The Ants and the Grasshopper
The Ants and the Grasshopper by Ambrose Bierce is a short story that teaches a moral lesson about the importance of preparation and hard work. The story follows the adventures of an ant who spends his days collecting crumbs and storing them in his nest, while a grasshopper spends his time singing and playing. When winter comes, the ant is prepared with a full stomach, but the grasshopper must beg for help from the ant. The moral of the story is that hard work and preparation are essential for survival, while laziness and neglect can lead to misfortune.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1890 · Genre: Fable, Children's Literature, Satire · 118 words
First lines
Some Members of a Legislature were making schedules of their wealth at the end of the session, when an Honest Miner came along and asked them to divide with him. The members of the Legislature inquired:
"Why did you not acquire property of your own?"
"Because," replied the Honest Miner, "I was so busy digging out gold that
I had no leisure to lay up something worth while."
What this Textopian page supports
The Ants and the Grasshopper is listed on Textopian as a fable by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1890 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Fable
- Author: Ambrose Bierce
- Date: 1890 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fable, Children's Literature, Satire
- Length: 118 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Ants and the Grasshopper by Ambrose Bierce
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Ants and the Grasshopper?
- How does this fable by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fable first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Hare And The Tortoise by Ambrose Bierce
- The Lion And The Mouse by Ambrose Bierce
- Santa Claus by Andrew Barton Paterson
- The Cat And The Birds by Ambrose Bierce
- The Farmer And The Fox by Ambrose Bierce
- The Grasshopper And The Ant by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Fable — The book 'The Ants and the Grasshopper' by Ambrose Bierce is a retelling of one of Aesop's fables, wherein the characters are anthropomorphic animals who deliver moral lessons.
- Children's Literature — The simple allegorical narrative and animal characters make this book suitable for children.
- Satire — Like many of Bierce's works, this story features satire, using humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize human follies and foibles.
Tags
fable · short story · insects · animals · teamwork · lazy · procrastination · consequences · moral · lesson · humor · satire