354 The Honey-Makers 



Mirrors and bright tin pans are in some places used to 

 reflect the sun upon the swarm, which, it is beheved, will 

 cause it to setde instead of flying away. 



Although the bee has a reputation for exceeding great vir- 

 tue and is said to loathe dishonesty in man to such a de- 

 gree that it will pine and die under the care of a dishonest 

 keeper, the facts do not wholly warrant the fable, for it is 

 well known that during a period of scarcity it will steal 

 the stores of other bees if it can get a chance. In fact the 

 robbing propensity of bees is one of the difficulties of bee- 

 keeping. There used to be a way of controlling this, how- 

 ever, and that was by the magic use of the gimlet. If one 

 turned this instrument forward in the wood or straw of 

 which the hive was made, at the same time naming the 

 three highest names, he could drive his own bees to suc- 

 cessful robbery ; if he turned it backwards he could thus 

 prevent stranger bees of thieving intent from entering his 

 hives. 



Another preventive to robbery is to fasten the windpipe 

 of a marten or polecat at the entrance hole to the hive, in 

 such a way that the bees must pass it in going in and out. 

 It has the power of checking the course of the robber bees. 



The smoke of wormwood grown in a graveyard is also 

 believed to be an efficient deterrent against robbers. 



Thieving bees are not the only enemies to the hives, 

 however. Toads are fond of a meal of bees, and in 

 Pomerania a so-called toad-stone is placed under the hive 

 to banish these nuisances ; while as a charm against 

 honey-stealing ants, fish spawn in some places is put near 

 the entrance hole. 



A truly beautiful relation exists between the German 

 bee-keeper and his litde subjects which is well expressed 

 by his name of" bee-father." 



A very pleasing custom still lingers in parts of Germany, 



