The Bees And Wasps And The Hornet Flashcards
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Flashcard Review
Flashcards: The Bees And Wasps And The Hornet
What is the moral of The Bees and Wasps and the Hornet?
<p>The moral is <strong>"Ability proves itself by deeds."</strong> The fable teaches that genuine skill and ownership are best demonstrated through action, not words. When both Bees and Wasps claim the honey, only the Bees can prove their claim by building a honeycomb. <a href="/author/aesop/" class="al-author">Aesop</a> reminds us that pretenders may talk convincingly, but they will always be exposed when asked to demonstrate real ability.</p>
What happens in The Bees and Wasps and the Hornet?
<p>A store of honey is found in a hollow tree, and both the Wasps and the Bees claim it as their own. Unable to settle the dispute, they bring the case before Judge Hornet. Witnesses describe the creatures near the tree as striped and yellow, which fits both parties. After six weeks of deliberation, a wise old Bee proposes that both sides try to build a honeycomb. The Wasps protest because they cannot do it, and the Judge rules that the honey belongs to the Bees.</p>
Why is the Hornet chosen as the judge?
<p>The Hornet serves as "justice of the peace in that part of the woods" because hornets are related to both bees and wasps, making the Hornet appear to be a neutral party. This is part of <a href="/author/aesop/" class="al-author">Aesop</a>'s courtroom satire—the judge is an insect who resembles both claimants, just as the witnesses' testimony cannot distinguish between them. The Hornet's neutrality and eventual wisdom in accepting the practical test make the resolution possible.</p>
How does this fable compare to the Judgment of Solomon?
<p>The parallels are striking. In both stories, two parties claim ownership of something valuable—honey in the fable, a baby in the biblical account. A wise authority proposes a test that the false claimant cannot endure: Solomon offers to cut the child in half, and the Bee proposes building a honeycomb. In each case, the genuine party's willingness to act and the imposter's refusal reveal the truth. Both stories celebrate practical wisdom over mere deliberation.</p>
What is the Perry Index number for this fable?
<p>This fable is classified as <strong>Perry Index 235</strong> in Ben Edwin Perry's comprehensive catalog of Aesopic fables (<em>Aesopica</em>, 1952). The earliest known version appears in the Latin verse fables of <strong>Phaedrus</strong> (1st century CE), where the dispute is between bees and drones, with a wasp serving as judge. The version most readers know today follows the 1919 retelling by <strong>Milo Winter</strong> in <em>Aesop for Children</em>.</p>
Why do the Wasps protest when asked to build a honeycomb?
<p>The Wasps protest because they know they are physically incapable of producing honeycomb or honey. While wasps can build papery nests from chewed wood fiber, only honeybees possess the wax glands needed to construct honeycomb and the biological ability to convert nectar into honey. Their loud protest is the key moment of the fable—it is an involuntary confession. By refusing the test, the Wasps reveal that their claim was fraudulent all along.</p>
What does this fable teach children?
<p>The fable teaches children several important lessons: <strong>actions matter more than words</strong>, claiming credit for something you did not do will eventually be exposed, and the best way to prove your abilities is to demonstrate them. It also models a healthy approach to conflict resolution—rather than fighting, the Bees and Wasps agree to let a fair process determine the truth. The story encourages children to take pride in their genuine skills rather than pretending to be something they are not.</p>
What other Aesop fables explore similar themes of truth and pretense?
<p>Several of Aesop's fables deal with pretenders being unmasked and the value of genuine ability:</p><ul><li><a href="/author/aesop/short-story/the-quack-toad/" class="al-title">The Quack Toad</a> — a toad who claims to be a doctor is exposed by a fox who questions his credentials</li><li><a href="/author/aesop/short-story/the-cat-and-the-old-rat/" class="al-title">The Cat and the Old Rat</a> — a cunning cat's disguise is seen through by an experienced rat</li><li><a href="/author/aesop/short-story/the-grasshopper-and-the-ant/" class="al-title">The Grasshopper and the Ant</a> — the value of hard work over idle boasting</li><li><a href="/author/aesop/short-story/the-boy-and-the-filberts/" class="al-title">The Boy and the Filberts</a> — greed and overreaching lead to failure</li></ul>