Aesop
|
Greece

The Bees and Wasps, and The Hornet

Bees and Wasps fought over honey, but the wise Hornet settled the dispute, testing their abilities and declaring Bees as the rightful owners.
Justice
Problem-Solving
Honesty
Aesop's Fables - The Bees and Wasps, and The Hornet
Audio available for B1 version

Once upon a time in the heart of a lush forest, a sweet, golden pool of honey was discovered inside a hollow tree. The Wasps came buzzing in, claiming that they had found the honey first and it belonged to them. But the Bees buzzed back, insisting that they were the true owners. The argument grew so intense that it seemed like a fight could break out at any moment!

Just as things were about to escalate, the insects agreed to let someone else resolve their dispute. They decided to take their case to the Hornet, the wise and impartial judge of the forest.

As the Hornet commenced the hearing, several witnesses testified to having seen striped yellow and black insects buzzing loudly near the hollow tree. Upon hearing this, the Wasps promptly argued that the witnesses were referring to them. However, this did not aid the Hornet in making a decision. He remained confused and requested some time to contemplate. He announced that he would render a verdict in six weeks.

When the case was reconvened, even more witnesses were present. Among them was an Ant, prepared to share its knowledge. But before the Ant could speak, a wise old Bee stepped forward.

"Dear Judge," said the Bee, "this case has been ongoing for a considerable time. If we do not resolve it soon, the honey will spoil. I propose a test. Let both the Bees and the Wasps attempt to construct a honeycomb. Then we shall ascertain who truly owns the honey."

The Wasps vehemently disliked this idea, buzzing and protesting loudly. However, Judge Hornet was astute. He understood why the Wasps resisted building a honeycomb: they were incapable of doing so!

"Now, it is evident," declared the Judge, "who had the capability to create the honeycomb and who did not. Therefore, the honey belongs to the Bees."

And thus, the Bees were rightfully declared the owners of the honey, and the defeated Wasps flew away.

In a big forest, there is a tree. Inside the tree, there is honey. The Wasps find the honey first. They say, "The honey is ours."

The Bees see the honey. They say, "No, the honey is ours." The Bees and the Wasps argue. They shout loudly.

They go to the Hornet. The Hornet is wise. He can help.

The Hornet listens. Many insects say they see yellow and black insects. The Wasps say, "Those are us." But the Hornet is not sure. He needs more time. He says, "Come back in six weeks."

After six weeks, more insects come. Before the Ant can speak, an old Bee says, "Judge, the honey will go bad. Let the Bees and Wasps make a honeycomb. This will show the real owners."

The Wasps do not like this idea. They make noise. But the Hornet understands. He knows Wasps cannot make honeycombs.

The Hornet says, "Only Bees make honeycombs. The honey is for the Bees."

The Bees are happy. They take the honey. The Wasps are sad and leave.

Once upon a time in a thick forest, there was a golden pool of honey hidden inside a tree. The Wasps found it first and said the honey was theirs because they found it. But the Bees said the honey belonged to them. They argued loudly about who owned the honey.

To avoid a fight, they asked the Hornet to help. The Hornet was known for being wise and fair.

At the trial, many insects said they saw yellow and black striped insects near the tree. The Wasps quickly said those were them, but the Hornet was still not sure. He asked for more time to decide and set another trial for six weeks later.

At the next trial, more witnesses came. Before an Ant could speak, an old Bee spoke up.

"Judge," the Bee said, "we need to decide quickly, or the honey will spoil. I suggest a challenge: let both Bees and Wasps try to make a honeycomb. This will show who the real owners are."

The Wasps did not like this idea and made a lot of noise. But the Hornet understood. He knew Wasps could not make honeycombs.

"It is clear," the Judge said, "who can make honeycombs and who cannot. The honey belongs to the Bees."

The Bees were happy and took their honey, while the sad Wasps left.

Once upon a time, in a forest so full of trees you couldn't even play hide-and-seek properly, there was a special tree with honey so golden it could make you say, "Wow!"

Zooming in like race cars, here come the Wasps! "Beep beep! This honey's OURS, thank you very much!"

But hold on! Here come the Bees, buzzing in from the other side. "Wait just a buzzy second! We made this yummy honey, not you!"

It was like watching your favorite cartoon, where everyone's talking and nobody's listening.

Just as everyone was about to go into "battle mode," they agreed to let Hornet, the wisest bug in the forest, figure out who was right.

Hornet puts on his thinking face and says, "Okay, critters, come and tell me what you know!"

A couple of bugs come forward, but all they say is they saw stripey bugs near the tree. That wasn't much help! Hornet says, "Hmm, I need to think about this. Let's meet back here in six weeks."

Six weeks go by, and everybody comes back. Even some ants joined in, like they're here to save the day. But before any ant could talk, a wise old Bee buzzes up front.

The Bee says, "Judge Hornet, listen up! If we don't solve this soon, the yummy honey will go yucky! How about a game? Let's see who can make a honeycomb!"

The Wasps went all buzzy and wild. "No way! Not fair! We demand a re-buzz!"

But Hornet, being super clever, says, "Hmm, if you can't make a honeycomb, then it's pretty clear you didn't make the honey. So the Bees win!"

And just like that, the Bees got to keep their honey and probably had a big honey party. The Wasps? Well, they had to buzz away. Yep, they left. No honey for them!

Golden honey, deep in tree,
Both the Wasps and Bees claim, "It's for me!"
Buzz and hum fill the air,
A fight could happen, they all swear.

A judge they seek, a Hornet wise,
To listen well and then advise.
He hears the claims, both here and there,
Yet finds the truth too tough to bear.

Six weeks he asks to think it through,
Then calls them back—the buzzing crew.
More insects gather, tales to tell,
An Ant prepares, but wait—what's that smell?

An elder Bee steps forth to say,
"The honey spoils if we delay.
Let's have a test, as fair can be,
Who makes a comb owns honey, see?"

The Wasps buzz loud, "That's not the way!"
But Hornet knows what's in their play.
They can't make combs, that much is clear,
So Hornet speaks, for all to hear.

"Bees, you win, the case is closed,
You made the comb, as we supposed.
Wasps, depart, it's plain to see,
The honey's owned by busy Bees."

So Bees rejoiced, their claim was just,
The Wasps flew off, in quiet disgust.
And all knew then, in tree so grand,
It's skill and proof that claim the land.

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Word Finder

  1. Forest

    A big area with many trees.

  2. Honey

    Sweet, sticky food made by bees.

  3. Wasps

    Insects similar to bees but not friendly.

  4. Argue

    To speak angrily to someone because you disagree.

  5. Shout

    To say something very loudly.

  6. Hornet

    A big, strong insect like a wasp.

  7. Wise

    Knowing a lot from experience, smart.

  8. Judge

    Someone who decides who is right.

  9. Honeycomb

    A structure bees make to store honey.

  10. Owners

    Someone who has something, it belongs to them.

  1. Thick

    Very deep or dense with trees.

  2. Hidden

    Placed where it cannot be seen.

  3. Argued

    Talked angrily because they disagreed.

  4. Trial

    A meeting to decide something important.

  5. Witnesses

    People who see something happen.

  6. Spoil

    Go bad and cannot be used.

  7. Challenge

    A difficult task or problem.

  8. Belonged

    Owned by someone or something.

  9. Decide

    Make a choice about something.

  10. Honeycomb

    Structure where bees store honey.

Understanding Questions

  1. Where is the honey?

    1. On a rock
    2. Inside a tree
    3. Under the ground
    4. In the water
  2. Who finds the honey first?

    1. The Bees
    2. The Wasps
    3. The Ants
    4. The Hornet
  3. Who do the Bees and Wasps go to for help?

    1. The Ant
    2. The Spider
    3. The Hornet
    4. The Butterfly
  4. What does the old Bee suggest to solve the problem?

    1. To share the honey
    2. To wait six weeks
    3. To make a honeycomb
    4. To move to another tree
  5. Who takes the honey in the end?

    1. The Wasps
    2. The Bees
    3. The Ants
    4. The Hornet
  1. What problem did the Wasps and the Bees face in the story?
  2. Why did the insects choose the Hornet as a judge?
  3. What evidence was discussed during the trial that made it difficult for the Hornet to decide who the honey belonged to?
  4. What challenge did the old Bee suggest to determine the true owners of the honey?
  5. How did the Hornet determine that the honey belonged to the Bees?
  1. Why did the Wasps and the Bees argue about the honey?
  2. What did the Hornet do to resolve the dispute between the Wasps and the Bees?
  3. What evidence did the insects provide during the trial to support their claims?
  4. How did the old Bee suggest resolving the argument about the ownership of the honey?
  5. What was the final decision made by the Hornet regarding the ownership of the honey, and why?

Reflection Questions

  1. Why do you think the Bees and the Wasps couldn't decide who the honey belonged to by themselves?
  2. Can you think of a time when someone had to step in to solve a problem between two friends or siblings?
  3. What lesson can we learn from the test proposed by the wise old Bee?
  4. How does this story show us the importance of fairness and honesty?
  5. How can we use the lesson from this story to deal with disagreements or disputes in our own lives?

Fable Quotes

Fairness blooms when truth is the seed of judgment.
A clever solution can resolve even the stickiest of disputes.
Truth has a way of unveiling the masked pretense.
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