For The Taste Of Honey

Bibi was having a lovely time. She was stuffing her face with thick,
sticky, gooey honey."Hey Bibi," buzzed Striper."Yes!" inquired
Bibi."How come you've got a sting?" asked Striper."I....I haven't,"
stammered Bibi nervously."Oh yes you have. I know 'cause I've seen
it.""N...no I haven't. Honest," said Bibi as she hurried away.Bibi was
worried. She was worried that Striper would report her to the Queen. If
he did, she was in real trouble. Bibi tried to keep out of Striper's
way. Then, suddenly, up popped Striper in front of her. Bibi tried to
go around him. But no matter which way she turned, he was there in
front of her."Wh...what do you want?" asked Bibi timidly."Look, I know
you're a worker bee. You're not a drone bee like me. I know 'cause
drones don't have stings. And you've got a sting."
"I...I haven't, honest," buzzed Bibi softly.Striper walked around Bibi.
He looked at her closely. Finally he said: "Bibi, I can see your sting.
You're lazy. That's what you are. Well now I'm going to tell the Queen,
and then you'll be in big trouble.""Oh Striper, please don't tell the
Queen. I'm not lazy. Really I'm not. I can't go outside to collect
honey. You see I'm agor...agorapho...I'm frightened of open spaces.
That's why I pretend to be a drone. Don't tell, please. I'll do
anything you want," begged Bibi.Striper thought for a moment. "OK. OK.
I won't tell, but from now on, you will do all of my work. You will
also bring me Royal Jelly from the Royal pantry whenever I want it,
OK," buzzed Striper angrily.Bibi agreed. Everyday Bibi got up early to
do Striper's work. Then she did her own work. She fed the Royal eggs
with Royal Jelly. When the other bees were busy, Bibi took Royal Jelly
for Striper. Striper got fatter and fatter. And the fatter he got the
more Royal Jelly he wanted.After a few weeks Bibi was tired. She was so
tired she didn't know how she could carry on. Every night Bibi cried
herself to sleep. It was on one such night that Bibi heard a soft
whisper in the dark."Hello Bibi, don't be afraid. My name's Chuckles,
and I've come to help you."Bibi looked up. She wiped the tears from her
eyes. Then she wiped her eyes again. She couldn't believe it. For
there, in front of her was the most beautiful bee in the whole world.
"Wh...Who are you?" asked Bibi.Chuckles knelt down beside Bibi. "I've
told you, I've come to help you. Will you trust me?" "I...I suppose
so," answered Bibi. "But how can you help me?"Chuckles smiled at Bibi.
"Well, as I see it you have a fear of open spaces. If I could you show
how to fetch honey, and never get lost, would you try it?""I...I don't
know," said Bibi. "But I could try. Anything must be better than my
life as it is.""Right," said Chuckles. "Firstly, you must trust me
above all of your fears. Secondly, I will teach you the waggle
dance.""What's the waggle dance?" asked Bibi."The waggle dance is a
dance that tells other bees where to find honey.""But how?" asked
Bibi.Chuckles sat down. "Well, when worker bees leave the hive. They
have to find some flowers and then they collect the honey. When they
come back to the hive they do the waggle dance. The way they dance
tells all of the other bees in the hive which way to go. So you see,
once you learn the waggle dance you can never get lost. Then you will
never be frightened again. Will you let me teach you the dance?"Bibi
agreed to try and learn the waggle dance. Chuckles started to dance.
Wiggle, waggle. Waggle, wiggle. Waggle wiggle. When Chuckles had
finished the dance. Bibi jumped up excitedly."It's a figure of eight.
I'm sure I could remember that.""OK, then. Let's go," replied
Chuckles.Bibi and Chuckles joined the other bees leaving the hive. Bibi
soon forgot her fears as she flew high into the air. She followed
Chuckles and the other bees closely. At last they arrived at where the
flowers were.Bibi landed gently onto a large flower carefully. She
lowered her long tongue and drank the flower's nectar greedily. "I've
done it. I've done it," she shouted excitedly. Bibi drank so much
nectar that she felt very sleepy. She couldn't stay awake any longer.
She stretched her legs and lay down and went to sleep.Bibi had a
wonderful dream. She dreamt of flowers, flowers and more flowers. Then
she woke up. She looked around for Chuckles. But she had gone. Bibi
looked around for any of the other bees. But they had gone as well.
Bibi started to cry. "Chuckles, Chuckles, where are you?" sobbed Bibi.
There was no answer. Chuckles and the other bees had flown away and
left Bibi behind. "Oh dear, oh dear. I knew it. I knew this would
happen. I'm lost," muttered Bibi to herself. "Now what shall I do?" She
sat down on the petal and cried. She knew that she had to get home, but
how? The sun was already starting to set. Soon it would be dark. Then
Bibi remembered the waggle dance. "That's it," she cried. "The figure
of eight." She thought for a moment. The trouble was she couldn't
remember if it was wiggle, wiggle, waggle, waggle, wiggle, waggle.
"This is no good," she thought to herself. So she sat down again. Bibi
then pictured Chuckles in her mind. She thought of how Chuckles had
taught her the dance. Wiggle, waggle, waggle, wiggle, waggle, wiggle.
"That's it," shouted Bibi, as she flew back to the hive.Bibi flew on
and on. She was sure she was lost. She was about to give in, when
there, in front of her was the entrance to the hive. As she reached the
entrance Chuckles was waiting for her. She was smiling. "Why are you
smiling? And why did you leave me?" asked Bibi.Chuckles winked at Bibi.
"You were never in any danger. I knew you could do it. You just needed
to believe in yourself. And you did. Now go and take the honey to the
Queen."Bibi smiled proudly. "I will." Bibi turned to take the honey to
the Queen. Then she remembered that she hadn't said thank you to
Chuckles. She turned around, but Chuckles had gone. She had vanished
into thin air. It was a funny thing but she never saw Chuckles again.
Mind you she never saw Striper again either.
THE END