The Sun's Babies Page 3

  But one day his appetite failed. "I feel very queer," he said. "Iwill go up into the air." He crawled slowly up a reed and hung on toit above the water, and there he seemed to sleep for days and weeks,neither moving nor eating. The mosquito babies could have a good timenow--if there were any left.

  As he hung there his skin grew strangely hard and dry and shrunken, asif it were becoming a lifeless case. And that is just what washappening. Inside it the Dragon was growing into something quitedifferent from what he had been.

  One morning he stirred. "How close and dark it is in here!" he said."I must go out."

  He put his head against the end of the case and pushed hard. Crack!went the dry skin, and out popped his head. "This is tiring work," hesaid; he stopped to rest and to grow used to the strong light.

  Soon he began again. He pushed and pushed till the opening grew wideenough for his body; then he crawled slowly out and stood on top of hisold skin. He felt strange and damp and chilly at first, but the sunwas delightfully warm, so he stood still, to be dried and comforted.

  "How changed I am!" he thought. Indeed, the change was wonderful. Theflabby grey body and the ugly mask and claws were gone. In theirplaces he had a long, slender body barred with black and gold, ashapely head with two big bronze-green eyes and delicate feelers, andsix supple finely-jointed legs.

  And he had wings! Yes, four beautiful, beautiful wings. He raisedthem one by one to dry them. He quivered with joy as he looked attheir delicate lacework and lovely colours. "How fine they are! Andhow glorious it will be to fly!" he thought.

  Soon he was dried and warmed. He spread his glittering wings, roseinto the air, and sailed away to play with his cousins and catchmoths--a Pool Dragon no longer, but a shining Dragon-fly.

  GOLD BROOM AND WHITE BROOM

  On a piece of waste land lived the Broom cousins.

  "My leaves are bigger than yours," said Gold Broom to White Broom.

  "Size is not everything," said White Broom to Gold Broom; they werealways sparring at one another.

  Buds came on the branches. Then the flowers sprang out and danced inthe sunshine.

  "How pale and small your children are!" said Gold Broom to White Broom."Mine are golden and well grown. See how strong and happy they look."

  "Yellow is such a common colour," said White Broom to Gold Broom."White is much more refined. My children are not overgrown, but theyare dainty. And how sweetly they are scented!"

  The bees and moths came flying amongst the flowers, unrolling theirlong tongues and sipping up the honey.

  "Are not my children the best?" asked Gold Broom of the bees.

  "Are not mine?" asked White Broom.

  "That is hard to decide," said the Bees. "We love them all alike.Gold Broom's children have more honey, but White Broom's honey issweeter to the taste." They flew away to their hive, leaving themothers to argue it out.

  The children took no part in the discussion. They were too happy toquarrel. They played and danced every day, till at last they grewtired. Then they dropped their bright wings and shut themselves awayin their little green houses.

  Here they sat in rows on round stools and grew fat. The walls werelined with wool, so that the cold could not come in; every day GoldBroom and White Broom sent food up the stalk-passages to them. Thusthey were comfortable and happy.

  But outside the mothers were still quarrelling.

  "My houses are bigger than yours," said Gold Broom.

  "As I told you before, size is nothing," replied White Broom. "Anyway,mine are much finer in shape."

  The houses turned brown and black, and the children turned brown andblack. They were big and strong now, and they wished to come out. Oneby one Gold Broom and White Broom twisted the walls of the houses. Outsprang the children into the world. Pop! pop! pop! Such a splittingand twisting of little house-walls curling back upon each other! Sucha jumping of brown and black children far out over the ground!

  "Mine jump the farthest," said Gold Broom.

  "Mine jump much more gracefully," said White Broom.

  The children lay on the ground. The sun shone on them, the rainsoftened their hard coats. They swelled and burst, tiny shoots cameout, and in a little while the ground was green with hundreds of youngbroom plants.

  "Mine are growing the best," said Gold Broom.

  "What nonsense you talk!" said White Broom.

  KITTY CRAYFISH'S HOUSEKEEPING

  Kitty Crayfish passed the first part of her life clinging under hermother's bent tail. But one day her mother said: "You are old enoughto take care of yourself now, little Kitty. Make a house in the bank,and always creep into it while you change your shell."

  She swam to the bank at the side of the stream, gently placed Kitty ona flat stone, and left her there. Kitty was not at all afraid. Shewas very tiny, but she was exactly like her mother in shape, and hadthe same strong claws and jaws. She set to work at once to burrow inthe bank, and soon had a neat little house made. Tired with her hardwork, she threw herself down and slept.

  When she woke she felt hungry; so she went out to look for food. Shewalked forwards, creeping on eight of her queer jointed legs; but whenshe reached the water she turned round and swam backwards, using theblades of her wide tail as front paddles, and bringing all her swimminglegs and swimmerets into play.

  She made a good meal, for there were plenty of worms and grubs and tinyfish on the mud-floor of the stream, and her nippers were long andstrong. While she was feeding, Old Man Crayfish came striding alongthe mud-floor. He would have eaten her for dinner if he could havecaught her, for he was very fond of tender babies now and again. Butshe saw him coming, and was off before he could reach her. She swamback to her new home, well pleased with herself. Her housekeeping hadbegun well; she felt that she was able to take care of herself.

  A few days later her mother peeped in at the door.

  "You seem very comfortable," she said; "but are you not coming outto-day?"

  "No," said Kitty; "I don't feel very well. My shell feels far tootight."

  "Ah! it is going to split," said her mother. "I can see it looks verythin. You are quite right to stay in. Don't show yourself till thenew one is hard, or somebody will devour you."

  Kitty stayed in her house, lying still and feeling very queer. By andby her shell split across the back, just beneath her shield. Shepushed her head out through the slit. Then she slowly drew the rest ofher body out, till she stood quite outside her old shell, shivering andcold, and a little afraid. Her old covering lay there, legs andfeelers and shield and tail; even the skins of the eyes on their littlestalks. She herself stood in a new shell, exactly the same in shape,but quite soft.

  Afterwards Kitty became accustomed to these wonderful changes; for shegrew so fast that she had to have a new shell eight times during thefirst year of her life, five times the second year, and once every yearafter that till she stopped growing. Each time she had to hide in herhouse till the new shell became hard enough to protect her; then sheswam out again, hungrier and stronger than ever.

  She has been living in her burrowed house for years, making it biggeras she herself grew bigger. She is there to-day. She is amother-crayfish now, and carries her little ones under her tail untilthey, too, are big enough to keep house for themselves.

  THE GARDEN PARTY

  It was a lovely summer morning. Everybody in the garden was busy, forin the afternoon the flowers were to give their great garden-party.The bees and flies and moths and butterflies and little beetles wereall invited.

  In the pansy plot the pansies put on their best velvet frocks, andbrushed their little green shoes. The lilies dressed themselves inwhite, and hung bags of golden dust around their necks. The sweet-peasand roses and larkspurs were gay in many-coloured silks. Theysprinkled scent over themselves, and filled their honey-jars full ofsweetest honey for their visitors. All was cheerfulness and hustle.

  At last the afternoon came and the vi
sitors arrived. What excitement!Such a buzzing and chattering! Such a bowing and smiling and politeshaking of wings and feelers! The bees and moths and flies andbutterflies and little beetles flew about, singing with pleasure anddrinking the delicious honey provided for them. They told the smilingflowers how lovely they were, and the flowers in return dusted themwith their golden dust. As the visitors flew from flower to flowerthey carried the golden pollen dust with them, leaving a little hereand there; thus the flowers were able to exchange.

  At last the party was over. The guests flew home well pleased, and thegarden was quiet again. Night came; the flowers dropped their heads,and many slept.

  But in the darkness some were awake, and they began to whisper to theirneighbours: "Did you exchange?" The answers came: "Yes." "We didtoo." "So did we." "I shall not open to-morrow," said a pansy. "Myexchanges are all made, and my seeds are beginning to grow. The beesfound my honey easily, because my honey-guides helped them; so theycarried all my pollen away, and brought plenty from my cousins."

  "That is so with us," said many of the others. But some said: "We mustkeep open a little longer. Our seeds are not all growing." So theyopened again next day, and gave little parties of their own, till allthe exchanges were made and all the seeds were growing.

  The sunny days passed, and now where the flowers had been were littleseed-cases; some round, some pointed, some oval, but all filled to thebrim with healthy young seeds. The sun shone on them, and they grewand grew till the cases would hold them no longer. Then there was asplitting and a bursting and a popping everywhere, and out sprang thelittle seeds, to begin a new life for themselves. As the youngseedlings sprang up on every side, the older plants looked at them withpride. "We have very fine children," they said. "Next year we mustgive another garden-party."

  BLUEBELLS

  Bluebells, bluebells, did the fairies make you? Do they fly to you at night and ring you and shake you, And dance on your slender stalks? Do they stroke you and love you, And whisper above you, And take you for fairy walks?

  COWSLIPS

  O sweet the smell of the cowslip bell! Was ever flower so sweet? I picked it where its soft leaves fell Around its dainty feet.

  How slender is its golden throat! How soft its scented face! It hangs from out its green pale coat With pretty drooping grace.

  OF ROYAL BLOOD

  She was certainly a very grand princess. From the first the nurse-beesfed her with rich golden honey instead of the bee-bread that the commonchildren received. She had a royal bedroom, too, very much larger thanthe others. At meal-times the nurses were always waiting with herhoney; all day long they guarded and watched her, and fanned fresh airwith their wings into her bedroom. So she grew big and strong.

  One day she said: "I have finished growing, and shall put on my royalrobes. Close the door so that nobody can see me while I dress."

  The nurses closed the door, and she put on her royal robes. When shewas ready they rushed to open the door again. She came out beautifuland shining.

  "Now I am going to be Queen," she said to the bee-people who hadgathered round her.

  "Yes," they said. "The old Queen has gone to a new home and left thisone to you. Hail! Queen of the hive!" They bowed before her withgreat respect, and walked backwards when they left the room.

  Guards and honey-bearers were appointed for her, and maids of honour tokeep her robes in order. So the new Queen entered into her royal state.

  "I am going to be married," she said. She flew out of the hive androse high in the air, and there she was married to Prince Drone.

  "I must be busy," said the Queen, "or there will be no young bees fornext season."

  Up and down the hive passages she went, placing a little egg in eachbedroom, and leaving it there to be hatched by the warmth of the hive.Up and down she went till thousands of eggs were laid.

  All were busy and happy in the hive and everything went well. Then onesad day word went round that the Queen was missing. In a momenteverybody left their work and rushed wildly through the hive, lookingfor her in every room and buzzing out their fear and sorrow. She wasnot in the hive!

  Her guards were questioned. They reported that she had gone for ashort flight in the fresh air, saying that she did not need theirattendance. Scouts were sent out in all directions to look for her,while the bees stood about in groups, too anxious to do anything butwait for news.

  One by one the scouts returned, reporting no success in their search.Others were sent out, and still others, but they too returned with nonews. Then the buzzing died down to a sorrowful silence, for thebee-people felt that their Queen was lost. "She must have met with herdeath out there," they whispered.

  Suddenly a joyful call came from a returning scout; next moment theQueen came flying in, tired and ruffled and shaking with fear. How herpeople crowded about her in their joy! They caressed her, stroked hertrembling wings, and begged her to tell them what had happened.

  "I flew rather far from the hive," she said, "and a huge monster calleda boy threw his cap over me and then picked me up in his hand. I wouldnot sting him as you might have done, so I was helpless. He carried meround the garden to another boy-monster, and they agreed to pull off mywings. Think of my terror! I struggled hard to escape, and at lastmanaged to slip through the clumsy fingers of the monster, and flewhome. Oh dear, it was terrible! I shall never again go out by myself."

  "No, you must not," said her people. "We could not bear to lose ourdear Queen."

  They comforted her, and fed her, and soon the hive was going on againin its old, happy way.

  BILLYBUZZ THE DRONE

  "You are lazy," said the boy who watched the bees. "Why don't you worklike the others?"

  Billybuzz the Drone helped himself to a little more honey from the bestpantry; then he turned his big brown head slowly towards the boy whowatched the bees.

  "You people will never take the trouble to understand us," he said."You call us lazy, but we cannot work. We are not made like theworkers."

  "How is that?" asked the boy. "Surely you can fly about and gatherhoney? That is easy enough."

  "Not if one's tongue is too short," replied the Drone. "The WorkerBees have long, hairy tongues to lick the honey out of the deepflower-cups, but my tongue is too short, and would not reach far enoughdown."

  "But you could gather pollen to make bee-bread for the baby bees," saidthe boy.

  "I have no pollen-basket," said the Drone.

  "Can you not make wax?"

  "No. I have no wax pockets in my coat."

  "Then you could be a soldier-bee, and help to guard the Queen and hive."

  "I should be useless. I have no sting."

  "Oh, well, at any rate you could be a nurse and give the babies theirmeals, like those nurses over there."

  "Why should I? Why should I work at all when I am the King?"

  The boy stared. "You a King!" he cried

  "Yes. Did you not know that we have a King and Queen?" asked the Drone.

  "I knew that you have a Queen; we often hear about her. But I didn'tthink about a King."

  "Well, I am the King--at least, I intend to be soon. At present I am aPrince. When my Queen comes out we shall be married, and then I shallbe King. There are other drones waiting, but they shall not have her.Listen--she is singing in her golden room now. That means that she iscoming out soon. I must be ready for the beautiful Queen."

  He walked out of the hive into the sunshine. Here he brushed himselfand spread his shining wings and looked very big and handsome. Therewas a stir in the hive, and the young Queen flew out and mounted intothe air. With a rush Billybuzz flew swiftly after her, followed by theother drones who had been waiting. Whoever could catch the Queen firstwas to marry her, so they all did their best. Higher and higher theyflew, till they were all out of sight.

  The boy waited below, and presently the disappointed drones came back,bringing the
news that Billybuzz had won the race. So Billybuzz theDrone married the Queen, and became King.

  A few days later the boy again came to watch the bees.

  "Where is Billybuzz the King?" he asked a drone who sat at the frontdoor in the sunshine.

  "Dead!" said the drone.

  "Dear me!" said the boy. "How did that happen?"

  "Oh, he just died," said the drone. "We all die very soon after webecome kings. We are not made to live as long as the workers or thequeens."

  "Is that so? Then I would rather be born a worker than a king," saidthe boy.

  "Everyone to his taste," said the drone. "A short life and a merry onefor me."

  HONEY

  A little golden flower-cup, A little golden bee. A little store of honey made For Nell, and Jack, and me.

  A little crystal honey-jar, A little pantry shelf. A naughty little Nelly-girl Falls down, and hurts herself.

  ON THE HILLSIDE

  The sun shone gaily, the skylark sang her morning song, and thecrickets chirped their merriest; but the things that usually lived sopeacefully on the hillside were quarrelling.

  It was the wind who began it. As he lifted the pollen from one patchof grass-flowers and carried it to the next he cried boastingly: "Whata friend I am to you tiny creatures! If it were not for me you couldbear no seed. I am indeed useful. I am sure nobody does so much good."