A Sticky Trial

*Bzz* “This is ridiculous! We’re just *bzz* sitting around letting other people make decisions while our *bzz* honey is going to waste? I say we take it!” Hymettus buzzed frequently when he was upset, and his anger was obvious in his tone and his body language. He was expressing what had become a very common sentiment among the bees.

“We must remember to stay calm. It is not as easy as you suggest. We were lucky enough as it was to avoid an all-out war. The hive is still weak and we simply do not have the capabilities to handle that kind of strain.” Kolbee was a very well respected and important member in the hive. He was the general in charge, but he was also wise enough to know when not to fight. Kolbee also played a good-sized part in raising the male bees in the colony, including Hymettus.

Hymettus’ eyes drifted to the side and down, avoiding eye contact. “Yeah, well, I still think….” he paused and kicked the dirt, “I still don’t think we should be leaving it in someone else’s hands.” He mumbled as he got that last part out. Hymettus viewed Kolbee as a father figure, but even if he didn’t, he would still be too afraid to talk back to someone so austere. It was easy to be brave in the face of giants and wasps, but an angry elder was oddly frightening.

*bang**bang* The Honorable Judge Hornet slammed her gavel down with authority to ensure that she grabbed everyone’s attention. “Quiet down, everyone. Will the queens please present themselves and let us begin?”

Kolbee quickly took his place on the prosecutor’s side and spoke up. “The queen is bedridden as she is full with children. In her absence, I am acting ruler of the Beehive and will take her place.”

Judge Hornet let out a wearisome sigh. “Very well, we may proceed. Now, let me go over the claims from the last session again. In a large hole halfway up a tree in the Honeystyx Forest rested a great reserve of honey. The wasps began moving much of this honey to their nest to prepare for the coming winter, am I correct?” Both sides barely managed the first shake of a nod when the Judge began again. “Now, here is where we differ. The bees claim that the honey belongs to them, and as proof of their ownership of the tree and its contents, they have an old, abandoned hive still hanging from one of the upper branches. The wasps disputed this claim, stating that they moved in to take over the spot after the bees had left and, in fact, they own the honey.”

At this, both sides of the courtroom, both the bees and wasps, immediately began yelling at each other, arguing over whose honey it really was. The gavel instantly thundered down multiple times as the Judge tried to regain her courtroom. “ENOUGH!” Both sides rapidly faded out, a few insults being tossed from both sides as the complaints slowed to a stop. “Now, I have subpoenaed and questioned many creatures in the area, from the ants to the termites to the caterpillars to try and figure out who was there first and made the honey. Unfortunately, all I have been able to get out of the witnesses is that the true owners are yellow-and-black-striped humming creatures with wings. Since all of you fit this description, I fear I do not know what to do. I will adjourn court until I have made a decision. In the meantime, no one is to touch the honey.”

The place would have exploded in a uproar if not for the wasp queen and Kolbee instantly settling down their respective peoples. Then, a particularly old bee stood up and slowly made his way down toward the Judge’s chair.

Hymettus sprang up and grabbed one of the old bee’s wings to try and restrain him. “Grandpa, what do you think you’re doing? Go sit back down!” However, when his elderly grandpa turned around and flashed him the evil eye, it was Hymettus who quickly took his seat quietly. He turned back to the judge and spoke confidently. “Your Honor, I believe that you have deliberated long enough. The honey is serving no one like this. I suggest that you have both sides build a honeycomb. I think that this will show who truly owns the honey.”

The bees stayed quiet, waiting anxiously to hear a ‘yes’ from the Judge. The wasps, however, were in a frenzy. Even their queen began to object, and when she did so, Judge Hornet knew to whom the honey belonged. “You are a wise bee, and you have made the truth clear to me. Let it be known that the bees are the rightful owners of the honey. I hereby order that the wasps return all of the stolen honey, or else face the full force of these woods and their inhabitants.”

With that ruling, it became known to all creatures in lands near and far that the bees were the only true crafters of the honey.

Bees and Wasps at a Trial with Judge Hornet

Milo Winter (date unknown). Source: Project Gutenburg

Author’s Note: Another one of the ever-so-lovely to work with Aesop’s Fables. This week, it was The Bees and Wasps, and the Hornet. One important thing to mention is that the ending might very well change during next week’s revisions. Not the ruling or anything, just the last sentence. I might adjust it or add more depending on what direction I take with the fourth installment. The first two ended with lead-ins to the next, and I might do that with the revisions next week, but if I take the last chapter in the direction that I’d like to, then it might be fine as it is (with maybe a little tweaking). Also, Hymettus kicked the dirt in paragraph three. I’m not sure what a bee kicking anything looks like, but we’ll just go with it anyway. Now, I know some of you (or all of you) were probably expecting some all-out war this week, so I apologize for that, but I thought this was a good story over honey, and last week was just so action-packed that I wasn’t sure if you’d be able to take another heart-pounding episode. I changed a few details from the original story, but I feel that the adjustments simply fit better with the storybook that I already have in place.

Bibliography: “The Bees and Wasps, and the Hornet” translator not identified, from Aesop’s Fables. Web source: Project Gutenburg