Ants were once men and made their living by tilling the soil. But, not content with the results of their own work, they were always casting longing eyes upon the crops and fruits of their neighbours, which they stole, whenever they got the chance, and added to their own store. At last their covetousness made Jupiter so angry that he changed them into Ants. But, though their forms were changed, their nature remained the same: and so, to this day, they go about among the cornfields and gather the fruits of others' labour, and store them up for their own use.
You may punish a thief, but his bent remains.
从前，蚂蚁也是人，以耕种为生，但是他们不满意自己辛苦劳作换来的成果，便把注意力投注到邻人的粮食和果实之上，只要有机会，他们便会去偷来加入自己的仓库。最后，他们的贪婪引起了朱庇特的愤怒，朱庇特将他们变成了蚂蚁。然而，尽管他们的形态已经改变，但是本性却还是难改，所以直到今天，他们还是去田地中收集其他人劳作的成果，藏入自己的粮仓供自己使用。
训诫：你可以惩罚一个贼，但却无法改变他的习惯。