"Bee-birds in the tree-tops,
Spiders in the grass;
Death rides down the sunbeam,
Death leaps as you pass."
"Ugh!" said Uno. "Can't you sing something more cheerful? Be funny, can't you?"
Beffa got up and hopped about a little. Then he sang:
"Out among the flower-cups,
Dancing in the sun;
Now a drink of nectar,
Then another one.
Brushing up the pollen,
Hurry 'gainst the gloam,
Pail and basket over-full,
Off to hive and home!"
All the bees skipped and danced and sang after him:
"Pail and baskets over-full,
Off to hive and home!"
After singing this refrain several times and dancing happily about a few moments, the bees set at their work again industriously. It was so beautiful and so bright and so warm in the garden that one could not help being happy in it.
And yet just then Nuova stepped out from behind a flowering bush looking very weary and very sad. Saggia, who had been glancing around for her all the time, slipped quickly and quietly over to her without attracting the attention of any of the bees, and before any other one had seen her.
Saggia led Nuova around to the side of the bush where they would be out of sight of the other bees, and then spoke to her in a low tone.
"Are you all right, Nuova?" she asked anxiously.