The Black Cicada and the Red Ant

A little ant was wandering through the field, very focused on finding food for her colony, when suddenly she collided with a cicada who was having lunch.

• Horror! Danger! I must quickly alert the soldiers. – the ant exclaimed as she couldn’t move, petrified with fear.

• Calm down, Mrs. Ant, I think you’re having a small panic attack. Focus on your breathing: inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale… Very good, do you see how the fright is passing? Would you like to have lunch with me? The sap from this plant is very sweet.

• Lun… lunch? I can’t have lunch; I have to work for the colony. We are not allowed to eat until the queen and her princesses and princes are well-fed.

• Well, look at it this way. With the scare you just had, most of the carmine has disappeared from your exoskeleton. To continue your work, you need to recover first, and a bit of sweetness would do you a lot of good.

• When you put it that way… Maybe I should have a little lunch.

• Of course! Here you go, take advantage of the hole I’ve already made. This sap is delicious, isn’t it?

• Mmm, mmm – the ant replied, nodding while still feeding on the plant.

• I’m sure you’ll be back in perfect condition to continue your task for the colony in no time… Speaking of the colony, what was that about the soldiers?

The ant, who seemed satiated by now, moved away from the plant and answered.

• We have orders that if we see any intruders in the colony’s territory, we should alert the soldiers to take care of it.

• That doesn’t sound good at all, having military personnel deal with a harmless cicada who hasn’t bothered anyone! Besides, who says this is your colony’s territory? I thought the land belonged to everyone, and we should all take care of it and enjoy it. Why should it be yours?

• Well, I don’t know, it’s what the Queen told us.

• And do you always obey this queen in everything?

• Of course, it’s our duty. As members of the colony, following orders helps ensure that we are all safe and happy.

• I see, happy, but first she and her children have to eat… Do you have children?

• Nooo, we’re not allowed to.

• Of course not! So, the whole colony works tirelessly for this so-called queen and her offspring! Did you at least choose her because she’s the wisest or something like that?

• Honestly, I couldn’t say, she was already there when I was born.

• And judging by what I’ve seen, she’ll still be there when you die.

• Well, some of the workers do die from time to time, if there’s a shortage of food or an attack on the colony, or if a leg is broken… But we usually live for several months, I still have some time left.

• And the queen? How long does the queen live? Does she also put herself at risk during attacks or go hungry when there’s a shortage?

• Well…

• Well, nothing! They’ve sold you the story that it’s all for the greater good, but in the end, it’s all for the lady in charge.

• But by living in a colony, we gather all the food from our territory, so we have reserves for everyone to eat.

• Once her majesty has eaten, right?

• Yes, well…

• And this talk of your territory is getting on my nerves! When I was born from the earth, I had to fight for my own life to emerge and do everything I could to find sustenance. Since then, I’ve done what I pleased without bothering anyone, and now it turns out that if I take some of this sap, you and I become enemies because in your queen’s imagination, this land is hers, and her soldiers will attack and kill me if they can. They might even take me as lunch for the lady on the throne and her offspring! But you, little ant, born as a worker, have to think first about satisfying and caring for your queen, and maybe, if you have some spare time, you can think about yourself… That’s not a colony; it’s a tyranny. From birth, they instill in you that you are not equal and do not have the same rights. If there’s no equality among you, how can a poor cicada wandering around looking for sustenance expect fair and equal treatment? It seems you’ve recovered; you have a better color at least. I’m leaving before your soldiers find me.

And she flew away without looking back, leaving the pensive ant behind. Perhaps if she had turned her head, she would have noticed that the red ant had developed some black spots.