Mother Truth's Melodies Part 20

These last complete the larvae-cells, And nurse and feed the young; They mix the bee-bread, cleanse the hive, And care for every drone.

All bees have stings except the drones, And these, when Autumn nears, Are stung to death with furious wrath, As by the book appears.

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And now I hope you children all, Will use your wondrous power To "gather honey all the day, From every opening flower."

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BBB R YYY B U YY

[Footnote: Bees are wises; Be you wise.]

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_HONEY-SWEET._

"Ah, but how do bees make honey?"

Now the children, eager, ask; And we'll try to give them answer, If we're able for the task.

See, the under-lip is lengthened, Like a trunk or proboscis, Ending by a kind of b.u.t.ton, Fringed with tiny moving hairs.

All along its length, too, fringes, Just the same, are growing forth; And by means of these, the honey Is conveyed from flowers to mouth.

Then the bee has two small stomachs, In the first of which is stored All the honey it can gather, But, when home, 'tis quick out-poured.

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Bees have six legs; and in hindmost, There are baskets found, or bags, Into which the pollen gathered, Is brushed off by the other legs.

And this pollen, for the bee-bread And as food for young, they use, Mixed with honey and with water,-- Swallowed and disgorged like juice

By the nurses, who digest it Partly, for the larvae-food, Taking care that each shall have it, Just according to the brood.

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Now we'll watch and see them working; See them brush off pollen-dust; See them, too, disgorge the honey, Into cells the sweetness thrust.

Children, with your useful fingers, Hands and arms and feet and head, Do not let the bees surpa.s.s you, Making honey, nay, nor bread.

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_WHAT THEY SAY._

Those creatures that chew the cud, The "RUMINANTS" we call, From "Rumen," or the stomach-pouch, In which their food doth fall.

A "SPECIES" is a kind Of animals or plants;-- Each species has a different name, And differing traits and wants,--

And species may unite To form a RACE we know, For _race_ from _root_ is always drawn, And _roots_ must spread and grow.

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That men and women are The race most choice and fine, We plainly see, and sometimes call, The _Human Race Divine_.

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The n.o.ble Horse neighs out, "I am the race _Equine_, And nearest seem, and dearest to The 'human race, divine.'"

The Ox and Cow l-o-o, l-o-o, "We are the race _Bovine_; And we most useful are, unto The 'human race, divine.'"

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The a.s.s and Mule bray out, "Our race is_ a.s.sinine_, And very like us seem some of The 'human race, divine.'"

The Dog bow-wows as race _Canine, Canine, Canine_; {212} While Tigers, Cats and Catamounts, G-r-o-w-l, growl, as race _Feline_.

The Lion, king of beasts (Feline), roars "_Leonine_;"-- The Lamb that's to lie down with him, Ba-a, ba-as for race _Ovine_.

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Fishes in lakes or seas or rivers Sport _Piscine_; While birds in air or cages close, Sing, "race _Avine, Avine_."

All bees in hives or wild, Hum out the race _Apine_; {214} And reptiles all rejoicing crawl In race _Reptilian_.

I've a name that's made up of three letters alone,-- That reads backwards and forwards the same; I speak without sound,--yes, I talk without tongue.

And to beauty I lay the first claim.

A word of three syllables, children, now find, That holds the whole twenty-six letters combined. [1]

The B ing m t, John put some: [2]