lunch with an ant – Heaton Flat – chris' walking project

There’s a fable I remember from childhood, “La Cigale et la Fourmi” (The Ant and the Grasshopper), by Jean de la Fontaine, that was, I discovered later, inspired by the Aesop fable “The Ants and the Grasshopper.”

In turn it moved me to write this little ditty:

The Ant and the Hiker

One bright day in late autumn a hiker was joyfully skipping—more like huffing and puffing—up the Heaton Flat trail in the San Gabriel Mountains, with clear views of Mt Baldy to the East and the East fork of the San Gabriel river to the West. A mile and a half and a gallon of sweat into his ramble, the hiker entered the Sheep Mountain Wilderness. An ant was standing by the well-worn wooden sign, looking befuddled.

“Excuse me sir” said the ant, “is this the way to Iron Mountain?”

“Why yes, it certainly is. I am heading that way too.” Replied the hiker between generous gulps of water.

“Thank you. Good day to you.” The ant scurried off at an impressive pace, despite the giant cargo it carried above its head, a bread crumb by the looks of it.

“Good day. See you at the top.”

An hour later, beaten by a low but intense midday sun, the hiker arrived at the Heaton saddle. Once again he stopped for a drink. To his surprise, his canteen was empty. He had half a liter of hot tea left, but that would never be sufficient hydration for the challenging, steep two-mile ascent to the summit, not to mention the return voyage. Being not just thirsty, but stubborn and foolish, he decided to forge ahead anyway. He scrambled up the steep incline, slowly gauging every foothold, ducking prickly yuccas and abundant Manzanita; avoided looking to his right, at the precipice; until finally he could go no further. He sat down precariously.

“We meet again dear sir.” He heard a voice call out.

The hiker turned around and was so happy to see the ant monotonously marching up the hill. In a parched voice he humbly begged for water.

“What? Didn’t you bring enough?” The ant said.

The hiker shrugged in shame. The ant twisted its head sideways, still topped by a breadcrumb at least twice its size and twenty times its weight.

“Don’t you know it’s very dangerous to venture into these mountains without adequate water supply?”

“I was having such a jolly time,” the hiker whispered hoarsely, “I sang the whole way, and I drank too much.”

“Sang the whole way? Drank too much?” The ant said mockingly. “Well you’re out of luck sir. This is my food delivery. Water is tomorrow. If I don’t get lost.” The ant turned its head uphill and trotted off.