The ants were spending a fine winter's day drying grain collected in the summertime.

A Grasshopper, perishing with  famine, passed by and earnestly begged for a little food.

The Ants inquired of him, "Why did you not treasure up food during the summer?"

He replied, "I had not  leisure enough. I passed the days in singing."

They then said in derision: "If you were foolish enough to sing all the summer, you must dance supperless to bed in the winter."