On gratitude
*We must be grateful to those who helped us.
Once it was raining heavily in a forest. Two days passed and it did not stop raining. A small ant popped its head out of its anthill to see weather the weather had cleared. Disappointed that it had not, the ant turned to go back into the anthill, just then it heard a bugging sound. The ant turned back and saw that it was a cricket, shivering beneath a big leaf, unable to bear the cold.
The ant asked the cricket, `what are you doing here out in this heavy downpour? Why do not you go home? The cricket answered, `Thanks for your concern. But where can I go, I do not have a home.’ The ant felt sorry for the insect, `Oh, I pity you. Did you have your breakfast?’
`No, I am starving for the past two days,’ the cricket replied. `I do not have food stock like you do.’
The ant then invited the cricket to come with him. He took the cricket to the queen and said, `Your Majesty. This creature was starving and shivering to death. It doesn’t have a home. Can he stay with us till rain stops?’
The queen gave the cricket an inspecting glance. She then sensed the earnestness in the ant’s eyes and said, `Okay. He can stay with us till the rain stops.’ The queen then ordered the worker ants to give him food.
A messenger ant led the cricket to the food store. On the way, the cricket saw a busy world of ants. Some workers were shifting the eggs to safer places and other workers were looking after the young ants. Some ants guarded the store. It was a wonderfully knit community.
The cricket was served food.
It continued raining for another week. The cricket had a nice as a refuge, eating and sleeping.
Once the rain stopped, the queen asked the cricket to leave. But the cricket sought permission to stay for another day. The cricket got its stay extended everyday. Because of the comfort of getting to eat without working, it was reluctant to leave. The cricket was determination to stay forever.
One day, when the queen firmly ordered the cricket to leave, the cricket jumped on it and snipped its head. The ants were all shocked to see their queen die. The ants pounced on the cricket but the cricket overpowered them and drove them away.
The ants were kind to the cricket and they had helped him in the hour of need. But instead of being thankful, the ungrateful cricket killed their queen and drove them away from their home.
Just like the cricket, there may be some people who do not believe in gratitude. We must not behave like the cricket. We must not forget the help we get from others when we are in need. We must always be grateful to them and try to do something for them in return.
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