Beatrice the bee

Beatrice the bee

Beatrice was a very busy bee.

All day long she buzzed around, seeing her friends and playing with the
insects in the garden.

But sometimes Beatrice was very sad, for one of her very best friends
was Florance, who was a beautiful butterfly. Oh how Beatrice wished she
were a butterfly too! She would look at Florance and wish that she
could be as beautiful as her.

Florance was so pretty, and she had all the colours of the rainbow on
her!

One day, she asked her mother why she couldn't be a butterfly
too.

"It's just not fair!" she told her. "Why can't I be a butterfly like
Florance is?"

"You are a beautiful bee though!" said her mother.
"But she is so pretty!" said Beatrice,
"Why can't I be as pretty as her?"

"But I love you just the way you are!" said her mother, "Oh, you are
are a silly bee!" she sighed, and she gave Beatrice a big hug.

Beatrice was still very sad, so she went to see Oliver, the wise old
owl who lived in a huge tree at the bottom of the garden.

"Oliver will be able to help me" Beatrice thought. "He might even be
able to make me into a butterfly!"

So she buzzed her way down to the bottom of the garden. Oliver was just
starting his tea when she arrived.

"Ah, young Beatrice!" greeted Oliver, "You're just in time for tea!
Would you like a sandwich?"

"Oh yes please!" said Beatrice (who was always hungry), "What kind are
they?"

"Honey" the owl said, "My absolute favourite!"

"Thankyou very much" said Beatrice politely. She took a sandwich from
the plate on the table. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Why certainly!" the wise old owl replied, tucking into his
sandwich.

"Can you help me to become a butterfly?" Beatrice asked
desparately.
Oliver almost fell off his chair in surprise.

"Why on earth would you want to do that!?" he said.

"Well, Florance is a butterfly and she is SO pretty, and I really want
to be one so please please please!!"

"Well" said the owl thoughtfully, chewing on his sandwich. "have you
spoken to your mother about this?"

"Yes" said Beatrice sadly, "She just says she loves me as I am!"

There was a silence for a moment as they both ate their
sandwiches.

"Nice sandwich?" asked the wise old owl.

"Yes thankyou!" replied Beatrice. "May I have another?"

"Of course you may!" said Oliver "Do you like honey sandwiches?"

"Oh yes!" Beatrice said, "they are my favourite as well!"

"Well, if you were a butterfly" the wise old owl said, "where do you
think we would get this honey from to make these delicious
sandwiches?"
Beatrice stopped chewing.

"Um...well.. I hadn't thought of that" she admitted.

"So you see" said Oliver, "It's just as well you are a bee, otherwise
we wouldn't be able to have our favourite thing!"
Beatrice thought about this for a moment.

"Oh yes!" she exclaimed. "Thank you Oliver, I'm glad I'm a bee
now!"

And she buzzed happily all the way home.