The Bear and the Bees – Aesop Fable for Kids

A big, brown Bear was lumbering through the forest one bright morning. He had just woken up from a nap and his tummy was rumbling. Grumble, grumble. “I need something sweet,” he thought. “Berries or… honey!”

He sniffed the air. Sniff, sniff. Yes! He could smell fresh honey nearby. He followed his nose until he found a large fallen oak tree. Inside a hollow in the trunk, a swarm of busy bees had built a hive. It was packed with golden, sticky honey.

The Bear licked his lips. He walked up to the log and sniffed around cautiously. “Is anyone home?” he wondered. Most of the bees were out in the clover fields gathering nectar. Only a few guard bees were left.

Just as the Bear was about to stick his big paw into the log, a single Bee returned from the field. She saw the giant Bear sniffing at her home. She knew exactly what he wanted.

Zzzzzzz! She flew straight at him and stung him right on the tip of his sensitive black nose. Ouch! The Bear roared in surprise and pain. He swiped at the air, but the little Bee had already zipped inside the hollow log to warn the others.

Now, a wise bear would have rubbed his nose and walked away. There are plenty of other snacks in the forest. But this Bear had a short temper. He was furious! “You tiny insect!” he shouted. “How dare you sting me! I will destroy your whole house!”

In a blind rage, he began to claw at the log. He ravaged the wood, growling and snapping. The noise alerted the entire swarm inside. Hundreds of bees flew out. They were not happy. They saw the Bear destroying their home.

“Attack!” buzzed the queen. Suddenly, a dark cloud of angry bees surrounded the Bear. They stung his ears. They stung his eyelids. They stung his tail. Zzz-sting! Zzz-sting!

The Bear yelled and ran. He swatted at them, but there were too many. His anger had turned a small problem into a giant disaster. He ran as fast as he could towards the river. Splash! He dove into the cool water and hid underneath until the bees finally gave up and flew home.

Wet, shivering, and covered in bumps, the Bear climbed out of the river. He sat on the bank and thought about what had happened. “If I had just ignored that one sting,” he said to himself, “I wouldn’t have hundreds of stings now.” He learned that losing your temper only makes things worse.

Moral of the Story: It is wiser to bear a single injury in silence than to provoke a thousand by flying into a rage.

Moral of the Story: It is wiser to bear a single injury in silence than to provoke a thousand by flying into a rage.