little bee sunbeam
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by Jakob Streit
Little B
ee Sunbeam
b
y Ja
kob
Streit
Waldorf
Publica
tions
38 Main StreetChatham, NY 12037
Little BeeSunbeam
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LITTLE BEE SUNBEAM
by
JAKOB STREIT
With Illustrations by Verena KnobelTranslated from German by Nina Kuettel
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Printed with support from the Waldorf Curriculum Fund
Published by:Waldorf Publications at the
Research Institute for Waldorf Education38 Main Street
Chatham, NY 12037
Title: Little Bee SunbeamAuthor: Jakob StreitTranslator: Nine KuettelIllustrator: Verena KnobelEditor: David MitchellProofreader: Ann Erwin 2010 by AWSNAReprinted 2014ISBN # 978-1-888365-98-6German Title: Kleine Biene Sonnen strahlISBN: 978-3-7725-0688-8
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Table of Contents
The Awakening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
The Gate Opens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
The Beehive Is Prepared for Spring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Adventure at the Hazel Bush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
A Happy Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
The Death of Bee Alta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
With the Bee Cradles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
A Glimpse into the World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Peculiar Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
The House of the Princess . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Many Dangers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Discovering the World! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Encounter with People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
The Night in the Forest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Daytime Comes Early over the Pines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
An Important Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
The Queen Flies Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Who Will Find a House? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Adventure at the Linden Tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
A Fine Homecoming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
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7The Awakening
It is Winter . The bee colony rests quietly in its little house,
in deep slumber . In the middle of the colony, the Queen is
sleeping . The loyal servants sleep very close to her . The
guards, who chase the wasps away from the hive entrance
in the Summer, are sleeping . The honeybees and the master
builder bees, who have built from wax the beehive, with its
many thousands of chambers, are sleeping . It is as still inside
as outside, where snowflakes are gently falling .
One day something stirs very close to the Queen . One bee
is awake . Slowly she turns her head and tries to move her
legs . She has little success . She is no doubt still too numbed
from Winters cold . She is Bee Abelia, a faithful servant of the
Queen, who has stirred in the middle of the colony . After a few
attempts, she is successful in stretching out her feelers . Slowly
she feels for the sleeping Queen . Softly she taps the delicate
body with her feelers and mutters to herself, The Queen must
have honey food . Her body is cool .
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8Abelia tries to make her way to the path to the honey
chambers, but it is blocked everywhere by sleeping bees who
surround the Queen in order to protect her from the Winter
cold . Each one is stuck to the next . They hold themselves
clustered tightly with the other bees . Abelia presses and pushes
a path through the sleepers . It requires much strength to make
her way through . It has to be, muttered Abelia . Otherwise,
the Queen could die of hunger .
Abelia is a clever, experienced bee . She knows that the
honey chambers are a fair distance away since, all through
the Winter, honey is taken first from nearby chambers and
later from those further out toward the edges of the hive . But
honey she must have . She crawls on shaky legs . Exhausted,
she pauses . I can no more, I can no more . I am too old and
weak . If only all my sisters were not sleeping so soundly! I will
awaken one .
She crawls over the wings of the next sister bee . But no
amount of buffeting or jiggling is any use . They all cling stiffly
to one another .
She goes to a large, strong bee, a sentinel . Once more, she
tries with shaking . The sentinel turns her head back and forth
and asks, half asleep, What is it? Who is disturbing me? Is it
Spring?
Abelia answers, Hey, Guard, wake up! Lead the way for
me to the honey chambers! Make a passageway for me! The
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9Queen needs food, and I cannot get there . When the sentinel
realizes that the Queen needs honey, she is wide awake!
Lead the way, Abelia again calls to her . Head forward,
the guard forcefully thrusts and squeezes herself through the
sleeping bees . She blazes a trail for both of them . Abelia presses
through behind her . Now they come to the honey chambers .
Abelia smells linden flower honey and sucks it in until she is
full up . The guard also gets a few drops for herself .
Whew! How cold it is here at the honey chambers . Quickly,
back again to the sleeping folk, otherwise our legs will become
paralyzed! They turn around, the guard out in front . Have
a care, Abelia says . Soon we will be at the center with the
Queen . Be careful not to bash into her side!
The sentinel stops, and asks, Abelia, you are old and wise .
Tell me, how is the honey able to warm us? When we take it in,
it is still quite cold .
Abelia smiles and explains, You see, in Summer the flower
cups drink in the warm sunbeams . That is what is in our honey .
It is melted sunshine . That is why it is warming .
When they arrive at the Queen, Abelia gently climbs over
her wings . She presses out a drop of honey from her proboscis
tongue and passes it to the Queen . Half asleep, the Queen
sucks in a drop of the linden flower honey, then a second, then
a third drop . She lifts her wings a tiny bit, as if in thanks . Like
sunshine, the honey thoroughly warms her royal body .
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Just as Abelia wishes to go back to sleep, something
sweeps over her head . It is her young bee sister, Sonia . She
gropes with her feelers to see if Abelia is awake and speaks to
her, Dear sister, dont be upset with me that I wont let you
sleep . Before, when you grazed past me, I was awakened . Tell
me, is it Spring? May we fly out soon? I would love to go to the
landing board and see if it is turning green outside .
Abelia replies, I believe the Winter is not yet over . Back
by the honey chambers I was nearly frozen from the cold . Be
careful if you want to look out the entrance . The cold Winter
Dragon is certainly still lying over the Earth and blowing
everything to death .
I will be right back, Sonia says, and report to you how
it is . So, Sonia scurries to the front toward the hive gate, also
known as the flight entrance, which is always slightly open
in the Winter so that fresh air can get in . A cold breeze blows
toward Sonia from the entrance, but she goes straight to it
and steps out . The world is white and asleep . The trees extend
their bare branches toward the sky . Two black ravens fly
without a sound over the field .
All at once, Sonia feels very odd . She wants to raise her leg
but cannot . She wants to move her wings . They are paralyzed .
She can move her feelers only a little bit . Has the Winter
Dragon bewitched her? She makes an effort to call to Abelia,
but she cannot bring one tone out of herself . After a while she
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also can no longer move her feelers, and her body becomes
glass-hard, around and around .
Inside the hive, Abelia is falling asleep . Suddenly, she is
startled awake . Where is Sonia? Is she not back yet? She
rushes to the entrance and outside to the landing board . There
lies her frozen-stiff sister . Already the cold wind is affecting
Abelias limbs . In a hurry, she grabs the lame Sonia and drags
her inside, always further, to the middle of the colony close to
the Queen, where it is warmest . Now she brushes and rubs the
paralyzed body . Look! Sonia begins to move her feelers and,
bit by bit, her front legs too .
You have my gratitude, dear Abelia, Sonia whispers . You
have freed me from the enchantment of the Winter Dragon .
Abelia gives her a small drop of the sun-honey and says, It
is still too early! Go to sleep, Sonia! When the little snowbell
rings and the crocus blooms, the gate of Spring will open and
then you may fly out into the world!
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The Gate Opens
Now it is the beginning of March . Sonia is awake . She
rubs her little head with her front legs and stretches this way
and that . In the process, she bumps her neighbor, Abelia,
who vibrates her wings and asks, Hey, Sonia, what are you
throwing yourself around for? Dont you have enough room?
Im sorry, Abelia! I am just waking up . Do you not feel the
low buzz going through our hive? Spring is surely at the door!
Abelia listens, Yes, a soft noise can be felt, and somewhere
a sentinel is walking around .
Next to Abelia, the eldest member of the colony is sleeping,
the wise, old bee, Alta . Abelia pats Altas forehead with her
feelers to awaken her and says, Alta, a soft, steady humming
is going through the hive . Do you feel it? Spring is astir in the
colony . Would you like to waken the Queen?
Alta lifts her head slowly and sees Sonia and Abelia in front
of her . In a weak voice she whispers, Sonia, go look out the
gate into the world . See if the white winter grass is gone .
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Sonia crawls to the exit, but already, a strong guard stands
there, blocking the way . Halt! Nobody goes outside! The
Queen has not yet given permission to fly out .
Let me only look outside! Alta sent me . She wants to know
if it is getting green outside .
The guard replies, I wont let you! Go and tell Alta that the
ground is still covered in patches of white . No sign of green
grass yet .
Sonia returns to Alta right away with the message . Wise
old Alta says to Abelia, Let us awaken the Queen! She shall
decide if the gate may be opened .
Alta and Abelia begin gently stroking the Queens wings
to sweep away the winter dust . She sleeps in a light dream,
so she can awaken immediately . Oh, who is caressing my
wings? she asks quietly .
It is Alta and Abelia, your faithful attendants . Your
Highness, there is buzzing throughout the hive . The sentinel
says the last white winter spots are yielding . It appears that
Spring will be here soon . Your Highness, have you a command
for us?
The Queen inquires, Has Snowbell rung?
We cannot say, for no one has flown out yet, and as you
know, Your Highness, the first flights into the cold world are
dangerous . Your Highness should say whom you wish to send
out .
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With these words, Sonia bravely approaches the Queen
and beseeches, Your Highness, I am willing to look for Little
Snowbell . I am not afraid . I am young and strong, already long
awake . I have made it through the Winter in good shape . The
Queen peers at Alta, who quietly nods .
Very well, says the Queen . Bee Sonia may go . If Little
Snowbell is open, bring some nectar back with you as a sign .
Sonia is so happy she can hardly believe it . She is to be the
first one to go out into the world as an envoy of the Queen!
The year is starting out very well! Abelia gives her a few more
warnings: Fly only in the sunshine and avoid all shady places,
because in every shady place lies a cold, leftover wheeze of the
Winter Dragon, and it could kill you .
When Sonia comes to the hive gate to hurry outside, the
sentinel stands before her and demands she stop . She buzz-
growls, Now, here you are again, you cheeky little monster,
and without as much as a by-your-leave, you want to go out
into the world . Get back, back! Or Ill bite you in the leg!
But, Guard, the Queen has charged me to go out in search
of the first snowbell .
Astonished, the guard stands there and snarls, Muru,
muru, muru , I didnt know . So go out! And she mutters to
herself, It is still too early!
Sonia steps to the gate . She stands still in the light, as if
blinded, and stretches longingly in the sunshine . The wind is a
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little cool . Will my wings still carry me? she wonders to herself
as she begins to vibrate them . Whir! There! She is in the air,
and below white patches flash by . That is snow! The Winter
Dragon spit it out . I will not land on it!
But, what is this? Over by the bush she feels: bim, bim,
bim . . . Sonia follows the vibration, looks here and there .
Sometimes it is still, then bim, bim, bim . . . under a tree, by the
white patches of snow, a little bell sways in the wind . It stands
in the shade of the tree . Sonia is happy and does not think
about any danger . Now she is hanging on the green bell stem,
but there is no nectar to be found . She slips up to the little bell
and tickles its insides . She searches and searches with her little
tongue until a teeny-tiny drop of nectar is found . Oh, it tastes
good! But the breeze is cold . Already her legs do not want to
carry her . Sonia whispers, Many thanks, dear little bell!
She falls toward the ground . With their last strength, her
wings quiver in quick vibrations . Just in time! They catch the
air and carry the little bee back to the colony .
The guard at the gate steps up to Sonia and sniffs her frock .
Muru, muru that is Little Snowbell perfume! Snowbell is
ringing! Spring comes! I must go quickly to the guards hut
and wake the others! Overjoyed, she hastens to her sleeping
comrades . She gives them a hefty jouncing and cries, Up!
Get up! Little Snowbell is blooming! Come quickly to help me
guard the gate against flies, wasps and hornets!
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The youngest ones rush to the hive gate . The Chief Guard
yawns and chuckles, There is plenty of time! Those vermin
will not venture forth so soon . No wasp has ever yet seen a
snowbell . You can wake me when the hazel bushes release
their pollen . And the Chief Guard rests her head on her legs
and goes back to sleep .
In the meantime, Sonia has come to the Queen . Your
Highness, Little Snowbell is ringing! Here, I bring you nectar .
Sonia stretches out her proboscis with the tiny drop .
The Queen tastes it and says, I thank you, brave Sonia! You
are our messenger of Spring . I will give the sign immediately
so that the whole colony wakes . The hive shall be improved for
the new year!
So the Queen hums a soft Tu-tu-tu, as if blowing on a
delicate, little silver trumpet . She is answered by a thousand
buzzing voices . The hum travels from house to house
throughout the entire beehive: Spring is coming! Little
Snowbell is ringing! The white winter grass is gone! The Sun
has defeated the Winter Dragon! The cries whir and buzz
around wildly a loud buzzing full of happiness and merry
anticipation .
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The Beehive Is Prepared for Spring
During the long Winter, some bees in the colony breathed
their last breath, and their lives came to an end . Now it is time
to thoroughly clean the hive . Some of the worker bees scrub
the chambers and the passageways . The dead are carried out .
Day after day goes by . The first pollen and nectar from the
crocuses are brought in .
The worker bees have also prepared many small chambers
where the Queen can lay her eggs . She requires many hundreds
of empty cradles . Abelia and Alta attend their Queen . With
half a dozen or so other handmaidens, they form a star of
caring, always moving with their Queen as she goes about her
work .
The Queen now lays the first eggs, just one egg to a chamber .
When she is hungry, her handmaidens bring her honey and
pollen cakes . And then one of the handmaids makes a terrible
mistake . When the Queen asks for honey, the attendant rushes
to a little pot already open . Without checking, she brings it to
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the Queen . But alas! It is forest honey that has gone sour . The
Queen has barely finished taking some when she feels ill . She
doubles over . She is sick and unable to lay any more eggs .
Abelia scolds the careless servant . But what does that help?
It will not make the Queen healthy again . The wise bee Alta
sadly shakes her head .
Sonia also comes up to them and inquires, Can I do
anything?
Alta says to her, Go to the honey chambers and look for
the linden flower honey . It might help the Queen .
Sonia looks and looks . There is the forest honey, there the
dandelion, forget-me-not, sweet woodruff and here, linden
flower! She quickly sucks in a few drops and takes them to
the Queen . Alta advises her, Your Highness, take some of the
linden flower honey . Sonia went to get it .
The Queen cautiously takes some, but her suffering does
not lessen . She softly whispers, There is only one thing that
can help me thyme honey!
Oh, dear! exclaims Abelia . I believe we fed the last of it
to the young bees last autumn . We will go see . Perhaps there
is still some left .
At the honey chambers, a big search is underway . But
not even one little drop of the thyme honey is to be found
anywhere . Meanwhile, Alta has brought in a large group of
young bees to surround the Queen on all sides to give her
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warmth . The sorrowful Abelia returns from the search, and
says, There is not one drop of thyme honey in our hive . Alta,
look after the Queen! I will fly out with Sonia . I know of a rock
at the edge of the forest where thyme blooms almost all year .
Maybe we will get lucky .
The two of them crawl briskly to the exit and fly off toward
the forest . Abelia soon locates the large rock . She sets herself
down on some little tufts of green and sighs, This is thyme,
but it is not yet blooming . We cannot bring any nectar from it
to the Queen .
Abelia is totally frustrated, If she should die . . . !
Sonia wants to console her, but she does not know what
to do . So the two bee sisters pace up and down the rock at the
edge of the forest for a while and think . It will take a miracle
maybe the thyme will suddenly bloom . Finally, Sonia stands
still . A thought has come to her and she says to Abelia, Dear
sister, could I not go to another bee colony and ask them for
some thyme honey?
Abelia shakes her head, Sonia, you know that we bees
are forbidden to trespass on another hive . The guards there
would surely kill you . They would immediately recognize your
scent as different and rush at you as an enemy . This cannot
be! It is too dangerous . Let us fly back home .
In spite of the danger, Sonia does not give up her idea . She
keeps repeating to herself, I must do it! I must do it!
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When they get back to their hive and report to Alta that
the search was in vain, Alta cries, Oh, my! Now I dont know
how it will be with our Queen by morning . She will take no
food at all .
Sonia says to Abelia, Dear sister, I am going now you
already know where! She is gone before Abelia has a chance
to change her mind .
A cool, evening breeze is blowing as Sonia flies to the gate
of a neighboring bee colony . She sets down at the very edge
of the landing board and remains still . She peeks through the
entrance to see if the unknown guards are paying attention .
Every so often a bee arrives home late . Sonia notices the large
head of a guard behind the gate, checking every bee that flies
in . There is no way she can get into the hive unnoticed, and
she knows that visits from strangers are unwelcome . I must
get in, even if it costs me my life!
She takes a few steps forward . Suddenly, the guard comes
out of the gate, stands before Sonia, and blusters, What do
you want here, stranger? You stink . Away with you! And with
these words, she shows her stinger .
Sonia retreats a step and says, Dear Guard, dont be so
angry with me!
I am not a dear Guard, I am a ferocious Guard!
So listen, Ferocious Guard! Our Queen lies dying . She ate
some bad honey . Now, I would like to beg your Queen for
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help . Please, go to her and ask if she might help a neighboring
Queen who is ill .
The guard looks at Sonia somewhat suspiciously, but she
is already much less severe . She grumbles, Stay outside! I will
go ask our Queen .
Just as she goes, a second, fiercer, guard comes out . She
lunges angrily at Sonia and pulls her by her wings to the edge
of the landing board . The guard thinks she has thrown Sonia
over the edge, but Sonia hangs there by one little leg . It is
already cold . With her last strength, Sonia pulls herself back
up to the top of the board . The wild guard has disappeared .
It is beginning to get dark . Finally, the first guard is at the
gate again . Are you there? she calls out, because she cannot
see clearly that Sonia is still on the board .
I am here, Sonia replies softly . She is hardly able to
go meet the guard with her half-lame legs, but the guard is
already by her side .
You are in luck . Come in! She holds Sonia by one wing
and leads her inside the gate .
Suddenly, they are surrounded by a whole crowd of bees .
Cries resound: What stinks? A wild bee? A robber bee? Kill
her!
Stop! shouts the guard . I must bring her to the Queen .
She has been ordered there .
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The attack-happy bees free up the path . Soon Sonia is
standing before the foreign Queen . She bows her little head
and waits for the Queen to question her . Now, little guest,
what have you to say to me?
Oh, Your Highness, our good Queen is sick . A careless
servant fed her sour honey . We could not help her . She told us
that thyme honey could take away her sickness, but we have
not one drop left . We searched the forest for a long time today,
but the thyme is not blooming anywhere . It is too early in the
year . So, I come to ask if you might still have some thyme
honey you could spare .
The Queen replies, You are bold to venture into a foreign
colony . My guards are very strict .
I noticed that, Your Highness, Sonia replies as she rubs
one of her wings .
Listen, little bee . You are a brave and loyal servant,
who would give her life for her Queen . We still have several
chambers full of thyme honey . You may have some from us,
as much as you can carry home . So speaks the Queen, and
waves over one of her bees . You there, old honeybee, lead
the stranger to one of the pots of thyme . Guard, go along and
protect them!
With these words, the Queen bids farewell to Sonia . The old
honeybee leads her to the honey chambers . She nimbly gnaws
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away one of the wax lids . Oh, what a wonderful fragrance!
Sonia is allowed to drink in the delicate honey . When she is
full, her escort asks, Will you not stay the night with us? It
will certainly be dark night outside very soon .
For a moment Sonia considers and then replies, I dare
not . Our Queen must have help right away . Who knows what
might happen before morning? You have my gratitude, dear
honeybee .
The guard makes a long face because the stranger wants
to fly out into the darkness . But she escorts her safely to the
gate, and Sonia quickly disappears in the dark .
It is cold outside, and the way is not far . But even a short
flight causes the legs to stiffen . As she sets down on the home
landing board, she can no longer walk enough to get inside
the gate . She calls out in a weak voice, Guard, help, help! Its
Sonia! I bring thyme honey! But nobody hears the cry . The
guards have already returned to their little room for the night,
for nobody comes through the gate at night .
Must I die outside in the cold night? Poor Queen, I cannot
help you . I am myself miserable and weak . Every time the
night wind strokes the landing board with a cold breeze,
Sonias wings shiver . But her legs are still pinched firmly in the
wood . Sonia considers, I will try to press out a drop of thyme
honey onto the landing board . If I should die in the night, my
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sisters can bring the little drop to the Queen in the morning .
Perhaps it will not be too late .
Inside the colony, Abelia is very nervous . The Queen is
getting weaker, and Sonia has not yet returned . She thinks,
The foreign guards have surely killed her. Courageous little Sonia,
you meant so well!
Nervousness forces Abelia to move through the entire hive .
As she gets close to the gate, Abelia says to the Night Guard,
Please, just this once, go out to the landing board and see if
Bee Sonia has flown in .
No, grumbles the guard, I will not . It is long dark outside .
No one is flying around any more .
Abelia heaves herself up . Then I will go out myself!
Past the guards nose, she slips through the gate . Whew!
How dark and gloomy it is outside . Bee Sonias voice is now
also frozen . When Abelia calls out in the night, Sonia! no
answer comes back . She is just about to turn around when
suddenly she smells the delicate aroma of thyme . She goes
toward it . My heavens! Sonia is lying here, completely stiff!
Quickly, quickly, inside with her into the warmth of the hive!
In no time Abelia pulls her paralyzed sister through the
gate . The guard realizes with amazement what has happened
and goes to get some helpers . They warm and stroke Bee
Sonia until she begins to move her head and legs . She is saved!
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In a few words, Sonia tells what happened to her and that her
body is still full of thyme honey .
Come to the Queen . It is high time, Abelia urges . Bring
her your gift! Together they scurry with the others to the
middle of the hive . When they reach the Queen, Sonia squeezes
a drop of the thyme honey out of her proboscis .
The patient has scarcely smelled the aroma when she stirs .
Oh, thyme! she whispers and beseechingly sticks out her
tongue . Sonia dabs out drop after little drop, and the Queen
thankfully drinks it in . What is left over, Sonia squeezes into
a little honey pot to save for later . Soon the Queen falls into a
deep slumber .
In the morning the Queen awakens cheerfully! When she
has eaten the rest of the thyme honey out of the pot, she is as
good as new . Soon a happy buzzing goes through the colony,
and the handmaidens to the Queen announce to all, The
Queen is laying eggs again . She is healthy!
In a quiet moment, towards evening, the Queen summons
Bee Sonia . She must tell her everything exactly as it
happened, how she came to get the thyme honey . After she
hears everything, she strokes the helpers wings . But Alta
admonishes the honey gatherers, This Summer we will bring
a lot of thyme into the chambers and be careful that we never
run out again .
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Adventure at the Hazel Bush
Before Sonia takes her leave, the Queen says to her, Fly to
the hazel bush tomorrow and bring me some sun-flour from
the little hazel blossoms . I will have my handmaidens make a
fresh, honey sun-porridge with it . It will make me stronger .
Sonia is very willing to do that . Since it will soon be dark in
the world, she cannot fly out any more this evening . Still, she
wants to go to the landing board and see about the weather .
Just as she is about to slip through the gate, the guard
grumbles her reluctance . Sonia explains her errand, and the
guard lets her go outside . Ever since Sonia saved the life of the
Queen, she is beloved by all .
A warm, southern breeze is blowing across the landing
board . The guard reckons, The wind is warm and good . In
this night the hard hazel buds will spring open and become
soft . Tomorrow there will be a lot of sun-flour .
Before Sonia flies out the next day, Abelia warns her, Pay
attention! In Spring there are many dangers lurking for us
bees . Protect yourself from the flycatcher bird with the pointed
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beak . He spies out bees, hacks them up, and swallows them,
head and stinger .
Soon Sonia is flying toward the forest near the rocks where
she searched in vain a few days before for blooming thyme .
There is the hazel bush . She flies to a little blossom, but no
matter how much she crawls around, no golden flour comes
out . The tall fibers in the flower are still too hard .
She flies to a second, Oh, what wonderful gold dust is
here! Sonia eagerly brushes some onto her hind legs and
knits herself little yellow stockings . She thinks, This will make
into wonderful sun-porridge for the Queen!
In the middle of her work, there is a very loud buzzing
behind her back . What is that? She turns around . A fat
bumblebee has settled herself on a hard bud and is trying in
vain to get some flour . She grumpily calls out to Sonia, Did
you take all of the pollen away from me? Shall we bumblebees
be overlooked again? Every time there is something good
around, the honeybees are right there and carry everything
away!
Sonia laughs, Good bumblebee, dont gripe and grumble
so much . Its a wasted effort . Dont you see that your bud is
not even ripe yet? Come here to mine . I have plenty . There is
enough for you as well .
The bumblebee is immediately nice and meek . She goes
over to the neighboring bud because hazel blossoms always
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29
hang in little pairs . Sonia says to her, Our wise bee, Alta, told
me once that bees and bumblebees are close relatives, like
cousins . We should be good friends . But tell me, bumblebee,
do you know about the flycatcher bird? Is it also a bumblebee
catcher?
The bumblebee mumbled, No, he doesnt want to catch
us bumblebees . Our thick, fuzzy coat would tickle his throat
and scratch inside his tummy . Ha, ha, ha! All of a sudden the
bumblebee starts gazing at the large thyme-rock over there,
and whispers, Look, just such a flycatcher bird is sitting over
there on the rock and eyeing the world .
Sonia is alarmed, Oh, no, I must get out of here quickly!
She flies away .
The flycatcher bird suddenly holds his head erect . Did a
bee fly off from the hazel bush just now? Whir, whir . . . and he
is already in the air, chasing Sonia . Fortunately, she has a little
head start . But flycatchers are fast and have great momentum
in the air . He gets closer and closer to Sonia .
She flies in a zigzag and is able to confuse the catcher
somewhat, but he stays only a few wing flaps behind her . He
snaps with his beak and Sonia clearly senses his clacking . She
is almost home! Then she dives down, lands at the gate of
the beehive and slips inside . The flycatcher has lost and flits
away .
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30
Exhausted, Sonia stays just inside the gate for a while,
shaking . A worker bee comes by, strips off one of Sonias little
stockings and says, Get to the side! You are blocking the way!
Sonia wants to say, Leave me the golden dust . It is pollen
for the Queen! But the sister is already gone with it . With only
one little stocking, she limps toward the center of the hive . She
meets Abelia there . Abelia looks at Sonia in amazement and
says, What is wrong with you, that you are coming home
with only one stocking? No worthy bee does that . You will set
a bad example for the young bees . One would have to fly all
tilted!
Sonia explains how it all happened . Oh, well, that is
different, says Abelia . Come with the little stocking . We will
fix the morning porridge for the Queen .
They make a delicate, gold porridge mixed with a little
dandelion honey and feed it to the Queen . On this day she
lays a thousand eggs!
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31
A Happy Event
After the eggs are laid inside, the little chambers are
closed tightly with wax lids . Young bees will grow from the
eggs in the tiny chambers . One morning as Abelia is going by
such a chamber, she says, Stop! Here at this little chamber!
Something inside is scratching . A young sister wants to come
out . Help her!
Sonia goes up to it and very clearly senses how something
is rattling and scratching at the little door from inside . Sonia
eagerly begins gnawing at the little wax lid . How the little
something is crackling and crawling in there in the cradle!
Some wax crumbles off the lid . Now Sonia can see a feeler
through the crack . Already the head can be glimpsed . One last
push! The little bee slides out . It stands on its legs, soundlessly
trembling . It moves its little head and gently flutters its wings .
Just at that moment, the rising Sun sends a beam through the
hive gate .
Ah! exclaims Sonia . You come into the world with the
first rays of the Sun! So your name shall be Sunbeam . Let
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32
me look at you . I have to clean you up a bit . The little bits of
waxy dust dont go very well with your beautiful name . Sonia
brushes off her little sister all over . Stick out your little tongue
so you can get some honey! Youre standing there like youre
sleeping . Lets see that little tongue!
The little bee presses out the stinger on her behind . Sonia
laughs, Not the stinger! Here in front, the tongue!
Now it clicks . Sonia dabs some honey on it . Bee Sunbeam
very delicately buzzes her first bee word, M-mm! which
means, Oh, how delicious!
Just then, Alta comes by . Sonia stops her, Look here, Alta,
this bee came into the world with the first sunrays, so I am
naming her Bee Sunbeam .
Alta smiles and orders, Take her up into the hive, to the
baby lodgings . She can help to warm the chambers where
the other young bees are growing . The Queen laid eggs there
yesterday .
Sonia leads Bee Sunbeam to the place . Now Sunbeam must
stand around here with the other new bees and act as warming
pads . There are very many young sisters here, and Sunbeam
can learn the bee language from them . Bee Sunbeam thinks,
I would like to look inside one of the little chambers where no lid
has been put on yet. Full of curiosity, she stretches her head
forward and sees a white blob lying there below . What could
that be? she wonders .
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33
Suddenly from behind she is vigorously scraped on the
arch of her back . She steps back quickly . It is Abelia . She
scolds, What are doing down here? You need to be up there
warming, not crawling into the chambers and disturbing the
eggs!
Intimidated, Bee Sunbeam asks, What is that eggs?
Abelia calls back to her, Ask your sisters . I have other
things to do right now . And she is gone .
The sisters explain, The little eggs were laid there by
the Queen . They will grow . When they are big enough, bees
magically come out of them .
Bee Sunbeam wants to ask more questions . Sonia appears
and talks to her, How is it going, little sister?
Im fine . Only inside my tummy it is rumbling, and it goes,
Rum pum pum .
Sonia laughs, That is hunger . Is it going Rum pum pum
for the other sisters too?
Yes, me too, me too! cry many little sisters .
Good . I will send the honey auntie to you . She will give
you food, says Sonia .
Soon after Sonia leaves, the plump honey auntie comes
waddling in . She has filled her body full of honey . She is very
friendly and dabs some honey onto the little sisters tongues .
In a slow voice she explains, Yes, yes, dear little sisters . Today
I will give you your first taste of honey . And whenever it is
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34
rainy weather outside, you will get honey from me . But right
now there are good days .
What is that rainy weather?
Just wait until youre bigger and may fly out . Then you
will see . With these words the honey auntie leaves the young
bees .
Just then a guard swaggers by . The guard bee wants to
take a shortcut from the flight entrance to the guards quarters .
She walks straight over the arched backs of the young bees .
She stops next to Sunbeam and asks, Do you know what a
wasp is?
No, I came into the world just today .
The young bees are listening . One boldly asks, So tell us,
what is a wasp?
The guard begins to narrate, The wasp is a bad creature
for us bees . It has yellow and black rings around its body . It
lives outside in the world . It makes no effort to search for nectar
in the flowers on its own . Often it will come as a robber to our
colony and sneak in the door and wait for a moment when it
can shoot inside and steal our sweet honey . We guards must
fight against it and even pull out our stingers until we have
driven it out .
Yes, yes, wasps are strong! A few days ago one came by
and the guard noticed it too late . What happened? It snuck
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35
in, overran all the bees at the door, bit some of them, and
went straight away to the honey pots . It sucked nectar into its
greedy belly and flew away with what we had stored up from
over one thousand flowers . Yes, yes, if this wasp had found
our Queen and stung her, she would be dead by now, and our
entire colony would die a slow death . Yes, yes, little bees, you
see how important we guards are!
Bee Sunbeam did not really understand everything the
guard said, but it must be something terrible if the Queen
were to get stung . She asks faintheartedly, Who is that the
Queen?
The guard throws up her head and glares aghast at
Sunbeam, What? You came into the world as a child of bees
and you dont even know who our Queen is? This is a scandal!
Shame on you! If a wasp comes in here, it should sting you in
your foolish head!
Sonia overhears these angry words as she comes up to the
abusive guard . She speaks to her, Hey, Guard, dont you have
anything better to do than scare the young bees with your
wasp stories? You are a fat blowhard . It would be better if
you would see to it that another wasp or hornet doesnt get in
here . Let the little ones alone! I have just come from the Queen .
The guard skulks away quickly . She does not want to be
reported to the Queen . Sunbeam stands there very intimidated .
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36
What were those heavy words the guard said to me? Sonia also
talks about a Queen, and I dont know what that is.
Sonia smoothes over Sunbeams wings and says, You
know, the guards are sometimes a little wild and uncouth . But
a good guard must be like that, those who must fight with
wasps .
Finally, Bee Sunbeam finds her courage and asks, Does a
Queen also have wings and a little tongue like us?
Sonia laughs, Has no one told you about our Queen?
I will do it . Sonia gathers the young bees around her and
begins the story . The Queen is the greatest bee in our colony
and the mother of us all . We can tell she is our Queen by her
special perfume . She smells good to all of us, and we smell
good to her . When she goes by, with your bee eyes you can
see a bright light that shines on us in a friendly manner . The
only other place with a light like this is outside in the world . It
is the Sun, the Heavenly Mother, that warms everything and
causes it to grow . In every egg that the Queen lays is a little
spark of her light . This gives life to us bees . You were all once
each a little egg .
Bee Sunbeam pipes up, But eggs dont have wings or legs
or little tongues!
Sonia answers, Dear sister, in this world there are many
wonderful things . Once you stand at the door into the world you
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37
will be amazed . There is a miraculous garden with sunflowers
and starflowers and little bellflowers without number . Oh, all
the things that live and fly and crawl!
As Sonia is talking, suddenly they hear a cry, Places,
places, everyone . The Queen! It is Abelias voice . Sonia directs
the little bees to the right and left to make a lane open for
the Queen . Everything becomes still . Sunbeam is shaking with
excitement .
The Queen comes closer, accompanied by her maidservants .
A bright light emanates from her . There are beams that look
like a little crown . She stops right in front of Bee Sunbeam and
asks, What is your name?
Bee Sunbeam, Your Majesty!
Ah, a beautiful name! Tell me, Bee Sunbeam, what is your
favorite thing here in our beehive?
Eating honey, Your Majesty!
She smiles and gives a friendly tap to Sunbeams forehead,
Yes, yes you are still very young! And you, Sonia, what is
your favorite thing?
The work, Your Highness .
That is a very good bee answer, the Queen praises, and
she gives everyone a friendly nod as she goes on her way . Very
nearby, where there are still some empty chambers, the Queen
backs her body inside and lays an egg in each chamber .
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38
Bee Sunbeam watches silently . Then she says very softly to
her sisters, Oh, how beautiful and nice is our Queen! I want
to live just for her!
You may do that, along with all of us, Sonia says . Every
day now you may help more and more in the beehive and be
industrious . That makes our Queen happy .
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39
The Death of Bee Alta
The next day, as Sunbeam is cleaning out a chamber, the
honey auntie comes by and calls the youngest bees to her,
Come here, come here . I bring honey porridge!
Immediately they are pressing in from all sides, and the
good honey auntie is squashed so tight that a big drop of
honey is squeezed off her tongue, falls down into one of the
chambers, and lands on an egg . While the other bees are
getting their honey, Sunbeam slips down to the fallen drop .
She gently sucks it up with her little tongue without damaging
the small, delicate egg . When she backs out of the little
chamber, the other bees are already gone . Honey auntie has
given everything away and has disappeared .
But who is that painstakingly coming this way, pulling her
body along the floor? It is Alta . Bee Sunbeam steps up to her
and asks, Can I help you? Have you hurt yourself so that you
almost cannot go any more?
No, Alta smiles, I am old and want to go now to die .
What is that die? Are you stung by a wasp?
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40
Sunbeam is not able to ask any more questions because at
that moment Sonia comes and stands before Alta, Will your
legs not carry you any more?
No, they have done it long enough . Now I want to go and
die . Sonia, accompany me over to the dark lane of the hive . I
will wait for death there . I dont feel like flying out any more
so that I can die outside by the flowers .
Sonia beckons to Sunbeam . Together they carry the good,
old Alta back to the part of the hive where it is very dark . She
is light to carry because she has not eaten anything for three
days . Sonia whispers softly to Sunbeam, You stay here with
Alta . Call me when her soul has breathed out!
Bee Sunbeam waits silently by Alta . It looks as if she is
sleeping . Sunbeam does not know that the old bee is now
dreaming of flower stars and sunshine . All at once a little light
glows over her, and then it is gone . Alta has lowered her head
and lays gently on her side . She remains motionless .
Bee Sunbeam calls to Sonia . The two bee sisters carry
Altas body through the lane to the exit . The guards make way
for them .
The evening Sun is still shining outside . They both fly out
to the meadow with their dead sister where they lay the stiff
body between flowers and green leaves, close to Mother Earth .
Where has her life spark gone? asks Sunbeam .
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41
Sonia replies, I believe it has gone to Bee Heaven . And,
from there, new little sparks are coming all the time and slip
into the tiny bee eggs, giving them life .
When Sunbeam returns to the young bees, some of them
whisper to her, Abelia was here . Tomorrow we will learn
something new . We are going to feed the white, little worms
which have come out of the eggs in their cradles .
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42
With the Bee Cradles
Early morning of the next day Abelia comes to the young
bees . They are very chipper and all gather around the wise
mistress . She explains, Starting today you will be given a new
duty . Every day you shall feed the white larvae that slip out of
the Queens eggs . First, you give them sweet honey juice, not
the thick, sticky honey . Dilute it with water that you will get
from the water carriers .
For the older larvae, that are already a little weightier,
you mix in some pollen . Get to work! I will stay with you until
I see that everything is going well .
The young bees enthusiastically give themselves over to
the work of feeding . Bee Sunbeam labors to mix the pollen and
honey into porridge . Oh, how thick and rubbery it is! She can
tell that no little worm can eat that, so she brings a sample of
her sticky porridge to Abelia .
Abelia shakes her head, You forgot to put in the water .
See, here, a water carrier is coming . Hey, water carrier, pour
some water into this bees thick mush!
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43
The water carrier presses two fat water drops out of her
proboscis into the porridge, and Bee Sunbeam stirs it until
it thins . In her eagerness, she does not even notice that the
Queen with all her entourage has arrived and is watching the
feeder bees . Bee Sunbeam is startled and turns around when
a voice speaks to her from behind, What is your name, little
porridge mixer?
Bee Sunbeam is my name .
Ah, yes, you are the bee whose favorite thing in the world
is eating honey . How did you come by your beautiful name?
That I can tell you, Your Highness, Sonia interrupts . I,
myself, named her that . The first morning rays were shining
through the flight entrance into our hive just as she hatched .
She has remained my young friend .
The Queen says, Your name would go well as a servant of
the Queen . When you are bigger, I will think of you .
The Queen is already on her way again . But Bee Sunbeam
is so in awe that she forgets to stir the porridge for a little
while . Later, as she is feeding it to a little worm, the Queens
words are going through her mind: When you are bigger, I will
think of you!
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A Glimpse into the World
Around midday Bee Sunbeam tarries near the flight
entrance so she can breathe in some of the perfume of the
meadow that is wafting in through the hive entrance . Oh, I
must still wait many days before I may fly out!
Just then Sonia touches her from the side and says,
Come, little friend! Now you are eight days old . I am to take
you out onto the landing board and, there, fly the air game .
Pay attention . You may only fly up and down in front of the
entrance and not out into the world . That is allowed only on
the twentieth day . Would you like to come with me?
I would like that very much!
Bee Sunbeam is well behaved and walks next to Sonia past
the guard . The guard does not hold her back, but she does call
after her in a warning tone, Dont fly away from the gate!
As they both walk outside, Bee Sunbeam is totally blinded
by the powerful light . It rings and sings golden through her
wings . She spreads her wings and hums along with the sun
tones that all the bees here outside are singing . She is already
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46
floating up and down in the bright, warm light . Sonia remains
standing on the board and watches her happy sister . There!
What is that? A strong gust of wind comes blowing in, and in
one breath sweeps Sunbeam away from the hive gate and far,
far out into the field .
Sunbeam is somersaulted seven times in the air turbulence,
loses all sense of direction, and finally lands on a flower . As she
is checking to see that she still has all six legs and her wings,
a big, brown ant stands boldly in front of her and threatens,
Get off my flower! I am getting the nectar . Wait! I am going to
scratch your face! With these words, the ant lunges toward
the little bee and throws her from the bloom down into the
green grass .
Bee Sunbeams head is buzzing . Ouch, what was that for
a scratcher? He is worse than our guards!
She looks around to see if there are any more such fellows
here in the grass . On one leaf she notices a green insect that
has long, bent legs like grass stems and huge, long feelers .
It is a grasshopper . It gawks and stares at the little bee as if
she has fallen from the clouds . Finally, it speaks in a bleating
voice, Hee, hee, hee! What are you looking for here in the
grass? You belong on the flowers and we, the grasshoppers,
on the green grass .
Bee Sunbeam wants to explain that someone just threw
her down from a flower, but the words stick in her throat
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47
when she notices a black snail with four horns very close to
her . Timidly, she asks, Are you bad, that you have so many
horns? Are you the meadow devil?
The grasshopper laughs and croaks so that the grass stems
shiver . The black snail grins and puts out a gooey slime . Then
it speaks slowly, word for word, Go home, be-e-ee . You are
still too young for the world!
Go home thats what I want to do . But I dont know how
I shall find our hive gate again . The wind has carried me off .
A-a-sk Hopp . He can sho-o-ow you .
Who is Hopp?
The grasshopper sits up straight and chirps, Hopp, thats
me! The fast grasshopper, Hopp . I know the meadows far and
wide . Follow me! I will show you the way back to the beehive .
Sunbeam tries to free herself from the grass . She sees the
grasshopper already hopping away with powerful jumps . I
have to hurry or Ill be left behind! She lifts her wings, whirs
in the air, and soon has caught up with her guide . Other bee
sisters are flying past her on their way home from nectar runs .
Thank you, Hopp! she calls to the grasshopper, and flies
after her sisters . In no time she is back at the hive gate . Sonia
is no longer on the landing board . Bee Sunbeam quickly slips
inside . The guard growls and buzzes at her and wants to pick
at her wings, You runaway, you meadow escapee, you . . . !
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48
But, Guard, please be nice! You should be angry with
the wind . He carried me away . With these words, Sunbeam
flits past her into the hive and leaves the guard standing
there . Sunbeam looks for Sonia and tells her everything that
happened and shows her where the ant scratched her face .
Sonia is happy that the little one found her way back,
praises the grasshopper Hopp, and says, Be glad that you
didnt meet a hornet or a flycatcher bird! You would have
never come back .
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49
Peculiar Work
In the morning of the ninth day, Abelia comes to Sunbeam
and directs, Today you will perform a new duty . You must
strip off the pollen from the yellow stockings of the pollen
gatherers when they get home and fill up the chambers with
it . Be careful that you dont tear off a leg along with the
stockings . Look, I will show you how it is done .
Just then a pollen gatherer comes in the flight entrance .
Abelia waves her over . With her front legs Abelia grasps the
little yellow ball that clings to the back legs like a stocking and
gently strips it off . Bee Sunbeam tries the same from the other
leg . She is able to do it without too much effort . Abelia walks
ahead to the flour chamber, throws the little ball inside, and
packs it in tight tip, tip, tip, with her head onto the floor of
the chamber . Sunbeam imitates her tip, tip boom . . . ouch,
ouch! She presses too hard and her head goes awry .
Abelia laughs, Not so hard! You almost pushed right
through the chamber floor . Bee Sunbeam wiggles her head
and puts it right again .
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50
There is one other thing that you must bear in mind, says
Abelia . You may fill up each chamber only with the pollen
from the same kind of plant . The smell of the sunshine flour
will tell you what kind of flower has worn it . If ever you are
not sure, just ask the pollen carriers where they have been and
what they have brought . With these words Abelia takes her
leave .
Just at that moment a pollen gatherer comes up with thick
stockings on . Sunbeam helps her scrape them off . She asks,
From what flower is this?
Dandelion .
What does its bloom look like?
Yellow and pretty like a little Sun .
This time Bee Sunbeam pays close attention when she is
pressing the pollen into the chamber so that she does not get
a crooked head again . The next gatherer brings only small
stockings that are light yellow in color and have a delicate
perfume . Primrose, she explains .
I would like to get to know them! They smell so good,
says Sunbeam . But, what is this? Here comes a gatherer
wearing little stockings that are almost black . Are there also
black flowers? Or are your stockings dirty?
Tulip flour is dark, the gatherer pronounces proudly .
Bee Sunbeam inquires, How do tulips look?
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They are giant cups that are fire-red, or yellow or violet .
We have to dive down deep . There is enough room inside for
many bees . The black containers stand on the inside . They
hold dark flour . In the evening the tulips close up their petals .
One time I spent the night in such a chalice because I was too
tired to fly home . It was lovely how the evening wind rocked
me to sleep . It was really nice to sleep the night in a tulip! The
tulip gatherer is silent, and Bee Sunbeam devoutly carries the
dark tulip pollen to a new chamber .
In the evening, as Abelia comes to the pollen chambers,
she nods contentedly and tells Sunbeam, You have done your
work well . Tomorrow and for the next few days, you may take
the nectar from the nectar gatherers and fill the chambers
with it . Each kind goes in its own little pot .
The next morning many bees are flying out . There is much
to do . At first and for a while, the sisters bring in only linden
flower nectar . They all claim that it is nectar from a single tree
that has as many blossoms as the beehive has bees . Sunbeam
sucks the nectar from the proboscis tongues of the gatherers
and fills the honey chambers . One bee brings only a tiny, little
drop . Is she lazy? Bee Sunbeam remarks, That is very little
you are bringing! And it smells so strange . What is it?
It comes from the forest, from the white starflower of
sweet woodruff .
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52
What is that forest? Is it a tree? Sunbeam asks .
No, the forest is a colony of trees . They stand next to each
other and rock and rustle in the wind . Strange plants and
forest flowers grow by their roots . The sweet woodruff is such
a delicate starflower . It shines white over the dark green moss .
Its nectar drops are tiny, but our Queen especially loves sweet
woodruff honey . Once, when I gave her some, she stroked me .
If you want to do her a special favor, then bring her some of
this honey .
I will gladly do that, says Sunbeam . The forest bee
gives over the sweet woodruff nectar onto her little tongue .
After a short search Sunbeam locates the Queen laying eggs,
surrounded by her handmaidens . She looks a little tired
because she has already laid many eggs on this morning . She
whispers quietly, Some honey, please!
Bee Sunbeam hurries up to her and passes on the sweet
woodruff honey . The Queen has barely tasted it when a
smile comes over her face, Oh, how lovely! Is this not sweet
woodruff honey, my favorite food?
Yes, it is, replied Sunbeam . The forest bee revealed to
me that you love it above all else .
Ah, is it you, Bee Sunbeam? It is good that I see you . Listen,
you shall begin a new task tomorrow . Together with Sonia, you
shall build the cradle for a princess . When it is ready I will lay
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53
a Queen egg . It is time that I raise a princess who can become
Queen after me . If you both need to know something about
the construction, ask Abelia . She knows all about it . Let me
know as soon as you are finished with the cradle . The Queen
gives Sunbeam a friendly stroke over her wings and goes on .
The handmaidens also hear these words . As they follow
after the Queen, they whisper excitedly among themselves
about the good news . Sonia remains behind, hurries to Bee
Sunbeam and says, We have been given a wonderful but
difficult job .
Sunbeam laments, I cannot even make wax, and Im
supposed to build for royalty!
Lets go to Abelia . She will advise us .
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54
The House of the Princess
When the old bee Abelia finds out what kind of news
the Queen has announced, she sinks her head as if trying to
recollect something . Then she explains, The chamber for
the Princess must hang vertically, from top to bottom . The
entrance will be at the bottom . Build the chamber big enough
for a grown Queen to have room inside . Work carefully so that
no crack appears in the wall!
Bee Sunbeam asks, Shall we sweat out all the wax
ourselves?
No, Abelia replies . That would take too long . Go to the
wax bees . They will sweat for you, and you build with it .
Sonia and Sunbeam hurry to the wax makers . Give us
wax! Give us wax!
But the wax makers grumble, We are resting just now .
You can wait! There is very little to build right now .
What do you mean?! We must have wax for a princess
chamber! Sonia shouts excitedly .
Woo-hoo! Now the wax bees get some speedy legs . They
hurry to eat some honey, and soon they are hanging, nuzzled up
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55
together, in a long chain . In a short time they are sweating out
little disks of wax from between the rings on their abdomens .
Carriers bring them quickly to Sonia and Sunbeam .
Construction of the chamber can now begin . Abelia comes
by once in a while to look and offer advice . After two days
everything is finished except the little door . That will be put on
later, after the egg has been laid and cared for .
Now the Queen is brought . She goes around the chamber,
checking it . She nods, satisfied, because she has found no
mistakes . She arranges herself gently in the chamber and lays
the egg . When she comes out again, she says, Take good care
of this egg . It shall produce a beautiful princess .
Abelia is the first to slip into the chamber to check the
position of the egg . She comes out again quickly and commands
Sunbeam, Go and get some sticky honey! The egg must be
glued so that it doesnt fall down .
Bee Sunbeam chooses some rubbery pine honey . She is
allowed to go inside herself and fasten the egg . As she gets
inside the cradle chamber, she sees a tender, whitish shimmer
shining from the egg . She pours some of the honey cautiously
onto the silky-fine egg and then leaves the chamber .
In the meantime, Sonia brings a group of younger bees .
They will sit around the princess chamber and warm it with
their bodies . But nobody is allowed inside except the two
attendants .
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Day after day, attendants observe how a young life is
stirring inside the egg . After a few days it becomes a larva, like
a thick, white, little worm . It sucks in a lot of honey . Then the
day comes when Abelia orders, Today the chamber must be
sealed with a wax door! The larva is big enough . The miracle
of transformation into a Queen Bee can happen only in hidden
silence .
Sonia and Sunbeam build the door and glue it to the
chamber so tightly that not even a dust particle can get in .
That is what Abelia ordered . Sunbeam asks, hesitantly, Wont
the young Queen suffocate if we glue it so tightly?
No, replies Abelia . When the time comes, we will open it .
When will it be time?
After as many days as are necessary for the transformation,
usually sixteen days . Then the young Queen will stir and start
to scratch on the little door from the inside . Only then will we
open it . So spoke the wise Bee Abelia .
Suddenly, she turns to Bee Sunbeam and says, Isnt
tomorrow your twentieth-day birthday? You may fly out into
the world for the first time . This evening I will come here again
to the Princess chamber . Then I will give you good advice for
your flight .
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Many Dangers
That same evening as Abelia is finishing her rounds through
the colony, she crawls up to Sunbeam, who has been long
awaiting her at the princess chamber . Sunbeam is curious . She
wants to learn much from Abelia about the world she will be
allowed to fly into tomorrow .
Abelia begins telling her, Remember, Bee Sunbeam, that
the world is full of dangers . They begin as soon as you come
to the flight entrance . You have already experienced how the
whirlwind can come wailing by and carry you away . It is not
always sunny and nice . Do not fly out if there is a strong wind!
But if you are in a meadow and a stormy wind blows in, then
you must crawl inside a flower cup and cling tightly with your
feet until you can fly again .
Often, dark clouds will come and bring rain . Drops of
water fall from the sky and make everything wet . It is good
for the plants, but not for us bees . When there is rain, fly home
as fast as you can . But if you are in the forest, then crawl into
a dry little place .
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58
Do not be frightened if there are powerful noises coming
from the sky, and rumbling, and fire blazing down . That is
Thunder and Lightning, two strong giants . They are horribly
loud, but they will cause you no harm . There is only one mean
enemy who can throw white stones at you from the sky .
That is Hail . He tears up flowers and leaves, and destroys the
blooming meadow . One single hailstone can strike you dead .
Luckily, the Hail Giant seldom gets into a rage .
It may be that you will come to a large body of water in
which the sky is mirrored . That is a lake . Do not fly over it . If
you become tired and want to rest, you will fall into the water
and will miserably drown .
Now, there is one thing that is a bee eater that is the
hornet . It is a powerful, flying insect with yellow rings like a
wasp, but many times larger . If ever a hornet is following you,
then fly back and forth in a zigzag motion . They dont like that
because they are heavy and cannot turn easily . There are also
some birds that are bee pickers . Protect yourself from them!
Bee Sunbeam asks, But why was I given a stinger? Cant
I sting the bee picker and the hornet and drive them away?
Abelia chuckles and explains, It is not that easy . They are
much stronger than a bee, and before you are able to sting
them, you have been swallowed . Your stinger should be used
only in times of mortal danger, because our bee stinger comes
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with another kind of barb . It stays stuck where it is, and will
rip the life from your body .
And now, pay careful attention . There are very large
people in the world . They are called humans . Do not get close
to them . There are some who swat at bees when they fly near
to them . Small humans often have sticks in their hands . One
time such a little person poked a stick into our flight entrance
and injured a few sisters . The guards went out to sting him . He
cried out loudly and ran away . He never came back .
Sunbeam asks, Do all humans have sticks? Are all humans
mean?
No, there are also good people . They save bees from
drowning . The best human is the beekeeper . He cares for us
bees . He built us this house . Only one or two days a year is
he a little bad . Then he takes away a lot of honey from us .
Maybe he has to feed his little children with it . He often carries
a stem in his mouth, with smoke coming out of it, and it stinks
frightfully . In Autumn, when all the flowers are wilting, and
we cannot get any more nectar, he puts sweet water into our
colony and covers our hive with warm pillows .
Yes, they do strange things, these humans . Do not go near
them . Many times they hack at wood for hours and break it
into small pieces . The young ones sit on top of wheels and
turn them with their legs, and go around like that . Still others
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60
drive in colorful boxes on the roads and stink up the meadows .
When it is hot in Summer, they jump into the water and act
as if they are fish . They live in large houses and often let their
stink out through little towers in the roof . Why they do this
is not known by us bees . It is hard for us to understand these
human people . Still, most of them are good to us, and only a
few hit us when we fly too close to them .
It is late, Bee Sunbeam, Abelia interrupts her story . Let
us go to sleep! For tomorrow, I wish you a good trip into the
wide, beautiful world .
On this evening, Bee Sunbeam lies long awake and cannot
fall asleep . She thinks about all of the curious things that
Abelia has told her . What all will she experience in the world?
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Discovering the World!
Early, before dawn, when almost all the other bees are still
asleep, Sunbeam scuttles toward the flight entrance . It is a
clear, cold morning . Just as she wants to go out the gate, a
guard next to her grumbles, Its too early! Do you want to
stiffen out there?
Bee Sunbeam is already on the landing board . Yes, it is
cold . The guard is right . But many birds are singing . Bright
morning sunshine makes the sky very blue . But the bees are
shivering in the cool breeze . As she returns inside, the guard
jests, Did you find a lot of nectar?
No nectar, but now I know how beautiful it is before
daybreak .
An hour later the Sun has come up . Warm sunshine quickly
spreads over the world . The flowers open their blossoms . On
the landing board, Bee Sunbeam happily spreads her wings .
There is no wind to blow her away . She circles over flowering
meadows . Oh, this perfume! Here below, little yellow suns,
and above, blue flower stars!
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62
Where shall I go? Where shall I drink and immerse myself
in color? Suddenly, she plunges into a brilliant dandelion sun .
It is golden and soft . She wallows around in the soft blossom
bed and becomes golden herself from the pollen . She gets back
on her feet and begins to brush the pollen onto her back legs .
She knits her first little pair of stockings .
What is this? Someone is calling from below in the grass,
Chirpz, chirpz, chirpz!
Sunbeam asks, Are you in pain, that you screech so? Or
are you hungry?
What screech? replies the cricket . I am making beautiful
music, you droning buzzy bee!
Would you like some pollen to still your hunger? asks
Sunbeam .
The cricket laughs very loudly, No, I dont eat such yucky
stuff . Ooh, ooh, ooh! I would much rather eat a little beetle .
Phooey! thinks Sunbeam . This must be a black meat-eater. I
had better move on. Who knows, he might try to eat me. She flies
off to take the first load of pollen back to the bee colony .
No sooner has Sunbeam stripped off the pollen than she
flies out again into the world . She sets down on a large blue
flower at the edge of the forest . Fine nectar is to be had here!
A heavy bumblebee flies close by . She greets her cheerfully,
Good day, little bee! My name is Mrs . Bumblebee .
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Good day, Mrs . Bumblebee! Do you also have a Queen in
your colony?
I have no colony . I live in a tree and have a nest there with
bumblebee eggs . When they hatch, we will be a little family .
Too large a colony of bumblebees would be forever tickling
each other with our long, fuzzy hair .
As they are talking, something swishes in the air . Shocked,
Bee Sunbeam cries, The bee snapper bird!
No, Mrs . Bumblebee explains . That is a swallow, a
very dear bird . Yes, yes, honeybees are always afraid of the
snapper, but he does nothing to us bumblebees . Do you see
my long hair? No bird wants to swallow this pelt . There is
no such thing as a bumblebee snapper . Buzz, buzz . . . Mrs .
Bumblebee flies away .
As Bee Sunbeam is flying up, she can sense a little brook
bubbling close by . Curious, she sets herself on the bank and
listens to the murmuring and splashing . She thinks about
Abelias warning: Be careful at the brook! But this water flows
so peacefully that she can surely chance getting a little closer .
She scurries onto a stem that reaches out over the water like
a little bridge . All at once, oh terror! In front, the stem sinks a
little deeper, is torn away, and pulls Sunbeam with it out onto
the water . She holds on tight with her front legs, but her back
legs and wings are deep under water . The little brook rises
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64
and falls, tossing Sunbeam up and down, and she sinks ever
lower . Already, it is hard to breathe . Oh, no, I am lost! If I lose
hold of the stem, I will drown!
Further downstream, a bushy branch protrudes from the
water . The stem is caught in it, and Sunbeam is able to climb
out of the water . When she is sitting on a leaf, she puffs, I am
saved!
But her legs and wings are still shaking . She has never been
so afraid . She cleans and combs her wings back in place . The
Sun is warm and drying . Finally, she flies back toward the
forest .
I would like to get some sweet woodruff nectar! The fine,
familiar aroma of the white starflowers wafts up between the
pines . Bee Sunbeam flits from one to the other and sucks in
the juice . Suddenly, another honeybee sits next to her on the
same blossom . She has a peculiar odor . Sunbeam asks in a
friendly way, Dear sister, you are not also from the colony
with the blue landing board, where I am from?
No, our landing board is yellow . My little tummy is full . I
will fly back right away . Just as the stranger speaks, there is
an intense whirring in the air .
Frightened, Bee Sunbeam clings to the flower . Oh my,
the sister bee is gone . The bee snapper got her in one glide .
Sunbeam hurriedly lifts into the air . Home to the colony!
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65
Home to the colony! She looks behind her . Is the snapper
following her?
Finally, she is over the blue landing board and shoots inside
through the gate . The guards gaze after her in astonishment .
Inside, Bee Sunbeam stands by the honey chambers and
shakes over her whole body . Sonia comes up to her and asks,
What is wrong with you? Are you sick?
Finally Sunbeam calms down a little, and she tells Sonia
what she has just been through in the forest . Sonia says, Yes,
the world is beautiful, but there are many dangers . Listen,
dear sister, it is soon evening . Dont fly out any more today .
Tomorrow I will fly out with you into the world .
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66
Encounter with People
On a Summer day, Sonia and Sunbeam get ready for their
flight into the world together . They think about whether they
want to fly to the meadow or the forest . An excited bee comes
up to them and dances around . She has already been outside .
She buzzes with her wings, scurries left, scurries right, and
turns around in a circle .
Aha, says Sonia . That is the linden flower dance . Come,
sister, we will follow the dancer . She has found a tree with
a lot of linden flower nectar . It is very fine nectar . With her
dance she is showing us the way . Come, we will fly with her .
A large group flies with the dancer to a huge linden tree
near the forest . A sweet perfume floats toward them . Bee
Sunbeam always stays close to Sonia . They go from bloom to
bloom . All at once, Sonia cries, Do you see there behind the
big, brown spot in the meadow? That is a human house . You
can get to know about people there . But first, we will take the
nectar home .
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With their bodies full of nectar, the sisters return to the
hive and fill up the honey chambers . They go back to the linden
tree . Bee Sunbeam notices that something is different about
the tree . Two long boards are stuck in the ground and rise
into the branches . Sonia also does not know what it is . As the
sisters fly to the first bloom in the branches, Sonia whispers,
I believe there is a human person up the tree . Look at how
someone is picking flowers and putting them in a bag . That is
a human hand .
Sunbeam asks, Will the hand eat the flowers?
I dont know . Maybe the person will suck out the linden
flower honey at home, where nobody will see him .
All at once the hand pushes a large branch to the side .
They can see the whole person! He stands on a ladder, picks
the linden blossoms, and puts them into a bag . Bee Sunbeam
is startled at the size of the person, but then she whispers
to Sonia, Oh, what a poor man! Did someone pinch off his
wings? Or does he not even have any?
The bee sisters would like to watch longer, but the nectar
harvest is calling, and bees are always hard-working when the
weather is nice . There are many thousands of bees buzzing
in the tree . It is no wonder that the sisters lose each other .
As they return to the tree for the third time, the long boards
are gone, and the man is walking toward the house . Oh!
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Sunbeam exclaims . He is really a poor man . He also has only
two legs!
A bluish smoke rises from the roof of the human house . Bee
Sunbeam thinks, I will make a few more nectar runs. But before it
is night, I want to go look at the people house.
After Sunbeam has brought home nectar for the seventh
time, she flies back past the linden tree and goes over to the
people house . She sets down on a water pump in front of the
house . Water flows from a pipe down into a little lake . A young
person stands by it and pulls a string attached to a little boat
so that it sails on the water . Luckily, he does not have a stick .
Sunbeam feels thirsty . I would like a nip of water once more!
She flies to the edge of the lake and drinks . Suddenly the
little boy hits the water with his hand . A wave splashes up .
Oh, no! Sunbeam is flogging around in the water and is driven
away from the edge . The human child cries, Oh, oh! A bee!
He puts his little boat under her and maneuvers her onto it .
But she cannot fly with wet wings . The little man cries out
loud perplexing words while letting the bee go for a boat ride .
Then a large person in a long dress comes out of the house
and yells at the little one in a high voice, holding up one finger .
Bee Sunbeam becomes afraid of this roaring person with the
large eyes and the long hair . She nimbly climbs onto the sail
of the little boat, shakes the water from her wings, and flies
away . The little human child waves after her, cheering her on .
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70
In the evening, Sunbeam meets Sonia, and says, I saw
people at their house . The little one was nice and funny . The
big one was wild and yelled . I like the little ones . The big ones
are like monsters .
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71
The Night in the Forest
One evening in July, Bee Sunbeam crawls through the gate
onto the landing board outside . She wants to fly to the forest
once more . A guard approaches her and warns, It will be
dark soon, so stay here! Look, the last nectar gatherers return
home . It is too late . The night could surprise you .
She answers her, Dear Guard, I will be back soon . I know
a little place where the sweet woodruff is giving a rich amount
of nectar today . If it rains tonight, tomorrow the blooms will
be washed empty . Ill be right back . She lifts her wings, buzzes
away, and leaves the guard grumbling behind her .
The Sun has just gone down . Bee Sunbeam dives between
dark pines down into the forest interior . After she has sucked
in the nectar from the first sweet woodruff blossom, she feels
how cold it has become . A small moth is sitting on a flower next
to her . He says to the bee in amazement, What is with you?
All of your sisters have flown home! Do you want to spend the
night in the forest? Protect yourself from the large forest ants .
If you have nectar in your body, they will eat you up .
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Sunbeam wants to reply, I will fly away from the ant! But,
just then, a shiver goes through her body . The breeze blows so
cold in the pine forest . She wants to lift her wings and fly on to
the next flower . What is this? They wont perform their duty .
Oh, no! The cold has paralyzed my wings!
In fear, she pleads, Help me, dear moth . My wings dont
want to fly any more! What should I do?
The moth replies, Now you will have to stay the night in
the forest . But, I tell you once again, be careful of the forest
ants! They eat bees and butterflies . Pay attention! They climb
on every flower, every tree, and have delicate feelers to sense
everything sweet . The best thing to do is go under a large leaf
of a plant that has no blossoms . Good night, little bee! The
cold doesnt hurt me . The moth flies away .
Good night, dear moth . Now poor Bee Sunbeam sits
alone on the sweet woodruff flower with her great fear, her
wings unable to move . Fortunately, she is still able to move her
legs . She considers, Staying up here will not work . The forest
ants would come with their big, eating pincers and grab me .
I will look for a hiding place on a green leaf, just like the moth
advised me .
So Bee Sunbeam crawls down the stem of the sweet
woodruff to the ground below . A little further on are some
high ferns . I will climb up there, she thinks . I will hold fast to the
underside of the leaf. No ant will look for nectar in a fern.
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74
Now she is down the stem and lands on a dry leaf on the
ground . In front of her, she senses a hurried scuttling . The head
of a forest ant appears from behind a rock . He feels around in
the air with his feelers as if he is searching for something . He
notices the bee . His pincers tremble . He thinks, The bee is a little
too large for me alone. I will go and get a few ant soldiers. That
way we can better tear her to bits and carry her home. The ant
disappears behind the rock .
Sunbeam breathes a sigh of relief . She does not suspect what
evil the ant has in mind . She crawls further up the fern . How
startled she is to see another creature moving on a plant next
to her . Bee Sunbeam wonders, Do I have to use my stinger now?
A delicate voice whispers, Dont be afraid! I am a
glowworm . When it is very dark, I will shine . I dont hurt
anyone, and nobody hurts me .
Little Bee Sunbeam asks, Do you also leave the ant alone?
Yes . And they shy away from my light and avoid me .
Oh, Glowworm, can you help me when the ants come?
They are after me because I am sweet .
The glowworm looks around for a moment, and then he
advises, Come, bee . Crawl up here onto this high, green
plant . You can hide yourself up there under the leaves . But
hook your feet tightly into the leaf so that you dont fall down
in your sleep . I will stay below on the stem and try to head off
the ants when they come .
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How happy is Bee Sunbeam . She climbs up the thick stem
right away and covers herself up in the leaves . Just in time! A
long train of large forest ants appears from behind the rock,
searching for the sweet bee . The leader is in front . He quickly
runs to the sweet woodruff flower where she was last sitting .
Whats this? Bee gone! Look, soldiers, look! She cant have
gone far!
Some of them disappear under the dry leaves . Others climb
up bushes, trees, and flowers . Zzurr, zzurr, zzurr! Shes not
here . Zzurr, zzurr, zzurr! Nor here!
It has grown dark, and one of the ants crawls over to the
plant where the glowworm is shining . The dark fellow hisses
sharply, Get out, Glowworm . Get out! I want to go up this
green plant!
Sunbeam hears everything that is going on below her . She
is quaking and thinks, Now I am lost! Farewell, dear Abelia, Sonia
and the Queen! I will never see you again!
But the glowworm wants to save the bee . He goes up to the
ant, This is my stem for the night! I will not go away! What
do you want with my plant? There are plenty of others . There
is no nectar up there!
The ant blusters, Im looking for the honeybee that didnt
fly home . She has hidden herself . We ants want to tear her
apart . Zzurr, zzurr, zzurr!
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At this moment, a short buzz can be felt coming from a
beech tree . The glowworm quickly counters, Listen, ant, its
buzzing over there by the beech tree . Look there for the bee!
The ant runs off, and the others follow him . In their
excitement, they do not even notice that the buzzing is coming
from a beetle . Fortunately, they do not return . Bee Sunbeam
sees only the friendly, green light underneath her that is
shining from the glowworm . Her fear slowly subsides, and
finally sleep comforts the very tired bee .
In the night, a powerful swishing goes through the pines .
A stormy wind dashes dark clouds over the forest . Sunbeam
wakes up . The leaf under which she is resting is thrown here
and there by the wind . Everywhere is gloomy night . Through
the loud, rushing noise, a cry sounds forth, Ooh-hoo! Ooh-
hoo!
The trees moan and groan . They creak and crack . All at
once, large raindrops prattle through the branches . Zig-zaggy
fire flames up over the forest . Dampened thunder rolls . Bee
Sunbeam shivers from fear . Can my feet hold o
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