The Friendly Bee

Frankie the friendly bee was busily buzzing around the peaceful flowers in the gardens of Bloomfield Grove.

In and out of the tulips and roses and honeysuckle she flew, gathering pollen to take back to her home, where it would be turned into yummy honey.

Just as she was about to head home for lunch, she heard a group of boys laughing as they were playing cricket in the street.

She buzzed over to where the batsman was standing, grinning with excitement as she ignored her mother’s advice to ‘stay away from the humans.’

Frankie hovered near the stumps, smiling and taking great delight in the game.

She was whistling and shouting ‘good shot’ when the boy hit the ball high up over his friends heads and on to one of the house’s roof.

During the lull in play, Frankie buzzed towards the bat to take a closer look.

She was just about to inspect the handle, when she had to quickly change direction to avoid being hit for six herself.

She regained her composure just in time to see the boy swing for her again and feel the bat to bash her bottom.

Crying, Frankie flew off in the direction of home at top speed.

Though she attempted to hide the tears from her mum when she got home in a bid to hide the fact she’d been messing around with the humans, her mother instantly spotted the telltale signs.

“What’s up?” she said.

“Nothing. I just got some pollen in my eye,” Frankie said, too quickly.

 “I know that’s not true, Frankie. What’s the matter?”

“A boy hit me on the bottom with his cricket bat.”

“Oh, baby. Are you ok?” Frankie’s mum said.

But then followed it with “What were you doing? You weren’t interfering were you? I told you not to bother the humans.”

“I just wanted to play,” said Frankie, through more tears.

“Look honey, they don’t understand that we are friendly bees and that we’d only sting them if we had no other option. Well, some of them do understand. But you have to be careful out there. If that bat would have hit you harder you wouldn’t be here now.”

“OK, mum. I know. I’ll leave them alone now. It’s just. It always looks like they are having so much fun. I wish I was a human instead of a stupid bee!”

“Don’t say that Frankie. Bees are very special and you should be proud to be a bee! Here’s a nectar sandwich. You go and eat that in the sunshine and have a good rest before you buzz off for the afternoon. Good girl.”

Five minutes later, having devoured the last sandwich her mother would ever make for her, Frankie was making a beeline back towards Bloomfield Gardens, more determined than ever to make the boys realise that there was nothing to fear from the humble bumble bee…