The original fable of Belling the Cat concerns a group of mice who debate plans to nullify the threat of a marauding cat. one of them proposes placing a bell around it’s neck, so that they are warned of its approach. The plan is applauded by the others, until one mouse asks who will volunteer to place the bell on the cat. All of them make excuses. The story is used to teach the wisdom of evaluating a plan not only on how desirable the outcome would be, but also on how it can be executed. It provides a moral lesson about the fundamental difference between ideas and their feasibility, and how this affects the value of a given plan. Our version takes this fable a positive step further, and we see the mice actually working together, taking action and following through with the plan that they have made. They decide it is no longer acceptable to make excuses and shirk responsibility, and they face the odds despite their fear of the cat. Ultimately, their planning and teamwork pays off, and they are able to bell the cat at last.
In the tale of The Ant & The Grasshopper, a grasshopper spent the warm months lazing and singing while the ant consistently worked hard to store up food for winter. When winter arrives, the grasshopper finds itself starving and begs the ant for food. The story teaches virtues of hard work consistency and proper planning for the future. There are rewards for hard work as well as consequences for putting things off to the last minute.
Also suitable for Total Defence Day/ National Day
