The Ant and the Grasshopper
A free A2-level English story for language learners, readable online in 7 languages, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.
While industrious ants spend the summer storing food, a carefree grasshopper spends his days making music instead — a choice that catches up with him when winter comes.
One bright day in late autumn a family of Ants were bustling about in the warm sunshine, drying out the grain they had stored up during the summer.
Pada suatu hari yang cerah di akhir musim gugur, sekeluarga Semut sibuk beraktivitas di bawah sinar matahari hangat, menjemur biji-bijian yang telah mereka simpan selama musim panas.
A starving Grasshopper, his fiddle under his arm, came up and humbly begged for a bite to eat.
Seekor Belalang yang kelaparan, dengan biolanya terselip di bawah lengan, datang dan dengan rendah hati memohon sedikit makanan.
"What!" cried the Ants in surprise. "Haven't you stored anything away for the winter? What in the world were you doing all last summer?"
"Apa!" seru para Semut dengan terkejut. "Kau tidak menyimpan apa pun untuk musim dingin? Apa saja yang kau lakukan sepanjang musim panas kemarin?"
"I didn't have time to store up any food," whined the Grasshopper. "I was so busy making music that before I knew it the summer was gone."
"Aku tidak sempat menyimpan makanan," rengek Belalang itu. "Aku terlalu sibuk bermain musik hingga tanpa kusadari musim panas sudah berlalu."
The Ants shrugged their shoulders in disgust.
Para Semut mengangkat bahu mereka dengan jijik.
"Making music, were you?" they said. "Very well, now dance!" And they turned their backs on the Grasshopper and went on with their work.
"Bermain musik, katamu?" kata mereka. "Baiklah, sekarang menarilah!" Dan mereka membalikkan punggung mereka pada Belalang itu dan melanjutkan pekerjaan mereka.
There is a time for work and a time for play.
Ada waktu untuk bekerja dan ada waktu untuk bermain.
