tored for others. But see
how happy they all are. How much may be done by those who work together
cheerfully."

Out of the hive they went, and back toward the Garuly's house. But the
old man turned aside to go to an ant-hill.

"Let's go in here," said the Garuly.

"No, I am too large," said Simon.

"Smaller! smaller! smaller!" cried the Garuly, beating him over the head
again, until Simon was not much larger than the ants, and the ants
appeared to be as large as ponies. Down the well-like hole they climbed,
until they entered the chambers of the ants. Here all were busy, some
carrying out earth, others excavating new chambers, others caring for the
eggs, others bringing in food, while others were clearing out the road.
But no one grumbled, none said that he had the heaviest load.

"See!" cried the Garuly, "the little ants work together. They have all
things in common. There is no selfishness and no quarrelling among them."

Just then a wise old ant came up, and hearing the Garuly's remark, he
said,

"Did you never hear the

_"STORY OF THE SELFISH ANT?_

"There was once a selfish ant who could never be satisfied. He always
thought he had the hardest work in the world. If he carried burdens, he
complained that those who cared for the eggs had the easiest time; and if
he had charge of the eggs, he wished to be changed to some other kind of
work. At last he thought he would set up for himself. It was exceedingly
hard work for him to dig and find his own food with no help, so that half
the summer was gone before he got a place to live in, and a sorry place
it was. Before he got any food laid by, the rain filled up his house, and
he had to spend another month in digging. And so, with one mishap and
another, and no one to help him, the summer was soon almost gone, and he
had no store for winter. When the first frost came, the selfish fellow
came back, heartbroken and crestfallen, and begged to be taken into the
colony again. All winter long he had to eat the bread that others had
gathered, and he never afterward grumbled because his work was a little
harder than that of others."

"You see," said the Garuly, "that the ants work together. What a shame it
is that you should not be able even to play with your brothers and
sister!"

And with that the little old man turned his one eye on Simon, and it
shone like a coal of fire, and Simon thought he could feel it burning
him. Just then an ant came