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by Jakob Streit Little Bee Sunbeam

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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

  • LITTLE BEE SUNBEAM

    by

    JAKOB STREIT

    With Illustrations by Verena KnobelTranslated from German by Nina Kuettel

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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 .

  • 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

  • 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 .

  • 10

    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

  • 11

    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!

  • 12

    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 .

  • 13

    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 .

  • 14

    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

  • 15

    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!

  • 16

    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 .

  • 17

    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

  • 18

    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

  • 19

    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!

  • 20

    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

  • 21

    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 .

  • 22

    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

  • 23

    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

  • 24

    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!

  • 25

    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 .

  • 27

    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

  • 28

    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

  • 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 .

  • 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!

  • 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

  • 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 .

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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 .

  • 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

  • 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 .

  • 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 .

  • 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?

  • 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 .

  • 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 .

  • 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!

  • 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!

  • 44

    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

  • 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

  • 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 . . . !

  • 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 .

  • 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 .

  • 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?

  • 51

    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 .

  • 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

  • 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 .

  • 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

  • 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 .

  • 56

    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 .

  • 57

    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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    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

  • 59

    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

  • 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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    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

  • 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!

  • 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 .

  • 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 .

  • 67

    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!

  • 68

    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 .

  • 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 .

  • 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 .

  • 72

    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.

  • 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 .

  • 75

    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!

  • 76

    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