THE HONEY-BEE. 
205 
afraid of bees, but was completely cured of her fear 
by the following incident. A swarm having left a 
hive, I observed the Queen alight by herself, at a 
little distance from the apiary. I immediately called 
my little friend, that I might show her this import- 
ant personage ; she was anxious to have a nearer 
view of her majesty, and therefore, having first caused 
her to draw on her gloves, I gave the Queen into her 
hand. Scarcely had I done so, when we were sur- 
rounded by the whole bees of the swarm. In this 
emergency I encouraged the trembling girl to be 
steady, and to fear nothing, remaining myself close 
by her, and covering her head and shoulders with a 
thin handkerchief. I then made her stretch out the 
hand that held the Queen, and the bees instantly 
alighted on it, and hung from her fingers as from the 
branch of a tree. The little girl, experiencing no 
injury, was delighted above measure at the novel 
sight, and so entirely freed from all fear, that she bade 
me uncover her face. The spectators were charmed 
at the interesting spectacle. I at length brought a 
hive, and shaking the swarm from the child’s hand, 
it was lodged in safety without inflicting a single 
sting.” 
This instance, though amusing, must yield in in- 
terest to the following from Tliorley, an old English 
bee-master. It has been often told, but, for the 
reasons already stated, deserves to be repeated : — 
“In the year 1717, one of my swarms settled among 
the close-twisted branches of a codling tree, and not 
to be got into a hive without help, my maid-servant. 
