653. Formicae et Sus. Formicae per totam aestatem et autumnum sollicite laborant et colligunt in acervum suum grana et alia, unde vivere possint in hieme. Et, cum totum compleverint, venit sus cum porcellis suis et, acervum aperiens, quidquid congregatum est dissipat et consumit. Sic est de avaris quod, cum omnia congregaverint, supervenit hiems, id est mors, et omnia dissipat et consumit.
M0653 (not in Perry). Source: Sheppey 29. This fable is not in Perry’s catalog; Perry was not systematic in his coverage of medieval sources. Of course, this was not at all what the ants expected would happen when winter came; see the famous fable of the ants and the cricket for the ants’ confident plans, #652.
