Cicada Jubilee

Cicada, having sung her song All summer long, Found herself without a crumb When winter winds did come. Not a scrap was there to find Of fly or earthworm, any kind. Hungry, she ran off to cry To neighbor Ant, and specify: Asking for a loan of grist, A seed or two so she’d subsist Just until the coming spring. She said, "I’ll pay you everything Before fall, my word as animal, Interest and principal." Well, no hasty lender is the Ant; It’s her finest virtue by a lot. "And what did you do when it was hot?" She then asked this mendicant. "To all comers, night and day, I sang. I hope you don’t mind." "You sang?" Why, my joy is unconfined. Now dance the winter away."