UKAuthors - The Lazy Ant

Amy is a worker ant who nevers works. She has been pretending to have a bad back. However, she is about to be found out. What will happen to her?

There was great excitement in the Ant Hill. It was August and it was nearly time for the princes and princesses to fly away. All of the ants were busy making everything ready for this special day. All, except one ant, Amy.

Amy was a lazy ant. She was a worker ant who never did any work. Everyday she visited the Queen and pretended to have a bad back. Today was no different to any other day.

"Oooooh, Your Majesty," groaned Amy to the Queen. "The pain is very bad today. I don't know how much longer I can put up with it."

The Queen looked down at Amy and said, "I do not wish to see you again. For months and months you have called to see me, moaning about your bad back. Everyday I have excused you from work. I have allowed you to look after the young princes and princesses in the nursery, whilst your sisters have had to work hard. Well from today you will no longer be needed, as the princes and princesses will be leaving the nest. Now go."

"B..but, Your Majesty," stammered Amy.

"No buts," replied the Queen angrily. "Go now."

Amy couldn't believe it. What would she do now? She wasn't a princess. She couldn't fly away. She had no wings to take her to faraway places.

Amy hurried back to the nursery to pack her bag. As she was packing she could hear some of the other ants talking about her.

"Knew it would come one day," said one.

"Yes, but not soon enough," said another.

"Serves her right, lazing about. Pretending to have a bad back. Humph, whoever heard of an ant with a bad back. Why, we're made to carry as much as a hundred and fifty times our own weight," said another.

Amy couldn't stand it anymore. She picked up her bag and ran away crying. She didn't stop until she had reached the entrance to the ant hill. Once there, she stopped to wipe her nose and dry her eyes.

Suddenly, there was a loud rumbling noise. It came from somewhere in front of her. Amy stood perfectly still. She turned slowly to where the noise was coming from. Then she saw it. A huge clump of earth was rolling towards her. Amy dived into a nearby hole for cover. The noise grew louder and louder. Then suddenly it was quiet again.

Amy slowly popped her head up out of the hole. She couldn't believe it. The entrance to the ant hill was completely sealed. Without a thought, Amy started digging with all of her energy.

"Oh please, oh please, don't let everyone die," Amy sobbed as she dug at the dirt.

After some time, Amy had made a hole big enough to crawl through. She ran to the Queen's room first. She knocked frantically on the door. No reply. She pushed the door open. The room was empty. Amy ran to the nursery but it was also empty. Amy searched everywhere. It was the same in every room. All of the ants had gone, but where and how?

Eventually Amy crawled back to the entrance. She crawled through the hole that she had made. The sunlight blinded her. Amy rubbed her eyes, and when she opened them, she couldn't believe what she saw. For there, in front of her was the Queen and the whole colony of ants. Amy ran to the Queen.

"Oooooh, Your Majesty," panted Amy. "I thought you were all dead. There was this big clump of earth, and, and I...."

"Hold your tongue, young lady," commanded the Queen. "I know all about the earth blocking the entrance. Had you been a worker ant, who had worked with the other ants, you would have known that there is always more than one entrance to an ant hill. You would also have known there are ants who look for such problems. I was made aware of the problem and I took the necessary action."

Amy looked down at the ground. She felt ashamed. "Yes, Your Majesty. I'm sorry. I've been lazy for so long, it sort of just became a habit. Please forgive me. I promise that if you let me back in, I'll work twice as hard as the other ants, and I promise I shall never complain again. Please," begged Amy.

The Queen paused before answering Amy. "Because of your actions today, and because you put your own life at risk for the good of the colony, I shall forgive you. However, should you ever complain again about a bad back, or indeed any other illness, I shall immediately throw you out. Do you understand me?"

"Oooooh yes, Your Majesty," answered Amy, bowing low. As Amy bowed she got a nasty twinge in her back. "Oooooh," she said as she stood up.

"Now what's the matter?" asked the Queen.

"Nothing, Your Majesty. Nothing at all," replied Amy.

THE END