Prevod
Poletje je bilo na travniku čas veselja. Bilo je tudi čas marljivega dela in od jutra do večera sta se cvrčanje in brenčanje njegovih srečnih prebivalcev mešala s šelestenjem listja in tihim »ššš, ššš« visoke trave, kadar je čeznjo zavel veter.
Resda je bilo tudi nekaj prepirov in neprijetnih dogodkov, a ti drobni prebivalci so bili dovolj modri, da so vse žalostne spomine zavrgli in ohranili le vesele. Zdaj pa je bilo poletja konec. Listje gozdnih dreves se je iz zelenega barvalo v škrlatno, oranžno in rjavo. Žir in oreški hikorije so čakali le še na prijazno slano, ki bi jim razprla zunanje lupine in zrahljala peclje, da bi lahko popadali na tla.
Veter je bil zdaj mrzel in travniški prebivalci so vedeli, da je napočil čas za priprave na zimo. Gosenica, ki jo je zeblo, je rekla drugi: »Brrr! Kako je mrzlo! Najti si moram prostor za svoj zapredek. Kaj, ko bi to zimo spali druga ob drugi in se zibali na istem grmu?«
Prijateljica ji je odgovorila: »Potem pa morava pohiteti, sicer bova prestari in preokorni, da bi si spletli dobra zapredka.« Podvezna kača je bila ves čas zaspana in je naznanila, da bo čez nekaj dni zadremala vse do pomladi.
Drevesna žaba si je že izbrala zimsko domovanje, čebele pa so kar najbolje izkoriščale čas, obiskovale zadnje jesenske cvetlice in nabirale sleherno kapljico medu, ki so jo še našle, da bi si pripravile zalogo za mrzle dni.
Zadnja jajčeca so bila izležena in ob mnogih je bila že pripravljena hrana za mladičke, ki se bodo izvalili spomladi. Preostalo jim je le še, da si rečejo »Zbogom« in zaspijo. Zato je po travniku zaokrožilo vabilo, naj vsi pridejo na poslovilno zabavo pod brestom.
Prišli so prav vsi in kdor je znal peti, je pel, črički in komarji pa so godli, da so drugi lahko plesali. Drevesna žaba je zaplesala prva s črno-rumenim pajkom, za njima se je zavrtela podvezna kača s krompirjevim hroščem, plesu na travi pa so se pridružili še vsi drugi lazilci, medtem ko so jim nad glavami z lahkotno milino poplesavali metulji in druga lahkokrila bitjeca.
Polž in stari, debeli čriček sta nameravala le gledati in nekaj časa sta res opazovala iz toplega kotička ob drevesu, a čriček ni zdržal, da se ne bi pridružil veselju. Najprej so se mu zasvetile oči, tipalke so mu zanihale in z nožicami je začel udarjati v taktu glasbe. Ko pa mu je pomahala živahna mlada mravlja, je visoko poskočil in zaplesal z drugimi; zibal se je, poskakoval in se vrtel tako, da so se mu vsi čudili.
Ko se je stemnilo, so lučke kresnic zažarele kakor drobne zvezde in ples se je nadaljeval, dokler niso bili vsi utrujeni in pripravljeni, da skupaj zapojejo zadnjo poletno pesem, saj bodo naslednji dan legli k počitku. In takole je zvenela njihova pesem:
Jesensko listje, ki na debelo tla prekriva, poletna ptica, ki nad travnikom se skriva, pravita: »Zbogom.« Drobna semena, ki padajo nam izpred oči, kačji pastir, ki sredi leta za hip postoji, pravijo: »Zbogom.«
Rdeče veverice, ki oreške na drevo nosijo, divji zajci, ki za drobne mladičke skrbijo, pravijo: »Zbogom.« Sončni žarki so zdaj medli in bledi, tople sapice so se v vihar spremenile, zato: »Zbogom.«
Čas za delo se počasi poslavlja, danes se končujeta igra in lenarjenje, zato: »Zbogom.« Podvezna kača, ki tiho k počitku se plazi, kosmate gosenice, ki v toplih gnezdecih spijo, pravijo: »Zbogom.«
Medonosne čebele, ki po polnem satju lazijo, drobne mravlje, ki druga drugo domov vabijo, pravijo: »Zbogom.« Končali smo s petjem, s plesom in igro in glas narave nam zdaj doni, da napočil je čas, ko še mi izrečemo: »Zbogom.«
Izvirnik
Summer had been a joyful time in the meadow. It had been a busy time, too, and from morning till night the chirping and humming of the happy people there had mingled with the rustle of the leaves, and the soft "swish, swish," of the tall grass, as the wind passed over it.
True, there had been a few quarrels, and some unpleasant things to remember, but these little people were wise enough to throw away all the sad memories and keep only the glad ones. And now the summer was over. The leaves of the forest trees were turning from green to scarlet, orange, and brown. The beech and hickory nuts were only waiting for a friendly frost to open their outer shells, and loosen their stems, so that they could fall to the earth.
The wind was cold now, and the meadow people knew that the time had come to get ready for winter. One chilly Caterpillar said to another, "Boo-oo! How cold it is! I must find a place for my cocoon. Suppose we sleep side by side this winter, swinging on the same bush?"
And his friend replied: "We must hurry then, or we shall be too old and stiff to spin good ones."
The Garter Snake felt sleepy all the time, and declared that in a few days he would doze off until spring.
The Tree Frog had chosen his winter home already, and the Bees were making the most of their time in visiting the last fall flowers, and gathering every bit of honey they could find for their cold-weather stock.
The last eggs had been laid, and the food had been placed beside many of them for the babies that would hatch out in the spring. Nothing was left but to say "Good-by," and fall asleep. So a message was sent around the meadow for all to come to a farewell party under the elm tree.
Everybody came, and all who could sing did so, and the Crickets and Mosquitoes made music for the rest to dance by.
The Tree Frog led off with a black and yellow Spider, the Garter Snake followed with a Potato Bug, and all the other crawling people joined in the dance on the grass, while over their heads the Butterflies and other light-winged ones fluttered to and fro with airy grace.
The Snail and the fat, old Cricket had meant to look on, and really did so, for a time, from a warm corner by the tree, but the Cricket couldn't stand it to not join in the fun. First, his eyes gleamed, his feelers waved, and his feet kept time to the music, and, when a frisky young Ant beckoned to him, he gave a great leap and danced with the rest, balancing, jumping, and circling around in a most surprising way.
When it grew dark, the Fireflies' lights shone like tiny stars, and the dancing went on until all were tired and ready to sing together the last song of the summer, for on the morrow they would go to rest. And this was their song:
The autumn leaves lying So thick on the ground, The summer Birds flying The meadow around, Say, "Good-by."
The Seed Babies dropping Down out of our sight, The Dragon-flies stopping A moment in flight, Say, "Good-by."
The red Squirrels bearing Their nuts to the tree, The wild Rabbits caring For babies so wee, Say, "Good-by."
The sunbeams now showing Are hazy and pale, The warm breezes blowing Have changed to a gale, So, "Good-by."
The season for working Is passing away. Both playing and shirking Are ended to day, So, "Good-by."
The Garter Snake creeping So softly to rest, The fuzzy Worms sleeping Within their warm nest, Say, "Good-by."
The Honey Bees crawling Around the full comb, The tiny Ants calling Each one to the home, Say, "Good-by."
We've ended our singing, Our dancing, and play, And Nature's voice ringing Now tells us to say Our "Good-by."
