The Grasshopper and the Ant

   A Grasshopper¹ gay

    Sang the summer away,

    And found herself poor

  By the winter's first roar.

  Of meat or of bread,

  Not a morsel² she had!

  So a-begging she went,

  To her neighbour the Ant,

    For the loan of some wheat,

    Which would serve her to eat,

  Till the season came round.

    "I will pay you," she saith,

    "On an animal's faith,

  Double weight in the pound

  Ere the harvest be bound."

    The Ant is a friend—

    (And here she might mend)

    Little given to lend.

  "How spent you the summer?"

    Quoth she, looking shame

    At the borrowing dame³.

  "Night and day to each comer

    I sang, if you please."

    "You sang! I'm at ease,

  For 'tis plain at a glance,

  Now, ma'am, you must dance."

1 grasshopper   

n.蚱蜢，蝗虫，蚂蚱

参考例句：

• He thought he had made an end of the little grasshopper.他以为把那个小蚱蜢干掉了。
• The grasshopper could not find anything to eat.蚱蜢找不到任何吃的东西。

2 morsel   

n.一口，一点点

参考例句：

• He refused to touch a morsel of the food they had brought.他们拿来的东西他一口也不吃。
• The patient has not had a morsel of food since the morning.从早上起病人一直没有进食。

3 dame   

n.女士

参考例句：

• The dame tell of her experience as a wife and mother.这位年长妇女讲了她作妻子和母亲的经验。
• If you stick around,you'll have to marry that dame.如果再逗留多一会，你就要跟那个夫人结婚。