Summer (The Traditional Story)
A flourishing colony of ants worked tirelessly all summer, from dawn to dusk. Each little ant labored to help expand their lavish anthill home and gathered enough food to survive the ravages of winter.
A cricket arrived in their neighborhood that spring. He was a big happy fellow who danced and sang from dawn to dusk for the pleasure of all who heard him.
Each time they met, the ants chided him. They asked, “Why don't you work hard all day like us? You should be building shelter and storing food. Surely you know that when freezing weather comes, you will die of cold. Even if you find shelter, you will starve to death”.
Undaunted, the cricket pointed out that, “I love to dance and sing and my skill as an entertainer makes others happy too. And that's what makes me happy. Summer is here to enjoy and so I make the most of it.”
Puzzled by his stubborn insistence on what they regarded as frivolity and an irrational denial of obvious consequence even in the face of certain death, the ants continued their labors. The cricket continued singing and dancing - and of course - being happy.
Winter
Snow arrived and cricket's wings froze to his body. He became too cold to dance and shivered too much to sing. In desperation, he came to the ant's impressive edifice and knocked feebly on their elegant closed door.
Finally, a warmly dressed ant opened the door a crack and recognized the cricket. “What brings you here”, he asked, already knowing the answer.
“P-p-p-p-please,” cricket stammered. “I am f-f-freezing and h-h-hungry. C-c-c-can you p-p-p-please give me s-s-s-shelter and s-s-s-some food”?
“I am so sorry”, the ant replied. “Our doors and hallways are much too small for you to enter. As for food, what you eat isn't healthy enough for us since there is no protein and we didn't store any of the kind of food you eat.” With that, the ant closed the door and the cricket soon froze to death on their magnificent doorstep.
In the spring, the new brood of young ants came out and found the well-preserved body of the cricket. They added it to the supply of food that met their requirements for the next winter (protein, of course).
The Possible Morals (Traditional)
“Everyone knows artists and entertainers are frivolous and slothful sorts and their behavior will lead to unfortunate consequences”. Put more bluntly, “Those who don't work hard are lazy bums and don't deserve any help”.
Revision Discussed
The traditional story is one-sided since it is so arranged that the security driven, comfort seeking, and materialistic ants were held up as examples of the correct way for all of us to live our lives. (Type A behaviors)
Overlooked in the traditional story is the fact that the cricket was devoted to the art of dancing and singing as entertainment and a celebration of the joy of living. In the traditional story, he gets no credit for his equally demanding work.
It is also overlooked that his perseverance, especially in the face of the ant's warning of the fatal consequences suggests considerable courage. The traditional story ignores his enriching contribution to the lives of those who are able to enjoy his efforts and the example he sets of enjoying life itself.
The cricket appears to be something of a tragic hero. He chose to have a joyous life even in the face of his certain death.
While the cricket meets his death before winter fully sets in, interestingly, the ants all die sooner or later also. The fact is that this natural process makes room for new young workers who will be more productive than the old ones to continue the acquisition of “bigger and better”.
Moral (Revised)
If you enjoy entertaining others, dance, sing, and be happy yourself, since we all die sooner or later anyway.
Advice For Any Crickets Reading This
For most crickets nowadays who are not born rich, adequate pay for their efforts - even in this day and age - is usually rare… and patron ants are hard to find.
Get a day job (if you can).
