The poem opens by introducing us to a familiar contrast: a young, silly cricket and a hardworking, diligent ant. The cricket embodies carefree, impulsive behaviour. He spends the warm, abundant summer months doing nothing but singing, chirping, and enjoying himself, completely oblivious to the approaching cold of winter. He makes no effort to store food or build shelter, living only for the present moment.

When the harsh winter arrives, the inevitable happens. The cricket's cupboard is bare; there's "not a crumb to be found" on the snow-covered ground. Faced with starvation and a dire lack of shelter, desperation drives him to the ant, seeking help. He humbly begs for a loan of grain and a safe place to stay, promising to repay it tomorrow with interest.

The ant, representing wisdom and foresight, responds with a firm but principled stance. It reminds the cricket of the well-known ant philosophy: "We ants never borrow, we ants never lend." The ant's question, "But tell me, dear Cricket, what did you do when the weather was warm?" highlights the cricket's negligence. When the cricket admits he "sang all day," the ant delivers the poem's stinging yet truthful advice: "Go then, says the ant, and dance the winter away!"

The poem concludes with a powerful, universal moral that transcends time and culture: It is absolutely essential to be prepared for the future and to work diligently when opportunities (like summer) are abundant, rather than wasting time in idleness and pleasure. It strongly advocates the virtues of foresight, diligence, hard work, and responsibility while cautioning against the dangers of procrastination, short-sightedness, and carelessness. This fable teaches us that neglecting our duties today can lead to severe consequences tomorrow.

Poets are like musicians, using various tools to give their poems a beautiful sound, make them memorable, and enhance their emotional impact.

• Rhyme: This is the repetition of similar-sounding words, usually at the end of lines in a poem. Rhyme creates a musical quality, makes the poem more pleasant to read aloud, and helps to organize the poem into distinct sections called stanzas.
• In "The Ant and the Cricket," notice the consistent pattern of rhyming words: 'cold' and 'bold', 'crumb' and 'come', 'borrow' and 'tomorrow', 'true' and 'you', 'said' and 'fed'. This regular rhyme scheme makes the poem feel predictable and familiar, much like a traditional song or nursery rhyme, making its moral message easy to absorb and recall.
• Rhythm: This refers to the natural pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry, which creates a specific 'beat' or flow when the poem is read. A consistent rhythm gives the poem a natural cadence and can even mimic the movement of the story.
• While "The Ant and the Cricket" might not follow a strict, complex metrical pattern, it has a flowing, narrative rhythm. The lines tend to be of similar length, and the simple language creates a steady, engaging pace, much like someone telling a straightforward story. This accessible rhythm aids comprehension and ensures the moral is delivered clearly and effectively.

By appreciating how the poet uses simple rhyme and rhythm, we can better enjoy the poem's craft and the enduring wisdom it shares.

The story immediately hooks the reader by presenting a contradiction. Bepin Babu, a man of precise habits and memory, is confronted by a complete stranger, Parimal Ghose, who insists they met in Ranchi in 1958. Bepin Babu is absolutely certain he has never been to Ranchi and dismisses Ghose. This initial clash of memories sets the stage for the central mystery.

• The Rising Suspense: Ray brilliantly builds suspense through a series of escalating encounters that chip away at Bepin Babu's confidence and sanity:
• Parimal Ghose's Detailed Account: Ghose provides surprisingly accurate details about Bepin Babu's personal life and specific events from the alleged Ranchi trip, even mentioning shared acquaintances. This consistency begins to sow seeds of doubt in Bepin Babu's mind.
• Dinesh Mukerji's Confirmation: In desperation, Bepin Babu calls his friend Dinesh, who confirms having been to Ranchi with Bepin Babu in 1958. This external corroboration from a trusted source deeply unsettles Bepin Babu, making him question his own sanity.
• The Unexpected Injury: Ghose had mentioned Bepin Babu having an injured knee during the Ranchi trip. When Bepin Babu later finds an old cut on his knee that matches Ghose's description, the coincidence is chillingly precise, pushing him further into belief that he must have been to Ranchi.
• Chunilal's Visit: An old school friend, Chunilal, arrives seeking help and further corroborates the Ranchi trip, even adding details about Bepin Babu's injury and his stay at a bungalow. This final piece of 'evidence' makes Bepin Babu almost entirely convinced of his memory loss.
• Climax and Resolution: The suspense reaches its peak as Bepin Babu, now deeply distressed and desperate, undertakes a frantic trip to Ranchi itself. He hopes that revisiting the place will jog his lost memories. The resolution, however, delivers an unexpected and humorous twist: it is revealed that the entire elaborate charade was a carefully orchestrated prank by Chunilal. Feeling hurt and ignored by Bepin Babu in the past, Chunilal decided to 'teach him a lesson' using his vivid imagination and detailed knowledge of Bepin Babu's habits. The 'lapse of memory' was entirely fabricated, making the reader relieved and amused by the clever deception.

Bepin Babu is initially presented as a highly meticulous, disciplined, and rather solitary individual. He enjoys reading, lives a routine life, and seems to value his privacy. He is proud of his sharp memory and orderly existence. However, when his memory is challenged, he quickly descends into anxiety, panic, and self-doubt. He becomes visibly distressed, unable to focus on his work, and begins to question his own sanity. His desperate actions (like calling Dinesh and rushing to Ranchi) show his profound reliance on his memories for his sense of identity and well-being. The story subtly suggests that his past unfeelingness (his dismissal of Chunilal's pleas for help) made him a fitting target for such a mischievous prank, highlighting a consequence of his own character.