The Ant and The Cricket Poem Word Meanings

‘The ant and the cricket’ poem word meanings in English and Hindi language: The meanings are provided with literal as well as contextual meanings to help grasp the poem well. The poem text matter is also given.


The Ant and the Cricket Poem Text

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.

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?”

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

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.

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!

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.”

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.


The Ant and The Cricket Poem Word Meanings

WordsMeanings
accustomed toIn the habit of, used to
throughfrom beginning to the end of
complainfell unhappy and annoyed, suffer
crumba small piece or fragment of food items
starvationextreme hunger, lacking food
famineextreme scarcity of food
dripping with wetvery wet
trembling with coldshaking of body due to cold
set offto begin a journey or start going to somewhere
miserlyparsimonious, hating to spend money or share wealth
grantto agree to accept, give or provide
sheltera temporary protection from bad weather, danger etc
repayto pay back
lay something byto save and keep for use in future
lightfree from worry
all naturethe kind and pleasant weather or natural atmosphere
hastilyvery quickly
lift the wicketto close the door or indicate that here ends the conversation and no anymore arguments or justifications
warrantjustify the certainty and accuracy of feeling, belief or action
folkspeople in general, common people
The Ant and the Cricket Poem Word Meanings

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