Little Tom

by Václav Tille

The procession went on through the silent wood and the morning mists. Thousands of dew drops sparkled like diamonds in the moss. Overhead hung branches of billberry heavily laden with dark fruit, while, on either side, bright red berries peered from the leaves. After they had passed the moss plain, they came upon gigantic rocks strewn along the pathway of the ants in the dry spines. They crossed by these stones over little valleys and passing across tree roots, came to a clearing on the border of the Ants kingdom.

There was a great crowd of ants waiting to welcome them. An old ant greeted Tom in the name of the whole community and, thanking him for the honor of his visit, placed himself in front of the procession, which at once began to move along the broad path.

Tom noticed how the surroundings immediately changed. On all sides, were gangs of diligent workers, crossing or walking along the path, pulling beams, stones and dead flies, hurrying in their work and paying no heed to the procession. The nearer they came to the town, the greater became the crowds, while the path broadened and was hard, level and free from all obstructions. Presently, it opened into a broader clearing, from which moss, grass and sticks had been cleared away. In the background, appeared a great mound known as Black Town.

On the way, Mirmex sat with Little Tom on the rose-bug and explained to him how the town was founded. First, a sheltered location was chosen under a tall pine tree, in the clear sun, but with the branches serving as a protection in case of rain. Then, paths were laid out in various directions where there was plenty of building materials, while messengers were sent out to explore the broader country beyond where one could find precious grains of grass or hunt green bugs. To such places they at once laid out the shortest paths, stamped hard and made perfectly smooth, tore out all the roots and built bridges over the marsh and other inaccessible places.

While Mirmex talked, he became very affable. Tom listened to him most attentively and while he did not understand everything that was told him, nevertheless, he recognized that there was a great difference between the realm of the ants and that of the ladybirds. The latter were living a carefree life, dancing and making merry the whole day long, while the ants had a very strict discipline, divided their work carefully among themselves and made provision for the welfare of their descendants and for the protection of the town.

Tom decided that, on this visit, he would merely look over their arrangements, and, later, would return to them with Chrysomela, in order to study their methods of administration, so that he could apply them in his ladybird kingdom.

Finally, they arrived at the level plain before the town, where the noise of the working ants did not cease. The entire surface of the town was covered by workers, running and building, while there was a constant crowd carrying burdens through the gates of the town. Tom noticed a strong perfume that seemed to come from the town itself. After he had dismounted from the rose-bug, he was led through a broad corridor within the ants mound, where in a low, but solidly constructed hall, refreshments had been prepared, consisting of grass grains, delicious, palatable bulbs that seemed to melt on the tongue, and sweet juices of which Tom had never seen the like, but which tasted very good to him.

According to their habit the ants ate so rapidly, that Little Tom could hardly keep up with them. After they had finished, Mirmex asked what he would like to see first: The building, the division and character of the daily work, or the storehouses. Tom replied politely that everything was of interest to him and that he would leave the selection to Mirmex's judgment.

They took leave of the others, who were becoming anxious to return to their work and then Mirmex said, »First, I will show you what is most precious and dear to us and our future generation«.