Henry's Songbook

The ant and the grasshopper
Everyone knows how the story goes
How the ant was diligent never spent anything lightly
Laboured wisely and gathered his store for tomorrow
As for the grasshopper
Glad of the summer sunshine
Light as the wind on the broken water
His song he gave to the summer days, singing
Where the dance leads I'll follow

Then came a hard winter
Nothing grew and the cold wind blew
But the ant was safe and sound underground carefully counting
His pile around him dividing his time until tomorrow
Now see the grasshopper
Blown by the north wind's fury
Hungering for the easy summer
Comes to the ant and says, My brother give me bread
Now is the dance that I must follow

Why did you waste the summer
Summers dont last forever
You're just an idle beggar
You must pay the price, sacrifice
You wouldn't heed me you took life easy
Take the punishment that follows
Now see the grasshopper reel like a dry leaf falling
Weaving a dance that'll last forever

Back goes the ant to his nest
To work to feed to rest
For him there will always be tomorrow

repeat 1

(as sung by Martin Carthy)