"Not for the world, master Henry," said the maid, who accompanied them; "you would destroy those beautiful flowers at once if you did, and your papa would be so angry."
"The flowers then are more admired than you are my friend," observed the Bee, "for you see the maid will not let them be injured, not even to procure a sight of your still more beautiful wings."
"Don't laugh at me," replied the Butterfly, somewhat mortified; "I am glad, however, that I have found a place of safety; if I take care not to quit this station, they will not be able to get at me."
Altho' it was his intention to remain there, his young pursuers would not let him be at rest, but with one thing and another so contrived to shake the flowers upon which he settled, that, at last, wearied out with these repeated removals, he took to his wings, and flew to a neighbouring rose-tree.
"Now, now," cried all the children, "we shall have it; don't let it get upon the tulips again, and we shall certainly catch it."
The Bee lay all this time in the bell of a hyacinth, not unmindful of his friend, or his pursuers, but thinking his present alarm might be an useful evidence of what he had been saying, and a check to his vanity, he resolved to let him feel a little more of the dangerous effect his much-admired beauty was likely to produce; but after the young folk had given him one or two hasty flights round the garden, he came forward, and appearing in front of all the young ones, soon checked the eagerness of their chace.
"A Bee, a bee," exclaimed they, "take care, or it will sting you," while the poor trembling Butterfly began to take fresh courage on seeing his friend approach; and, seating himself on the branch of an honey-suckle, endeavoured to regain his breath.
The oldest boy was now resolved to make one more effort, and creeping slowly to the place, put forth his hand to reach the prize, when the Bee, perceiving his intention, again darted before his eyes, and made him retreat. "Thank you, thank you, my dear friend," said the poor Butterfly, "surely they will not attempt to pursue me any more; you must have sufficiently frightened them."
"I'll do something more than frighten them if they do," replied the Bee; "they shall feel what it is to enrage one of us;" nor would these children, animated by the presence of each other, give up their chace, till the Bee had absolutely fulfilled his threat, by just touching the hand of one of them with his sharp sting: and Oh! what a clamour was instantly raised by the whole party for this cruel act, as it was called; the child cried, and the maid declared it was a shame of the nasty Bee to sting one who never thought of hurting him: while all the others gathered round their wounded brother to express their pity and abhorrence of the deed; and while they retired from the garden to get something to alleviate the smart, our two friends were left to recover themselves and congratulate each other on their safety. "I never was so near being taken in my life, and escaped at last," said the Butterfly; "but to you, my friend, I am indebted for my present liberty; if you had not exerted yourself in my behalf I must have been in their possession; I tremble at the thought of it, and am completely tired out in the chace they have given me."
"Now, then, I hope you will acknowledge that your beauty is no real advantage to you," replied the Bee, "but till you are recovered I will visit yonder beautiful acasia which seems to court my notice; besides, I am not without a hope that from it I shall see my ardently desired home; I seem to remember its being near it."