_Lady._ You may go now and fetch a quill for me; do not put it in your mouth. While you go, I shall go on with the work. THE BEES. A little girl was eating her supper; it was bread and milk, with some honey. “Pray,” said the little girl, “who makes honey for my supper?” _Mother._ The bees collect it. _Girl._ Where do they find it? _Mother._ In the flowers. _Girl._ Where do the bees live? _Mother._ Those which supply us with honey, live in a hive. _Girl._ What is it made of? _Mother._ Ours are made of straw. _Girl._ Pray, mamma, tell me a great deal about the bees, whilst I eat my milk. _Mother._ In the night, and when the weather is cold, they keep in the hive. When the sun shines, and the days are warm, they fly abroad. They search far and near for such flowers as supply them with honey or wax. Of the wax they make cells which we call comb. In some of the cells they lay up stores of honey to support them in the winter, when they can not venture out to seek for food. In some of the cells they nurse their young ones, who have no wings. They are very neat creatures; they keep the hive quite clean. They carry out the dead bees. [Illustration: Decoration] THE FLIES. The next morning this same little girl was eating her breakfast. It chanced that the maid had let fall a drop of honey as she mixed her milk; and a fly came and stood on the edge of her basin to suck it. The good child laid aside her spoon to avoid frightening the poor fly. What is the matter, _Sarah_? are you not hungry? Yes, mamma; but I would not hinder this little fly from getting his breakfast. Good child! said her mother, rising from her tea; we will look at him as he eats. See how he sucks through his long tube. How pleased he is! Mother, can not flies make honey? said the little girl. “No,” said her father, “they are like you, they can not make honey, but they are very fond of eating it.” What do flies do, father? _Father._ They are as idle as any little girl of you all; they frisk and buzz about all the summer, feeding upon what is made by others. _Girl._ And in winter what do they do? _Father._ Creep into some snug corner. _Girl._ But what do they eat then? _Father._ They sleep, and want no food. THE SPIDER. A little boy saw a spider; its legs were all packed close to its body; the boy thought it was a bit of dirt, and was going to pick it up. His father stopped him, lest he should chance to hurt the spider; he told him that the poor creature had rolled himself up from fear; that if he stood still he would soon see the spider move. The little boy kept close and quiet some time, watching the spider; he saw it unfold one leg, then another, till at last they were all loose, and away it ran. Then the little boy ran after his father, and heard the history of spiders. He told him a great deal about them. Then he talked to him of other insects, which disguise themselves to escape the dangers which they meet with.