44 UNDER THE PLANTAIN LEAF 
drop of honey, which I put in its 
mouth. As soon as it has fairly 
swallowed this, it is ready to run 
about with the rest of us.” 
“Dear me, what a lot of work for 
one little ant!” said the wasp. “If 
it were as much trouble as that to 
get wasps into the world, I think 
there would not be many. Did you 
spend the whole day getting babies 
out of their cradles?” 
“Oh, no, indeed. I had to feed the 
larvae.” 
“I have to do that, too,” said the 
wasp, “and a hard task it is. 
They are such greedy little things.” 
“Our larvae are just the same,” 
said the bee. “Dear, what a lot of 
work they make!” 
