The Perambulations of a Bee and a Butterfly by Elizabeth Sandham

Author:Elizabeth Sandham
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781776584635
Publisher: The Floating Press

Chapter V

*

"If chance a mouse came in her sight,

"She finely counterfeits a fright,

"So sweetly screams if it come near her,

"It ravishes all hearts to hear her."

SWIFT.

The next day the Bee had taken home two or three loads before his friend made his appearance, who, when he came, expressed his surprise at finding him where he was. "I have been in such a beautiful conservatory," said he, "and surely I saw you there, almost buried in the heart of a flower; and so intent were you upon your labour, that you would not even answer me when I called; there must certainly have been something very attractive to have kept you there so long, but how you got here before me is what I most wonder at."

"I don't understand you," returned the Bee, "I have been in no conservatory, the utmost of my flights to-day have been from the hive to this place."

"And have you really been no where else?" said the Butterfly in astonishment; "why I never saw anything so like you in my life; I concluded that you were so buried in the flower that you did not hear my call, or was unwilling to move, lest you should alarm some ladies and gentlemen who were very near you."

"I think I can tell what has deceived you," returned the Bee, "you have seen a Bee-Orchis, as they are called, a flower which bears both the form and resemblance of our species. And so you really took it for me?"

"If it was not yourself," replied the Butterfly, "and you wish to see your own likeness, pray come with me, and behold it; for never did I see one Bee so like another, as that flower is like you."

"I have known many of our young ones who are not acquainted with it," said the Bee, "so deceived by the resemblance, that if they happen to meet with one, they pass it by, thinking, that one of their fellow-laborers is engaged there already; but if you will shew me the spot I will not be so put off."

So saying, he followed the Butterfly, who was immediately on the wing; and soon arrived at a very large house, one end of which formed the conservatory. The fragrancy of the flowers it contained, the great variety of them, and those of the most delicate nature, made the Bee clap his wings for joy.

"Why, my dear friend," said he, "you have brought me to a treasure-house indeed; a store of sweets, I can hardly forbear returning to call all my companions to share it with me; I am sure there would be work enough for the whole hive were they here."

While he was thus expressing his delight, the Butterfly was searching for the flower he had noticed before, hardly satisfied, till he had the testimony of his own eye-sight in seeing them together, that his friend had told him the truth; however, when he discovered it, and saw the Bee still flying about in admiration, he was obliged to acknowledge he had been wrong.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.