Pagina 56 di 274

A Queen Bee from Hymettus flew up to Olympus with some fresh

honey from the hive as a present to Jupiter, who was so pleased

with the gift that he promised to give her anything she liked to

ask for. She said she would be very grateful if he would give

stings to the bees, to kill people who robbed them of their

honey. Jupiter was greatly displeased with this request, for he

loved mankind: but he had given his word, so he said that stings

they should have. The stings he gave them, however, were of such

a kind that whenever a bee stings a man the sting is left in the

wound and the bee dies.

Evil wishes, like fowls, come home to roost.

THE OAK AND THE REEDS