The Bee-Master of Warrilow. 



rigidly adhered to by the old bee-master. First he brought 

 out a pitcher of home-brewed ale, from which all w^ho 

 were to assist in the swarm-taking were required to drini<, 

 as at a solemn rite. The dressing of the skep was his 

 next care. A little of the beer was sprinkled over its in- 

 terior, and then it was carefully scoured out with a handful 

 of balm and lavender and mint. After this the skep was 

 covered up and set aside in the shade ; and the old bee- 

 keeper, carrying an ancient battered copper bowl in one 

 gnarled hand, and a great door-key in the other, would lead 

 the way towards the hive, his drab smock-frock mowing 

 the scarlet tulip-heads down as he went. 



Sometimes the swarm went off without any preliminary 

 warning, just as if the skep had burst like a bombshell, 

 volleying its living contents into the sky. But oftener it 

 went through the several stages of a regular process. 

 After much waiting and many false alarms, a peculiar stir 

 would come in the throng of bees cumbering the entrance 

 to the hive. Thousands rose on the wing, until the sun- 

 shine overhead was charged with them as with countless 

 fluttering atoms of silver-foil ; and a wild joyous song 

 spread far and wide, overpowering all other sounds in the 

 garden. Within the hive the rich bass note had ceased ; 

 and a hissing noise, like a great caldron boiling over, took 

 its place, as the bees inside came pouring out to join the 

 carolling multitude above. Last of all came the queen. 

 Watching for her through the glittering gauzy atmosphere 

 of flashing wings, she was always strangely conspicuous, 

 with her long pointed body of brilliant chestnut-red. She 

 came hustling forth ; stopped for an instant to comb her 

 antennae on the edge of the foot-board ; then soared 

 straight up into the blue, the whole swarm crowding deli- 

 riously in her train. 



Immediately the old bee-man commenced a weird tom- 

 tomming on his metal bowl. ** Ringing the bees " was 

 an exact science with him. They were supposed to fly 

 higher or lower according to the measure of the music ; 

 and now the great door-key beat out a slow, stately chime 

 like a cathedral bell. Whether this ringing of the old- 

 time skeppists had any real influence on the movements of 

 a swarm has never been absolutely determined ; but there 

 was no doubt in this case of the bee-keeper's perfect faith 

 34 



