The Ant and the Cricket Poem Chapter 1, Class 8 English Notes

Class 8 English Chapter 1 Poem
The Ant and the Cricket Notes

Text Book	NCERT
Class	Class 8
Subject	English
Book Name	Honeydew
Chapter Name	Ant and the Cricket Poem Chapter 1
Category	Class 8 English

Summary of Ant and the Cricket Poem

There was a cricket. He used to sing all through the pleasant months of summer and spring. When winter arrived, he found that there was no food at home. Then he said “What will become of me ?” He became desperate by starvation. He went to an ant. He requested him to lend him a shelter from rain and some food. He promised to return it. He added that if the ant did not do what he wanted, he would die. The ant replied that the ants did not ever borrow or lend.

He, however, asked the cricket if he did not lay by anything in good weather. He asked him what he did during the warm weather. The cricket replied he was very glad in that pleasant weather. In his happiness, he kept on singing all the time. At this the ant advised him to pass away the winter by dancing. Saying so, the ant turned the cricket out of his house.

The poet ends his story with a moral. He says that this is not a fable but truth. He goes on to add that some human beings are also like the cricket of the story.

Stanza 1

A silly young cricket, accustomed to sing
Through the warm, sunny months of gay summer and spring,
Began to complain when he found that, at home,
His cupboard was empty, and winter was come.

Once there was a foolish young cricket. It was his habit to pass the sunny months of summer and spring in singing. When winter came, he began to complain as there was nothing to eat and his cupboard at his home was empty.

Stanza 2

Not a crumb to be found
On the snow-covered ground;
Not a flower could he see,
Not a leaf on a tree.
“Oh ! what will become,” says the cricket, “of me”

The cricket did not find any food in winter. There was ice everywhere. Neither a flower nor a leaf on a tree could be seen. The cricket wondered aloud what would become of him.

Stanza 3

At last by starvation and famine made bold,
All dripping with wet, and all trembling with cold,
Away he set off to a miserly ant,
To see if, to keep him alive, he would grant.

The cricket came on the verge of death and was dying of hunger. So he took courage and wet with rain and shivering with cold, he went to a miserly ant. He wanted to know if the ant would help him keep alive.

Stanza 4

Him shelter from rain,
And a mouthful of grain.
He wished only to borrow;
He’d repay it tomorrow;
If not, he must die of starvation and sorrow.

The cricket requested the ant to give him protection from rain and a small quantity of food. His intention was to repay the debt soon. He said that if the ant was not kind, he would die.

Stanza 5

Says the ant to the cricket,
“I’m your servant and friend,
But we ants never
borrow; we ants never lend.
But tell me, dear cricket,
did you lay nothing by
When the weather was
warm ?” Quoth the cricket,
“Not I !’

The ant said to the cricket. ‘I am your servant and friend, However, it is our principle that we neither borrow nor lend. But, dear cricket, you didn’t  save anything for the bad weather during the warm days ?” The cricket said that he didn’t.

Stanza 6

My heart was so light
That I sang day and night,
For all nature looked gay.
“You sang, Sir, you say?
Go then,” says the ant, “and dance the winter away.”

I felt so light at heart that I sang and sang all through the day and night. Every object of nature seemed very happy”, (said the cricket). The ant said, “Sir, if you passed the summer in singing, pass the winter in dancing”.

Stanza 7

Thus ending, he hastily lifted the wicket,
And out of the door turned the poor little cricket.
Folks call this a fable. i’ll warrant it true :
Some crickets have four legs, and some have two.

So saying he (the ant) closed the door. So the poor young cricket came out of the ant’s house. People say that it’s a story with a moral. The poet believes it’s true. He says that there are people in the world who behave like the cricket of the story.

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