, lives in Berkeley, I’m working on it) brother has found Fox News threatening since he’s been in high school. Clearly there are conservatives and slowly we are being heard. I would prefer to stop the screaming, but I understand the anger.
Kate
Great fable that imparts wisdom to those that heed its message.
Health, Fitness for Working People — Darryl Pace