This story I am writing about today is quite well known in Nigeria. In fact, if you've passed through primary school in Nigeria , then you surely know this tale. The moral of the story is to make sure to do everything you ought to do at the right thing. Don't procrastinate, especially not about important things. It's a tale about an ant and a grasshopper:
A long time ago, there lived two friends. One was called the ant while the other was called the cricket. They were very close friends, like the ‘hand and head’. It is believed in my place in Esan, Nigeria, that, if the head does not see the hand, it won’t sleep. So close friends are referred to as hand and head which if they do not see each other, they won’t sleep.
The ant was very hard working and intelligent. During the period of harvesting in the farms, it will gather and stock so much food. So during dry season or out of farm season, it will have enough food to survive on or even beyond. Conversely, the cricket was lazy and foolish. It has no plans for itself against the future. So during harvesting period, instead of gathering food from farms, it would be making merry and partying all day long. He wasted away the farming and harvesting period, not thinking of the future and having a very nonchalant attitude. He was very sure that his friend, the ant would give him food during the dry season, after all he had been living off his friend for years.
At the end of harvesting period, the cricket was starving but he had no food. When he couldn't suffer anymore, the cricket went to his friend, the ant to beg for food. But the Ant who knew the value of hard work, time management and the need to save for times of emergency was annoyed with his friend because he had only prepared supplies enough for one person. It asked it’s friend what have been doing through out the harvesting period. The ant asked the cricket what it had been doing throughout the harvesting period. Cricket responded by saying that, it has been partying and playing . Ant, who had become tired of providing for his friend all the time, retorted, “ go and continue with your parties, while I enjoy my food”. The cricket left disappointed. After that year, the cricket never partied away the
The moral of story is not that it's bad to party. It just means that there is a time and season for everything. Work during the period you should word. After you are done with your work, you have all the time in the world to play and party without worries.