August 13. Story of the Day: The Little Ant

This story is from Folktales of Mexico by Americo Paredes. The story was told by Petra Guzman in Barron, Mexico in 1948. I have provided a paraphrase of the story in my own words below, with an emphasis on the formulaic structure of this cumulative tale.

This is an example of ATU 2031. Stronger and Strongest.

Looking for more stories? Click here for previous Stories-of-the-Day.

THE LITTLE ANT

(retold by Laura Gibbs)

(ant)

One winter, the ant went walking, and she broke her leg in the snow.

She went to the judge and said, "I want to sue the snow for breaking my leg."

The judge summoned the snow. "Snow, you think you are so high and mighty: I charge you with breaking the ant's leg!"

The snow replied, "I am not so high and mighty. The sun is the one who is high and mighty because it melts me."

The judge summoned the sun. "Sun, you think you are so high and mighty: I charge you with melting the snow that broke the ant's leg!"

The sun replied, "I am not so high and mighty. The cloud is the one who is high and mighty because it hides me."

The judge summoned the cloud. "Cloud, you think you are so high and mighty: I charge you with hiding the sun that melted the snow that broke the ant's leg!"

The cloud replied, "I am not so high and mighty. The wind is the one who is high and mighty because it pushes me."

The judge summoned the wind. "Wind, you think you are so high and mighty: I charge you with pushing the cloud that hid the sun that melted the snow that broke the ant's leg!"

The wind replied, "I am not so high and mighty. The wall is the one who is high and mighty because it stops me."

The judge summoned the wall. "Wall, you think you are so high and mighty: I charge you with stopping the wind that pushed the cloud that hid the sun that melted the snow that broke the ant's leg!"

The wall replied, "I am not so high and mighty. The mouse is the one who is high and mighty because he gnaws me."

The judge summoned the mouse. "Mouse, you think you are so high and mighty: I charge you with gnawing the wall that stopped the wind that pushed the cloud that hid the sun that melted the snow that broke the ant's leg!"

The mouse replied, "I am not so high and mighty. The cat is the one who is high and mighty because she eats me."

The judge summoned the cat. "Cat, you think you are so high and mighty: I charge you with eating the mouse who gnawed the wall that stopped the wind that pushed the cloud that hid the sun that melted the snow that broke the ant's leg!"

The cat replied, "I am not so high and mighty. The dog is the one who is high and mighty because he chases me."

The judge summoned the dog. "Dog, you think you are so high and mighty: I charge you with chasing the cat who ate the mouse who gnawed the wall that stopped the wind that pushed the cloud that hid the sun that melted the snow that broke the ant's leg!"

The dog replied, "I am not so high and mighty. The stick is the one who is high and mighty because it beats me."

The judge summoned the stick. "Stick, you think you are so high and mighty: I charge you with beating the dog who chased the cat who ate the mouse who gnawed the wall that stopped the wind that pushed the cloud that hid the sun that melted the snow that broke the ant's leg!"

The stick replied, "I am not so high and mighty. The fire is the one who is high and mighty because it burns me."

The judge summoned the fire. "Fire, you think you are so high and mighty: I charge you with burning the stick that beat the dog who chased the cat who ate the mouse who gnawed the wall that stopped the wind that pushed the cloud that hid the sun that melted the snow that broke the ant's leg!"

The fire replied, "I am not so high and mighty. The water is the one who is high and mighty because it extinguishes me."

The judge summoned the water. "Water, you think you are so high and mighty: I charge you with extinguishes the fire that burnt the stick that beat the dog who chased the cat who ate the mouse who gnawed the wall that stopped the wind that pushed the cloud that hid the sun that melted the snow that broke the ant's leg!"

The water replied, "I am not so high and mighty. The cow is the one who is high and mighty because she drinks me."

The judge summoned the cow. "Cow, you think you are so high and mighty: I charge you with drinking the water that extinguished the fire that burnt the stick that beat the dog who chased the cat who ate the mouse who gnawed the wall that stopped the wind that pushed the cloud that hid the sun that melted the snow that broke the ant's leg!"

The cow replied, "I am not so high and mighty. The knife is the one who is high and mighty because it kills me."

The judge summoned the knife. "Knife, you think you are so high and mighty: I charge you with killing the cow who drank the water that extinguished the fire that burnt the stick that beat the dog who chased the cat who ate the mouse who gnawed the wall that stopped the wind that pushed the cloud that hid the sun that melted the snow that broke the ant's leg!"

The knife replied, "I am not so high and mighty. The blacksmith is the one who is high and mighty because he forged me."

The judge summoned the blacksmith. "Blacksmith, you think you are so high and mighty: I charge you with forging the knife that killed the cow who drank the water that extinguished the fire that burnt the stick that beat the dog who chased the cat who ate the mouse who gnawed the wall that stopped the wind that pushed the cloud that hid the sun that melted the snow that broke the ant's leg!"

The blacksmith replied, "I am not so high and mighty. God is the one who is high and mighty because he made me."

And there the trial ended because the judge could not summon God to his court.