- Zümi returned to the hive with an empty button again. And this has been going on for days. Useless, lazy bee! - growled the hive keeper angrily. - Sooner or later the queen will hear of it, and then there will be war! She may even be banished from the hive, and then she can go out into the world. She'll be an orphan bee with no place to sleep. Without his companions, he will perish, and since he has no teeth for collecting pollen, he will starve to death.
Such and such horrible thoughts crossed the mind of the hive keeper, and it saddened him so much that he stopped being angry and almost cried, feeling so sorry for the starving little bee that was about to become a waif.
But then he thought further. Maybe it could be helped, maybe he wasn't so despicable, and could even be put right, the poor bee-keeper. 'I have known his father since he was a boy,' the guard continued, 'and it is our duty to help the descendant of a good friend.
Finally, he figured that since he couldn't leave his post, he would ask one of the worker bees to keep an eye on this useless little bee, what he was doing instead of collecting pollen. What is he doing to kill all the time he spends circling over the blossoming orchards, the lush fields, the hay-scented meadows, the shady shrubberies.
Several times during the day, as she was stranded at the entrance to the hive, she thought of the lazy bee. At the end of the day, I wonder what news he'll get from Zümi!
Well, this has happened. The working hours were over, the bees were swarming in thick swarms, it was not easy to keep order among them. Each one wanted to get rid of its burden faster than the other, empty the little pollen collection pots and go and enjoy a well-deserved rest.
The number of people rushing to the warehouse was already dwindling when the acquaintance with whom he had been observing the lazy bee appeared.
- "So, tell me what you've found out," he whispered quietly but urgently to the messenger.
They quietly hid themselves in the entrance to the hive, but in such a way that they could see if any intruders were trying to enter the hive.
- "It must be hard to believe, but this Zümi is one of the hardest working, most gentle bees I've ever seen," the messenger continued. As soon as he emerged from the hive, he headed for a patch of rapeseed in bloom. He did not wander off, driven by the workbed. He settled down on the first yellow flower and began to sweep the pollen into his bush, when suddenly he gave a loud sneeze. This sent all the pollen into the air, wasted, because it was impossible to collect it again, one by one. At first I just thought it was bad luck, he had the misfortune to sneeze just as he was getting down to work. I kept my eyes on him and followed him as he flew on to another flower. Here he had got to the point where the quickly scattered pollen was almost filling his burrow when suddenly he shook again, gave a big fumble, which not only scattered the pollen but also sent the nectar on the bud spilling out into the grass. Then poor little Zümi flew from one place to another, but she never succeeded with any of the flowers. Everywhere his efforts were wasted, because he splattered the precious pollen.
They would have talked some more, but just then the "lazy" bee came to the entrance. Shamefaced, he turned his hive inside out, showing its empty interior that he had failed to complete his task today.
- "Now, let me have a closer look," said the goalkeeper. - Your nose looks a little red and a little wet. Your wings are flapping and beating excitedly. I think you are ill. You've had a cold, you've been sleeping on the edge of the hive for the last few days for nothing. You're cold in this cold, early spring weather. I'm coming in to see you. Stay here for a few days. You will help me guard the hive. Then when you're well, you can go back to work.
The bee was very happy to hear the words of concern and care. He accepted it and stayed at home for a few days, with the queen's permission, of course.
It was with great anticipation that he set off on the morning of the fourth day to fly out with his companions to their work area for the day, the orchard in bloom.
And behold! He could draw as much pollen as he wanted from the cherry blossoms. Not once did the sneezing that used to plague her nose. He flew happily from flower to flower, and as soon as he had filled his pot, he turned back to the hive. Then out again, into the meadow.
He collected the most pollen that day, and finally everyone praised him.
He danced in the air with joy, and hummed so beautifully that he even made the troubled queen brighten up and all her companions smile.
