Sacred Texts Native American Southeast Index Previous Next
A Locust traveling about saw an Ant and talked with him. The Locust said, "Let us dance." But the Ant did not want to. He was too busy. "I will dance anyhow," said the Locust. But the Ant said, "I don't want to. I am going to lay in food before we are hurt with the cold weather." The Ant kept on preparing his house and after it was finished he cut and brought leaves into it. Then he said to the Locust, "You had better prepare something to eat before the winter cold settles down," but the Locust said, "Oh! oh! dancing is all that I can do," and he kept on dancing. Presently, when it got cold, he had nothing to eat, but the Ant had laid up a lot of leaves and he remained at home and fed upon them. Then the Locust wanted some food and came and looked at it. The Ant said "That is just what I told you would happen. I told you so repeatedly."