Mazen and his sister Mona went with their family to visit their grandfather’s house in the countryside. They were delighted by the visit; the weather was wonderful, the fields were carpeted in greenery, and the air was pure. Birds chirped, composing the most beautiful melodies with their songs, while butterflies fluttered by, spreading their colorful wings to create joyful patterns that brought peace to the soul.
While Mazen and Mona were lying on the lush green grass, they heard a soft voice calling out to them: “Mazen! Mona!” They looked to the right and to the left, searching for the person calling them, but they found no one.
Mona said, “How strange this voice is! I wonder who is calling us?” The voice spoke again, saying, “Search for me once more until you find me.” Mazen and Mona looked again and found a beautiful bee in front of them, black in color with vibrant orange stripes.
Mona looked at the bee and said, “I recognize you, beautiful creature! You are undoubtedly the Queen Bee our teacher told us about at school.” The bee replied, “That is correct; it is I, the active worker bee. My honey is the most delicious of foods, and I am more useful than chickens, horses, or even cows.”
Marwan* said to her, “You are quite conceited, little bee! Your honey is delicious and full of benefits, but it is less useful than delicious cow’s milk. Every creature sees itself as the best and more useful than all others.”
The bee asked, “Don’t you know that my honey contains healing for diseases and has many benefits?” Mona replied, “Of course, little bee, your honey has many benefits. But what are you doing here? Are you on holiday today?” The bee answered, “I flew here today specifically to speak with you both, so that you may tell your friends about the world of bees, for I have noticed your love for the countryside and your interest in learning more about it.”
Mona rejoiced and said, “Come then, beautiful bee, tell us about the world of bees!” The bee said, “We, the community of bees, consist of three groups. Each group has a specific task it is committed to, and together we form one large family to produce this beautiful honey for you.”
Marwan said, “I used to think that all bees were the same.” The bee replied, “We are indeed very similar in appearance, but each group among us has a specific function. I am the Queen Bee, the princess of the hive and the mother of all the bees. As for the majority of the colony, they are the worker bees; these are the ones who perform most of the labor inside the hive.”
“As for the third type, they are the drones—the male bees. Their job is to guard the hive, and their number is very small compared to the number of worker bees.” Then the bee said, “I must leave you now, my friends; the time has come for me to return.” Mona said, “We wish you could stay with us a little longer, little bee.” She replied, “I have much work to do that cannot be postponed, as you know.”
Marwan and Mona bid her farewell and thanked her for the useful information. The bee spread her wings and took to the sky, and Mazen and Mona returned to tell their friends about the secrets of the wondrous world of bees.
Note: The original Arabic text switches the name “Mazen” to “Marwan” halfway through; the translation preserves this as written in the source.