The ant’s aunt had to give a picnic, because she had been invited to so many places by all her relatives, she thought it was time to pay back some of the invitations.

 

“But it will be such a bother,” said the ant’s uncle, when he heard about it.

 

“Don’t be foolish, now,” replied the ant’s aunt. “We cannot go in society without going to some trouble.”

 

So the ant’s uncle said that it would be all right, for he always said something of that kind when his wife talked about giving a party.

 

He was sleeping early the next morning, when his wife woke him and said: “Benjamin, Benjamin, did you remember to get the lemons and the sugar?”

 

“No,” replied the ant’s uncle, as he rolled over again in bed. “The grocery store was closed.”

 

“Then you will have to go into the kitchen of the man’s house and get as much as you can carry before the cook gets up.”

 

“The last time I was there,” muttered Benjamin, “I nearly got blown up with the kerosene¹ can.”

 

By the time the ant’s uncle got back to his house he found more than a hundred ants of all kinds walking up and down and carrying all kinds of provisions.

 

“You are very late,” said the ant’s aunt. “What did you do about the swing, Benjamin? Did you stop and see the spider about it?”

 

Benjamin had forgotten all about the swing, so he had to go back to where the spider kept a shop, and he came back after a while with a wheelbarrow loaded down with rope. The ant’s aunt was lame², and she had to walk with a cane³. She was at the head of the picnic party and Benjamin, the ant’s uncle, came last of all with his wheelbarrow filled with rope and baskets and sugar and lemons and tubs and glasses and everything which might be used on a picnic. The ants went to Deacon Jones’ woods, and as they got nearer, they heard all kinds of strange noises. All the animals and all the birds came out to see the picnic go by. The ants walked on until they came to a bare spot in the middle of the woods, and there they stopped and put down their bundles and baskets.

 

“This will be a nice place to set the table,” said the ant’s aunt. “Now, Benjamin, while I am doing all the work, suppose you go and put up the swing for the children.”

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