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Valentine · M
What inspired me to post this Q was a great folk duo in the UK, Leon Rosselson and Roy Bailey, who performed the following song/poem:
The ant and the grasshopper, everyone knows how the story goes
How the ant was diligent, never spent
Anything lightly, he laboured wisely
And gathered his store for tomorrow
As for the grasshopper, clad in 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's the dance that I must follow"
"Why did you waste the summer, summers don't 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 will last forever
Back goes the ant to his nest to work, to feed, to rest
For him there will always be tomorrow
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, clad in 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"
So now you know :)
I met Roy Bailey once at the Flyer folk club in Bristol. A great man, and a great singer too.
The ant and the grasshopper, everyone knows how the story goes
How the ant was diligent, never spent
Anything lightly, he laboured wisely
And gathered his store for tomorrow
As for the grasshopper, clad in 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's the dance that I must follow"
"Why did you waste the summer, summers don't 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 will last forever
Back goes the ant to his nest to work, to feed, to rest
For him there will always be tomorrow
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, clad in 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"
So now you know :)
I met Roy Bailey once at the Flyer folk club in Bristol. A great man, and a great singer too.
