FABLES. 



145 



THE BEES, THE DRONES, AND THE 

 WASP. 



A number of Drones, who had long lived at their 

 ease in a hive of Bees, without contributing by their 

 labour to make any honey, at length began to dis- 

 pute the right of the Bees, and insisted that both 

 the honey and the combs were their property. The 

 Bees, after much altercation, at last offered to leave 

 the dispute to reference, and this being assented to 

 by the Drones, the Wasp was chosen umpire. 

 Accordingly, he began by declaring, that as both 

 parties, he hoped, were his friends, and he wished 

 them well, he would instantly proceed upon the in- 

 vestigation. I must own, says he, that the point is 

 somewhat dubious, for I have often seen you both 

 in the same hive, and excepting that the Drones 

 are of a more portly size and appearance, you are 



VOL. IV. U 



