The dragonfly and the ant 1961 strekoza i muravej English subtitles Russ...

In Russia, Cheesefare Week was a time of merrymaking (sometimes to excess) before Great Lent. Even in pre-Christian times, special festivities had been held at this time of year in honor of the spring equinox. St. Anatoly of Optina (Letters to nuns) suggested a nun look into Krylov's fable "The Dragonfly and the Ant" then the dragonfly, too, loved Cheesefare Week and did not like the Fast, and she kept dancing away. He said this so that she would remember that debilitation follows upon sweetness, depression follows upon worldly gaiety, heaviness and even illness upon satiety - as a shadow follows a body.

In the summer’s gaily singing,
Of the future isn’t thinking,
But the winter’s nearby.
Field was green, it’s now reddish,
Happy days already vanished,
And it happens no more,
That a leaf gives roof and store.
All has gone. In cold winters
Want and hunger wait afore.
Dragon-fly sings no more:
Who would like to sing yet more,
If the hungry belly hinders.
She is crawling in dismay
To the ant’s not far away:
“Dear crony, don’t leave me,
I’ll be strong, you may believe me!
But to manage winter storms
Give me food, a bit of warmth.”
“Oh, my dear, it’s very queer!
Did you work in summer here?” –
So Ant his answer forms.
“But in summer I was busy:
In the pleasant grass we’d had
Many plays and songs ahead;
Very often I was dizzy.”
“Ah, you mean:” – “I made a hit:
All the summer I was singing:”
“You were singing. Well done dealing!
Now dance a little bit!”

Translated by Sergey Kozlov.