A Song for Winter

All summer, a green grasshopper played cheerful rhythms beside the meadow. Nearby, a brown ant carried grains toward a dry chamber under the roots of a sturdy old tree.

The grasshopper invited the ant to stop and listen. The ant paused for one tune, then lifted her grain again. She was collecting food for the colder days ahead.

The meadow seemed full of food and sunlight. Winter felt far away to the grasshopper. He decided to sing another song before thinking about any work at all.

Days passed. The ant carried seeds whenever the weather stayed dry. She also rested and listened to birds. Each small load added to the store without filling a whole day.

Autumn coloured the leaves gold. The grasshopper noticed fewer fresh shoots, but he hoped tomorrow would bring more. The ant checked her roof and covered the grain against damp.

When gentle snow covered the meadow, the grasshopper could find no breakfast. He walked slowly to the ant's door, shivering. He explained that he had not saved any food.

The ant remembered his summer songs. She offered a warm place and a small bowl of grain. Planning mattered, she said, and so did helping a neighbour in need.

The grasshopper thanked her and helped mend a loose shelf. He could not change the summer already gone, but he could learn something and contribute to their winter home.

Together they made a plan for spring: gather first, sing afterward, and keep enough for unexpected visitors. The grasshopper tapped a soft rhythm while the ant counted the remaining seeds.

Outside, the snow glittered under the moon. Inside, there was food, friendship, and music. The next summer would hold both careful preparation and plenty of room for cheerful songs.