Timour was a famous chief in Asia. His enemies were on his track. If they caught him, they were going to kill him. To save his life, he hid in a lonely building in the wilderness. He was sad and discouraged. It seemed to him that his load was heavier than he could bear. He did not know what to do. He felt like giving up in despair.
As he sat in the rude hut looking at the bare walls, he saw a little ant trying to carry a grain of wheat up the wall. The wheat was larger than the ant. It seemed too heavy for the tiny insect to pull up the steep wall.
Timour watched the little worker. Up the wall it slowly struggled with its heavy load. It had not gone far when the grain of wheat fell to the floor. Quickly the little ant came down the wall. It seized the wheat and started up again. But the load was too heavy, and again it dropped back to the floor.
Was the ant discouraged? Oh, no! Down it came again for its prize. Time after time the load proved too much for the little creature. Sixty-nine times he watched the determined little ant return to its task. But the seventieth time it carried its load successfully!
“I was in despair,” said the chief, “but the plucky little ant gave me new courage, and I have never forgotten the noble lesson it taught me.”
The Bible says, “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; Consider her ways, and be wise.”
True Education Series, Book 3, ©1930, 131, 132.