On a beautiful meadow, there lived a group of industrious ants and several playful grasshoppers. In summer, the sun was shining brightly and everywhere was full of vitality.
The ants were busy all day long. They were looking for food from morning till night. They formed neat lines and carried the food they found bit by bit back to their nests. The ants knew that winter would come soon, and they had to store enough food to get through the cold season.
However, the grasshoppers didn't think so. They thought that summer was so wonderful and they should enjoy themselves to the fullest. They hopped around in the grass all day long, singing and playing. Looking at the busy ants, they even laughed at them for being too silly and not knowing how to enjoy life. The grasshoppers said, "There is so much food right in front of us and it can be found at any time. Why bother to carry it so laboriously?"
As days passed by, summer ended and the cold winter came. Snowflakes were falling in profusion and the earth was covered in white.
The ants hid in their warm nests. They had enough food and didn't need to worry about going hungry at all. They could also get together, share the stored food and keep each other warm, living very comfortably.
But the grasshoppers were miserable. They hadn't stored any food. Outside, it was a world of ice and snow, and there was no food to be found. The grasshoppers were cold and hungry and could only shiver in the cold wind. They regretted not being as industrious as the ants. Now they could only endure hunger and cold.
This story tells us that diligence is a virtue. Only by making preparations in advance can we deal with difficulties easily. We should be like the ants, be an industrious and well - planned person, instead of being like the grasshoppers, who only know how to play and finally suffer.
