Story | No Work No Food

Once upon a time in the spring, there was a cricket who was very happy. The sun was warm, and there was lots of food available. He thought to himself, "What else could I possibly want?" So he happily hopped around the meadow, singing and dancing with joy. The silly cricket didn't know that spring would eventually end. And even if he did know, he didn't care because he was young and found beauty in everything.

But as time passed, the flowers of spring began to fade away. The days became shorter, the sun was less warm, and the breeze turned colder. However, the young cricket was still filled with happiness and didn't think about the future. One day, before he could gather food for the winter, snow started falling. The plants died in the freezing cold. The cricket searched for food but found nothing. Hopping on the hard, cold sheet of ice made his legs numb.

Then, he spotted a group of ants coming out of a dry, hollow tree stump. He approached them and begged for food. The ants questioned him, asking why he didn't have enough food at the beginning of winter. In a weak voice, he replied, "I didn't store any food. I was too busy singing and dancing, and I didn't realize that winter would be harsh." The ants were not any kinder than the winter itself. They demanded to know what he could offer them in return for food.

"I will sing and dance for you," the cricket offered. However, when he tried to sing and dance, his legs wouldn't move. With a painful groan, he collapsed on the frozen ground and eventually died.