Holbrook - The Story of the Bees and the Flies - Keeping the Public in Public Domain

Spring is actually starting to warm things up! Of course in addition to plants and animals waking up, insects are, too. While I know fear of bees is a problem for many, I value not only their honey, but also the work they do with pollination. Without them our agriculture would have serious problems. The U.S. Department of Agriculture quotes some scientists as estimating one in every three bites you eat is dependent on pollinators. American honeybees are clearly declining. Commercial beekeepers estimate a loss of 62% this year. Greenmatters.com quoted not only that worrisome fact, but a 2025 study, Project Apis m which gives not only the problem, but possible ways to help bee populations.

At the same time the fly is considered one of the world's most annoying insects. Fly Insect Facts gives a fair appraisal: 

Although they so often share an antagonistic relationship with humans as an annoyance or a potential carrier of diseases, these insects also serve many important ecological roles.

They are the second most common pollinators, behind only bees. They help to keep the environment free of decomposing animal flesh. And as a common subject of genetic research, they also help to advance the frontiers of human knowledge.

I recall the Ogden Nash verse stating "In His wisdom God created the fly; And then forgot to tell us why." I once asked Anishinaabe medicine woman and ethnobotanist, Keewaydinoquay Peschel about this. She disagreed with the Nash verse, pointing out their role in removing decomposing flesh. 

As you see both bees and flies, perhaps you will also think back to this story from Florence Holbrook's The Book of Nature Myths for a tale that seems to have Algonquian origin. Unfortunately back in 1902 giving the source of such stories wasn't common. I notice the Creator is called "the manito" and Wikipedia points out "Gitche Manitou (Gitchi Manitou, Kitchi Manitou, etc.) means "Great Spirit" in several Algonquian languages."

THE STORY OF THE BEES AND THE FLIES.

There were once two tribes of little people who lived near together. They were not at all alike, for one of the tribes looked for food and carried it away to put it up safely for winter, while the other played and sang and danced all day long.

"Come and play with us," said the lazy people, but the busy workers answered, "No, come and work with us. Winter will soon be here. Snow and ice will be everywhere, and if we do not put up food now we shall have none for the cold, stormy days."

So the busy people brought honey from the flowers, but the lazy people kept on playing. They laughed together and whispered to one another, "See those busy workers! They will have food for two tribes, and they will give us some. Let us go and dance."

While the summer lasted, one tribe worked and the other played. When winter came, the busy workers were sorry for their friends and said, "Let us give them some of our honey." So the people who played had as much food as if they, too, had brought honey from the flowers.

Another summer was coming, and the workers said, "If we should make our home near the lilies that give us honey, it would be easier to get our food." So the workers flew away, but the lazy people played and danced as they had done before while their friends were near, for they thought, "Oh, they will come back and bring us some honey."

By and by the cold came, but the lazy people had nothing to eat, and the workers did not come with food. The manito had said to them, "Dear little workers, you shall no longer walk from flower to flower. I will give you wings, and you shall be bees. Whenever men hear a gentle humming, they will say, 'Those are the busy bees, and their wings were given them because they were wise and good.'"

To the other tribe the manito said, "You shall be flies, and you, too, shall have wings; but while the workers fly from flower to flower and eat the yellow honey, you shall have for your food only what has been thrown away. When men hear your buzzing, they will say, 'It is good that the flies have wings, because we can drive them away from us the more quickly.'"

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This is part of a series of postings of stories under the category, “Keeping the Public in Public Domain.” The idea behind Public Domain was to preserve our cultural heritage after the authors and their immediate heirs were compensated. I feel strongly current copyright law delays this intent on works of the 20^th century. My own library of folklore includes so many books within the Public Domain I decided to share stories from them. I hope you enjoy discovering them.

At the same time, my own involvement in storytelling regularly creates projects requiring research as part of my sharing stories with an audience.  Whenever that research needs to be shown here, the publishing of Public Domain stories will not occur that week.  This is a return to my regular posting of a research project here.  (Don't worry, this isn't dry research, my research is always geared towards future storytelling to an audience.)  Response has convinced me that "Keeping the Public in Public Domain" should continue along with my other postings as often as I can manage it.

See the sidebar for other Public Domain story resources I recommend on the page “Public Domain Story Resources."