The Artful Ant by Oliver Herford
An ambitious ant decides to host a grand ball, inviting various forest creatures despite her small size. She receives an overwhelming number of acceptances, prompting her to devise a plan to provide enough food for her guests. After much contemplation, she comes up with a clever idea, though the specifics remain undisclosed. On the day of the event, guests arrive joyfully, except for the fish, who cannot attend due to air constraints. The lion, among other animals, compliments the ant on her event, although he is not truly present. The festivities include dancing and merriment until the guests grow hungry. When it comes time for supper, the ant subtly suggests that the guests "take each other in," leading to a darkly humorous outcome where the larger animals consume the smaller ones. The lion, in particular, indulges excessively, leaving the gathering with a full belly and a slow gait. After this disastrous event, the ant attempts to host another ball but receives no responses, save for the fish, who again expresses gratitude for the invitation. The narrative highlights themes of ambition, cleverness, and the consequences of one's actions, wrapped in a whimsical yet cautionary tale.
By Oliver Herford · First published 1911 · Genre: Children's Literature, Poetry, Fable · 746 words
First lines
Once on a time an artful Ant Resolved to give a ball, For tho' in stature she was scant, She was not what you'd call A shy or bashful little Ant.
(She was not shy at all.)
What this Textopian page supports
The Artful Ant is listed on Textopian as a short story by Oliver Herford, dated 1911 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Oliver Herford
- Date: 1911 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Children's Literature, Poetry, Fable, Fantasy, Humor
- Length: 746 words
- Structure: 1 section, 25 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
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- Work identity for The Artful Ant by Oliver Herford
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
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- How does this short story by Oliver Herford fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
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Genres
- Children's Literature — The book features a whimsical story with anthropomorphic characters aimed at entertaining and teaching moral lessons to children.
- Poetry — The narrative is written in verse, employing rhyme and rhythm typical of poetic forms, enhancing its appeal and readability.
- Fable — The story conveys a moral lesson through the actions of animals, characteristic of fables, particularly regarding the consequences of cleverness and social interactions.
- Fantasy — The setting and characters are fantastical, featuring animals engaging in human-like behaviors and social events, which is a hallmark of the fantasy genre.
Tags
Children's Literature · Fable · Humor · Insects · Literary Fiction · Poetry · Satire · Social Commentary · Storytelling · Whimsy · Wordplay · Anthropomorphism