Hey, Little Ant
Credit: lyrics by Phil and Hannah Hoose, (c) 1992, Precious Pie Music, BMI; music Traditional, Public Domain
Album: Connections
Lyrics: This conversation between a kid and an ant helps us to look at things from another point of view, and to see the "humanity" in another being. Phil and Hannah are a father and daughter. You may be familiar with the wonderful picture book that has been made from this song.
(Kid:) Hey, little ant, down in that crack
Can you see me? Can you talk back?
See my shoe, can you see that?
Well, now it’s gonna squish you flat!
(Ant:) Please, oh, please, do not hurt me
Change your mind and let me be
I’m on my way home with a crumb of pie
Please don’t hurt me, don’t make me die
(Kid:) Anyone knows that ants can’t feel
You’re so tiny, you don’t look real
I’m so big, and you’re so small
I don’t think it will hurt at all
(Ant:) Well, you’re a giant and giants can’t
know how it feel to be an ant
Come down close, I think you’ll see
that you are very much like me
(Kid:) Are you crazy - me, like you?
I’ve got a home and a family too
You’re just a speck that runs around
No-one will care if my foot comes down
(Ant:) Oh, big friend, you are so wrong
My nest-mates need me 'cause I am strong
I dig our nest and feed baby ants, too
I must not die beneath your shoe
(Kids:) But...my mother says that ants are rude
They carry off our picnic food
They steal our chips; our bread crumbs too
It’s good if I squish a crook like you
(Ant:) Hey, I’m no crook, kid - read my lips
Sometimes ants need crumbs and chips
One single chip feeds our whole town
You must not let your foot come down
(Kid:) But...all my friends squish ants each day
Squishing ants is a game we play
They’re looking at me, they’re listening too
They all say I should squish you
(Ant:) I can see you’re big and strong
Decide for yourself what’s right and wrong
If you were me and I were you
What would you want me to do?
Should the ant get squished? Should the ant go free?
It’s up to the kid not up to me
We’ll leave that kid with the raised up shoe
What do you think that kid should do?
(Kid:) Hey, little ant, down in that crack
Can you see me? Can you talk back?
See my shoe, can you see that?
Well, now it’s gonna squish you flat!
(Ant:) Please, oh, please, do not hurt me
Change your mind and let me be
I’m on my way home with a crumb of pie
Please don’t hurt me, don’t make me die
(Kid:) Anyone knows that ants can’t feel
You’re so tiny, you don’t look real
I’m so big, and you’re so small
I don’t think it will hurt at all
(Ant:) Well, you’re a giant and giants can’t
know how it feel to be an ant
Come down close, I think you’ll see
that you are very much like me
(Kid:) Are you crazy - me, like you?
I’ve got a home and a family too
You’re just a speck that runs around
No-one will care if my foot comes down
(Ant:) Oh, big friend, you are so wrong
My nest-mates need me 'cause I am strong
I dig our nest and feed baby ants, too
I must not die beneath your shoe
(Kids:) But...my mother says that ants are rude
They carry off our picnic food
They steal our chips; our bread crumbs too
It’s good if I squish a crook like you
(Ant:) Hey, I’m no crook, kid - read my lips
Sometimes ants need crumbs and chips
One single chip feeds our whole town
You must not let your foot come down
(Kid:) But...all my friends squish ants each day
Squishing ants is a game we play
They’re looking at me, they’re listening too
They all say I should squish you
(Ant:) I can see you’re big and strong
Decide for yourself what’s right and wrong
If you were me and I were you
What would you want me to do?
Should the ant get squished? Should the ant go free?
It’s up to the kid not up to me
We’ll leave that kid with the raised up shoe
What do you think that kid should do?