Belgium story in English language

Ant has a problem

Ant has a problem. ‘Kgg! Arr! Nnh! Pft!’ The ant sweat drips from Ant. Exhausted, he leans against his snack. ‘This is no use. This delicious cherry won’t move an ant’s foot.’ Yet Ant is strong, very strong. He doesn’t bother for a breadcrumb or a tasty leaf. But this cherry is too much to handle, even for him.

Snail crawls by. ‘Hallo Ant. What a delicious snack do you have there?’ ‘A delicious, sweet cherry’, Ant answers. ‘The problem is that it’s too heavy to drag to my little house’. ‘I’d like to help’, Snail says, ‘but then I’d want a piece of it.’ ‘Don’t even think about it’, Ant says, ‘I’ve found this cherry, and she’s mine!’ ‘Suit yourself’, Snail answers disappointedly, and she moves along slowly.

Ant goes back to work. ‘Mmm, let me think. If I dig a gutter underneath my snack, it might roll to my little house on its own.’ Zealously, Ant starts digging. But the deeper he digs, the harder does the cherry weigh on his ant body. ‘Mmph! I almost got crushed. This is not working.’ With some effort, Ant crawls away from under the cherry.

Cricket chirps by. ‘Hallo Ant. What are you doing?’ ‘Hi Cricket. I’ve found this delicious snack and I try to get it home’, Ant sighs. ‘It seems like it’s not going so well’, Cricket says. ‘It looks very heavy. In exchange for a piece I will help you.’ ‘Never!’ Ant shouts. ‘This snack is mine, and mine alone!’ ‘As you wish’, chirps Cricket, and he goes on his way.

‘What if I put a long twig under the cherry?’ Ant thinks. ‘Who knows, perhaps I can lift my cherry so it will start rolling.’ Ant starts looking for a long twig. With a lot of effort he puts the twig under the cherry. ‘Krrr! Arrgh! Nnnh!’ Ant dangles at the end of the twig. The pulls and pulls, but his snack won’t move an inch. Either I’m too flimsy, or the cherry is too heavy. This way I’ll never get my catch to my little house.’

‘Zzzzzoemmmm.’ Curiously, Bee flies to Ant and his giant snack. ‘Hallo Ant. You are working so hard.’ ‘Hi Bee’, Ant says, ‘I’m trying to get this delicious snack home, but no matter what I try, I won’t succeed.’ ‘I’ll help you’, Bee says, ‘in exchange of a piece of that sweet cherry.’ ‘You’re not the first to offer your help’, Ant answers, ‘but I’ve found this cherry and I want her only for me.’ ‘Okay, okay’, Bee says, ‘you go ahead. But what’s the use to have the cherry if you can’t get her to your home. Besides, that chunk is way too big for just you.’

Ant has to think about that for a while. ‘On some level, Bee is right. That cherry really is huge. I could never eat it by myself. And I can’t bring her to my house on my own. I need to solve this another way.’ A light goes on in Ant’s head. ‘I’ve got an idea!’

He calls Snail, Cricket and Bee. ‘I’ve got an idea’, Ant says. ‘If you’ll help me, we will have a party at home and everyone can eat the tasty cherry.’ ‘Yippee!’ Snail, Cricket and Bee are cheering. The four friends combine their strengths. Snail pushes her house against the cherry, Cricket pushes with his strong shield, while Ant and Bee stand on top of the cherry and push with their strong legs. It’s hard work. Eventually they succeed in bringing the cherry to Ant’s home.

Ant is so happy and relieved that he invites the whole ant family to the diner party. Together they have a great time!