THE ANT AND THE

CRICKET
(POEM)
FABLE:
 A Fable is a literary genre: a fictional story, in prose or verse. It
features animals, legendary creatures, plants, inanimate objects, or
forces of nature that illustrates or leads to a particular moral lesson
which may at the end be added explicitly as a maxim or saying.

 The Ant and the Cricket’ is a fable from the collection of Aesop’s
fables.
The two characters:
 The Ant- hardworking, concerned about its
future, ready to face challenges

 The Cricket-lazy and careless, loved to sing

 The two creatures represent two types of people

in the society- hardworking and lazy
 Summary:
 The poem is about a careless cricket and a hardworking ant. We all know
that ants are hardworking creatures.
 The cricket in this poem, on the other hand, was a lazy being who just sang
day and night during the favourable seasons of summer and spring and
made no effort to plan for the harsh winters. He did not gather any food for
the bitter winter. He realized his folly when he could not find anything to eat
at home or outside. He started starving and feeling cold. He understood that
his end was near if he would not approach the ant for help.
 The ant toiled hard during the spring and the summer to gather food for the
harsh winter. It did not want to part with his labour for the lazy cricket who
had wasted the favourable time ‘singing’. So, it advised the cricket to
‘dance’ during the winter.
Last two lines:

 The poet addresses the readers directly. He says

that the story is not entirely a fable; rather it is
related to the real world. The two-legged cricket
refers to the careless and lazy people who do
not plan for the adverse times. They don’t care
about resources when conditions are
favourable. Just like the cricket of the poem,
they do not believe in saving for difficult times.
Theme & Message:
 Through the story of the lazy cricket and the hardworking ant, the
poet teaches us the virtue of hard work. The cricket was foolish
enough not to see the future. He made no plans or provisions for the
future. He lived in the present moment. The ant, on the other hand,
was wise and hardworking. She worked hard so that she could enjoy
the future.
 The poet wants us to learn an important lesson in life. One must
always save for the adverse time. One should not be foolish enough
to just enjoy the present moment. Careful planning is important to
ensure future safety. ‘As you sow, so shall you reap’ is a popular
proverb that fits this poem. One must have the foresight to see the
future and make plans accordingly. One should be ready for the
good as well as the adverse times ahead.
Literary Devices:
 Personification- The ant and the cricket have been
personified as human beings with human qualities

 Metaphor- ‘some have but two’

Some crickets that have two legs refers to human beings
who are as lazy and careless as the cricket

 Alliteration- “when the weather was warm?”

repetition of the same sound
Other features:
 The rhyme scheme (for each stanza) -
aabbccddd

 Usage of old English word – Quoth which means

‘said’
Asset Questions:
1. What does ‘hastily’ mean in the last stanza?
a. hurriedly
b. rashly
c. thoughtlessly
d. carelessly

2. Which of these is NOT true about the cricket?

a. A lazy creature.
b. Sought help from the Ant.
c. Sang throughout the winter.
d. Did not save anything for future.
Assignment:
I. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
“Thus ending, he hastily lifted the wicket,
And out of the door turned the poor little cricket.”
1. Who lifted the wicket? Why?
2. What does the phrase, “lifted the wicket” mean?
3. Why does the poet call the little cricket ‘poor’?

II. Answer the following questions in 30-40 words:

1. Why does the cricket get worried?
2. What is a fable? Is the poem, ‘The Ant and the Cricket’ a fable? Justify.