Grasshopper and Cricket

p. 123

Grasshopper and Cricket

THE CRICKET invited the grasshopper, saying, "Let's go over to that banquet. We will see lots of wine. I'll get you some wine to drink and then we can ride horseback all night long through the monte singing."

"Well, let's go," said the grasshopper, and they went to the banquet.

The cricket said to the grasshopper, "Sit down here on this little stick. I am going to get you some wine." The cricket went over to where they were serving wine and jumped into a cup of it. The Chief saw the cricket in the cup and threw the wine over toward the grasshopper. He bathed the grasshopper in wine.

"Good, isn't it?" asked the cricket.

"Delicious," answered the grasshopper.

Together they went away. They encountered a lion who was lying down. They climbed up on top of him, singing. The lion, who was angry at being disturbed, got up and walked away, trying to get away from the sound of the singing. But the cricket and the grasshopper climbed out on the end of the lion's tail and sang all night long as the lion walked about.

Finally the lion got tired of the singing and switched his tail and threw off the grasshopper and the cricket and he went away into the monte to lie down for a rest.

The old Yaquis say that now the lion keeps his distance from the grasshopper and the cricket. He hides in places where there is no chik chik chik to disturb his sleep.