THE LITTLE ANT THAT WAS GOING TO JERUSALEM, AND THE SNOW

THERE was once a little ant that was going to Jerusalem.

She met the snow and the snow cracked the paw of the little ant that was going to Jerusalem.

“Oh! snow, how strong you are, to crack the paw of the little ant that is going to Jerusalem!”

And the snow replied, “The sun that melts me is a great deal stronger.”

“Oh! sun, how strong you are, to melt the snow, that cracks the paw of the little ant that is going to Jerusalem!”

And the sun replied, “The cloud that hides me is a great deal stronger.”

“Oh! cloud, how strong you are, to hide the sun, that melts the snow, that cracks the paw of the little ant that is going to Jerusalem!”

And the cloud replied, “The wind that drives me away is a great deal stronger.”

“Oh! wind, how strong you are, to drive away the cloud, that hides the sun, that melts the snow, that cracks the paw of the little ant that is going to Jerusalem!”

And the wind replied, “The mountain that stops me is a great deal stronger.”

“Oh! mountain, how strong you are, to stop the wind, that drives away the cloud, that hides the sun, that melts the snow, that cracks the paw of the little ant that is going to Jerusalem!”

And the mountain replied, “The mouse that bores through me is a great deal stronger.”

“Oh! mouse, how strong you are, to bore through the mountain, that stops the wind, that drives away the cloud, that hides the sun, that melts the snow, that cracks the paw of the little ant that is going to Jerusalem!”

And the mouse replied, “The cat that eats me is a great deal stronger.”

“Oh! cat, how strong you are, to eat the mouse, that bores through the mountain, that stops the wind, that drives away the cloud, that hides the sun, that melts the snow, that cracks the paw of the little ant that is going to Jerusalem!”

And the cat replied, “The dog that chases me is a great deal stronger.”

“Oh! dog, how strong you are, to chase the cat, that eats the mouse, that bores through the mountain, that stops the wind, that drives away the cloud, that hides the sun, that melts the snow, that cracks the paw of the little ant that is going to Jerusalem!”

And the dog replied, “The stick that beats me is a great deal stronger.”

“Oh! stick, how strong you are, to beat the dog, that chases the cat, that eats the mouse, that bores through the mountain, that stops the wind, that drives away the cloud, that hides the sun, that melts the snow, that cracks the paw of the little ant that is going to Jerusalem!”

And the stick replied, “The fire that burns me is a great deal stronger.”

“Oh! fire, how strong you are, to burn the stick, that beats the dog, that chases the cat, that eats the mouse, that bores through the mountain, that stops the wind, that drives away the cloud, that hides the sun, that melts the snow, that cracks the paw of the little ant that is going to Jerusalem!”

And the fire replied, “The water that puts me out is a great deal stronger.”

“Oh! water, how strong you are, to put out the fire, that burns the stick, that beats the dog, that chases the cat, that eats the mouse, that bores through the mountain, that stops the wind, that drives away the cloud, that hides the sun that melts the snow, that cracks the paw of the little ant that is going to Jerusalem!”

And the water replied, “The cow that drinks me is a great deal stronger.”

“Oh! cow, how strong you are, to drink the water, that puts out the fire, that burns the stick, that beats the dog, that chases the cat, that eats the mouse, that bores through the mountain, that stops the wind, that drives away the cloud, that hides the sun, that melts the snow, that cracks the paw of the little ant that is going to Jerusalem!”

And the cow replied, “The man who kills me is a great deal stronger.”

“Oh! man, how strong you are, to kill the cow, that drinks the water, that puts out the fire, that burns the stick, that beats the dog, that chases the cat, that eats the mouse, that bores through the mountain, that stops the wind, that drives away the cloud, that hides the sun, that melts the snow, that cracks the paw of the little ant that is going to Jerusalem!”

And the man replied, “God is much stronger, who can kill the man, that killed the cow, that drinks the water, that puts out the fire, that burns the stick, that beats the dog, that chases the cat, that eats the mouse, that bores through the mountain, that stops the wind, that drives away the cloud, that hides the sun, that melts the snow, that cracks the paw of the little ant that is going to Jerusalem!”

Told in 1876, by M. G. de la Landelle, the maritime novelist, who had learned it in his childhood, at Montpellier.

F. M. Luzel.