156 The Bee People. 



and carry heavy burdens, while the judge 

 hands the drones over to be executed. 



We know the truth about bees now, 

 and yet we like to read these old stories. 



It used to be thought that bees carried 

 little stones in their feet on windy days, 

 so as not to be blown away. Probably 

 the people saw their pollen balls and mis- 

 took them for ballast- 



They used to think, too, that when the 

 bees were belated and had to stay out 

 all night, they would lie on their backs to 

 keep their wings dry. 



A good many people, even yet, will not 

 sell bees, because they think it is unlucky ; 

 and when bees swarm, they sometimes 

 use charms to keep them from going away. 

 An old German bee-keeper, who lived in 

 the United States, had such a charm. 



He told it to a little girl, but said it 

 would bring bad luck if she were to repeat 

 it to another girl. She might tell it to a 

 man, or a boy, and he to another girl, and 



