1.2. The Ant and the Cricket - Class 8 - Honeydew

BhashaLab
May 28
4 min read

📘 The Ant and the Cricket - Notes

Author : (Adapted from Aesop’s Fables)

Textbook: Honeydew

Genre: Poem / Fable in verse

📝 Summary :

The Ant and the Cricket is a poetic fable that narrates the story of a carefree young cricket and a wise, hardworking ant. The cricket sings and enjoys all summer and spring without storing any food. But when harsh winter arrives, he finds himself cold, hungry, and desperate. With nothing to eat and nowhere to stay, he turns to a miserly ant for help. The ant, known for its disciplined nature, refuses to lend food or shelter and scolds the cricket for not saving anything during the warm months. The ant advises him to "dance the winter away" since he sang all through summer. The poem ends with a strong moral, emphasizing the importance of hard work and planning for the future. It humorously warns even the human “two-legged crickets” to avoid laziness and be responsible.

👤 Character Sketch

The Cricket: Carefree and fun-loving, the cricket lives in the moment, singing through summer and failing to plan ahead. When winter arrives, he regrets his laziness but learns a harsh lesson.The Ant: Practical and disciplined, the ant symbolizes foresight, responsibility, and self-reliance. Though seemingly harsh, the ant teaches a valuable life lesson.

📚 Themes:

Theme	Description
Foresight	Planning for the future is essential to avoid hardship during tough times.
Hard work vs. Idleness	Laziness leads to suffering; diligence leads to security and comfort.
Responsibility	One must be responsible for their own well-being and not depend on others.
Nature’s harshness	Seasons change, and nature rewards only those who prepare for adversity.

✨ Literary Devices

Device	Example	Explanation
Rhyme Scheme	“Sing/spring”, “bold/cold”, “grain/rain”	Gives a musical quality and rhythm to the poem.
Alliteration	“My heart was so light / That I sang day and night”	Repetition of sounds emphasizes the carefree attitude of the cricket.
Personification	The cricket and ant talk like humans.	Adds depth and moral insight through fictional animal behavior.
Irony	“Dance the winter away”	Used sarcastically to highlight the cricket’s foolishness.

📖 Title Justification:

The title The Ant and the Cricket is apt as it names the two central characters of this moral fable. The poem uses these animals to depict human traits like laziness and wisdom. It teaches the reader, through the contrast between the ant and the cricket, the importance of hard work and planning. The title reflects the poem’s fable-like style and prepares the reader for a moral lesson embedded in a simple narrative.

✅ One-Mark Questions

What did the cricket do all summer?
The cricket sang and enjoyed himself all summer without storing food.
Why did the cricket visit the ant?
The cricket was hungry and cold and sought food and shelter from the ant.
What was the ant’s reply to the cricket’s request?
The ant refused, saying ants never borrow or lend.
What does the ant advise the cricket to do?
The ant tells the cricket to dance the winter away.
What is the moral of the poem?
The poem teaches that one should work hard and plan for the future.

✅ Three-Mark Questions ;

Why did the ant refuse to help the cricket?
The ant refused to help because the cricket had not saved anything during the summer. The ant believed in hard work and self-dependence and did not support laziness.
How does the poet make the poem humorous yet meaningful?
The poet uses playful rhymes and personification to bring humor, but also cleverly delivers a moral lesson. The cricket's foolishness is amusing, yet thought-provoking.
What lesson can humans learn from this fable?
The story warns against living carelessly without preparation. It emphasizes the need to balance joy with responsibility in life.

🧠 Value-Based Question

Q: Why is it important to plan for the future, even when things are going well?Ans: It is important to plan ahead because life is unpredictable. Just like the cricket faced hardship in winter, people too can face unexpected challenges. Being prepared ensures we don’t have to rely on others or suffer due to our own carelessness.

Let me know if you’d like a worksheet or image prompt for this poem as well, Facilitator.

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