Adverse events reveal the real man,
So Horace wrote, refute this truth who can.

And John Dull to its full completion wrought
The inspiration of his sudden thought.
"Room for the swarm!" This is great Nature's law,
And so he built two monstrous hives of straw. —

"Good morning neighbour" from across the fence
Cried out Dick Dean. "May I without offence"
"Ask what your making." "Why these blessed bees,"
"I find them creatures plaguey hard to please."

"Plaguey! dont say so – they're a real pleasure,"
"I love to watch them when I have the leisure;"
"Besides each scholar knows in antient days,"
"How Maro sung his little darlings praise."
"And when the Roman legions brought alarm"
"To every inmate of his Mantuan farm, – "
"Smiling he stood, amidst his winged host;"
"The mailed warriors fled and left him at his post."

"All this I know – Beekeeping would be charming,"
"If there was never such a thing as swarming."

"But grubs my friend! your bees are sure to breed,"
"Swarms come from grubs, as corn crops come from seed."
"Grubs you must have; and when your swarming's done,"
"Two hives you'll find, where erst you had but one."

"Bother the grubs; I know a better way,"
"My patent monster hives, they are the things to pay."

Fytte VI. The Bear

Eugene would often take his lunch,
Of dry black bread a monstrous hunch,
Into a wood – ere he got through it
He wished he'd some nice honey to it —
When all at once it chanced a bee
He saw creep up a hollow tree;
Another came, then two, and three.
"Hurrah! there's honey here for me,"
Eugene exclaimed, "No more I'll eat
This nasty bread, but have a treat." —

"Honey for ever!" up he clomb
To the trees fork – the honey comb
He saw below him in the beech
Hollowed by age, beyond his reach —

His hold he missed and sad to tell
Down midst the honey combs he fell;

Into the cakes his boots went crush,
As though it were mere muddy slush.

Honey he found but every school-boy knows
He cannot eat his sweetmeats with his clothes.

Another Bee Hunter that way
One Mister Bruin chanced to stray;
A dancing Bear by trade was he,
But fond of honey – certainly!

"If I smell right here's honey comb";
He said, or thought; then upwards clomb.

Eugene below, half dead with fear,
Saw the bears hinder's drawing near,

With both hands gripped him tight and had a

Mount upwards by this living ladder;
Sure never little lad was gladder.

Meanwhile John Dull, a spying round,
The self same honey tree had found;

Up to the fork himself he reared
When Bruin's ugly mug appeared.
Augh, back he fell through utter fright;
Close to his tail did Braun alight;
And by Braun's heels Braun's parasite.

Braun seized John Dull with either claw,
Just as himself was seized before;

John pulling out his hunting knife
Cut off his tail to save his life;

Sam Dutton here did interveen,
"To shoot that grizzly bear I mean"!
But Braun was nowhere to be seen.

Early next morn came sawyers two,
And sawed the Honey tree right through;

There stuck the boots of young Eugene;

He drew them out, and licked them clean;
Such blacking ne'er before was seen!
While John Dull, from the luscious store,
Filled twenty honey pots or more.