Dispute witli a Peacock Butterfly. 35 



" I should think so ! " replied Buz. " The first time I 

 met her, I was carrying in some honey, and was pass- 

 ing between two combs, when, without knowing why, 

 I found myself turning round to the right and bow- 

 ing away like any thing! 'What's the matter with 

 me?' thought I; 'this is quite ridiculous' — but 

 ridiculous or not, I did not seem to be able to stop, 

 and was actually getting angry with myself, when I 

 saw, in the midst of a circle of, bees close to me, one 

 who I felt must be the queen. She was so long in 

 the body and so graceful, and her wings were so 

 much shorter than ours, that no one could help see- 

 ing the difference at once ; and, then, all the bees 

 round were careful to keep their heads turned 

 toward her. She was busy laying eggs, and I 

 watched her for some time ; but one got tired of 

 that, and so I squeezed out of the crowd. I suppose 

 you've seen her too? " 



" Oh, yes ! " answered Hum, " and she noticed me 

 quite kindly ; I'd do any thing for her — any thing ! " 



"Certainly," said Buz; "I suppose you feel that 

 you couldn't do a stroke of work unless you knew 

 that she was in the hive, and all safe." 



"Yes," answered Hum, " I quite feel so." 



" With regard to that," pursued Buz, " every bee 

 in the hive is just the same." 



