But they flew out nevertheless, for they had been in the hive all winter and were longing for a breath of fresh air. Buzzing and humming, they stretched their legs and tried their wings. They swarmed forth everywhere, crawled up and down the hive, flew off to the flowers and shrubs and walked about on the ground.
There were many hundred bees.
The queen came last. She was bigger than the others and it was she that reigned in the hive.
“Stop that nonsense now, children,” she said, “and begin to do something. A decent bee does not idle, but turns to, in a capable way, and makes good use of her time.”
Then she divided them into companies and set them to work.
“You, there, fly out and see if there is any honey in the flowers. The second company can gather pollen; and, when you come home, deliver it all nicely to the old bees indoors.”
They flew away. But all the young ones were still left. They formed the last company, for they had never been out before.
“What are we to do?” they asked.
“You? You’ve got to sweat!” said the queen. “One, two, three and to work!”
And they sweated as best they knew how and the loveliest yellow wax burst out of their bodies.