Buzz a Buzz: or, The Bees

Crack! Crack! and, as I hope to thrive,
The same befel the other five;

The bees rush forth and quit the hive!

John on his knees, and free from harm
Marked well the disappearing swarm.

Two boys were making pies of dirt
Close by, and playing with a squirt;
They squirted at the bees to stop 'em,
Squirted in vain; they could not drop 'em.

Old Sally met them with her mop,
And Sammy trumpeted, stop! stop!

And Dick and Bob and Bill they screeched,
But not a sound these flyers reached —

A Sweep upon the chimney top
Showered soot upon them, and cried "Stop!"

When they had cleared the churches roof,
Sam Dutton put his gun to proof;

John Dull came panting up behind
And could no other stopper find;

He stamped and swore and scratched his head,
"A pretty dance I have been led,"
"Confound the bees; I've got a warming"
Some way I'll find to stop their swarming;
A hive I'll build as big as two,
Sold by Mancubrian P.tt.gr.w.

Fytte V. The Patent Monster Hive

Adverse events reveal the real man,
So Horace wrote, refute this truth who can.

And John Dull to its full completion wrought
The inspiration of his sudden thought.
"Room for the swarm!" This is great Nature's law,
And so he built two monstrous hives of straw. —

"Good morning neighbour" from across the fence
Cried out Dick Dean. "May I without offence"
"Ask what your making." "Why these blessed bees,"
"I find them creatures plaguey hard to please."

"Plaguey! dont say so – they're a real pleasure,"
"I love to watch them when I have the leisure;"
"Besides each scholar knows in antient days,"
"How Maro sung his little darlings praise."
"And when the Roman legions brought alarm"
"To every inmate of his Mantuan farm, – "
"Smiling he stood, amidst his winged host;"
"The mailed warriors fled and left him at his post."

"All this I know – Beekeeping would be charming,"
"If there was never such a thing as swarming."

"But grubs my friend! your bees are sure to breed,"
"Swarms come from grubs, as corn crops come from seed."
"Grubs you must have; and when your swarming's done,"
"Two hives you'll find, where erst you had but one."

"Bother the grubs; I know a better way,"
"My patent monster hives, they are the things to pay."

Fytte VI. The Bear

Eugene would often take his lunch,
Of dry black bread a monstrous hunch,
Into a wood – ere he got through it
He wished he'd some nice honey to it —
When all at once it chanced a bee
He saw creep up a hollow tree;
Another came, then two, and three.
"Hurrah! there's honey here for me,"
Eugene exclaimed, "No more I'll eat
This nasty bread, but have a treat." —

"Honey for ever!" up he clomb
To the trees fork – the honey comb
He saw below him in the beech
Hollowed by age, beyond his reach —

His hold he missed and sad to tell
Down midst the honey combs he fell;

Into the cakes his boots went crush,
As though it were mere muddy slush.

Honey he found but every school-boy knows
He cannot eat his sweetmeats with his clothes.

Another Bee Hunter that way
One Mister Bruin chanced to stray;