**Introduction**

In the poem "The Ant and the Cricket," the cricket did not collect its own food because it was busy singing and enjoying the summer months without thinking ahead. This poem by Leigh Hunt highlights the importance of hard work, responsibility, and planning for the future.

**Explanation**

1. **The cricket's careless attitude:** The cricket in the poem represents a carefree and lazy individual who spends its time singing and enjoying the warmth of summer. It did not bother to collect food for the winter months, displaying a lack of foresight and responsibility.

2. **The ant's diligent nature:** In contrast to the cricket, the ant is portrayed as a hardworking and responsible creature. It spends the summer months collecting and storing food, preparing for the harsh winter ahead. The ant symbolizes the importance of planning and working diligently to secure one's future.

3. **The consequences of the cricket's behavior:** As winter arrives, the cricket finds itself without any food and starts to starve. It realizes its mistake and begs the ant for food. However, the ant reminds the cricket of its laziness and refusal to work during the summer.

4. **The moral lesson:** The poem teaches us the moral lesson that hard work, responsibility, and planning are essential for a secure future. It emphasizes the importance of being proactive and diligent in our pursuits, rather than relying on others or taking things for granted.

5. **Relevance to real life:** The story of the ant and the cricket has parallels in real life. It reminds us of the need to be responsible and work hard to achieve our goals. Just like the ant, we must plan ahead and make provisions for the future, rather than relying on others or expecting things to be handed to us.

**Conclusion**

In the poem "The Ant and the Cricket," the cricket's failure to collect its own food serves as a reminder of the importance of hard work, responsibility, and planning. It teaches us that laziness and carelessness can have serious consequences and that we must be proactive in securing our future.

Because he was last