The proud emperor loves to parade before his people with beautiful clothes. When a court official suggests paying the soldiers more money so they don’t have to beg for food, the furious emperor is ready to throw him in jail.

While a little fun is essential for a happy life, wise individuals know that prosperity begins with hard work. Gary and the other grasshoppers want to play all day, and they cannot understand why the ants work so hard and miss all the fun. Alex and the ants know they must work during the spring to have food for the winter.

Mama and Papa have always warned their chicks never to have anything to do with strangers. But the sly fox disguises himself as a little lamb, and uses different tactics to try to trick the chicks to go with him.

When three hungry soldiers enter the village, the selfish villagers hide rather than welcome them. To teach the villagers that sharing brings joy, they announce they are making soup from stones. This idea is so surprising that the soldiers convince the self-centered villagers to add something to their soup for additional flavor. Their contributions to the water and stones become a delicious pot of soup.