The honey bees were humming –

hummmmm

The queen of the bees was coming –

hummmmm

 

The queen of the bees crossed her furry knees

as she sat on her throne and declared,

“Summer is here and we need fresh honey.

Now, as all of you know

honey bees always show

where the best flowers are – with a dance.

So, before you go,

I want to know

how well you can waggle your bottoms.”

All the bees jumped up and started their dance –

They waggled to the left,

they waggled to the right;

they waggled their bottoms

with all their might.

 

The queen clapped and smiled, “Well done!” she cried.

All the bees were waggling –

well, all except one.

Everyone stopped and everyone stared.

Then the Queen called crossly –

“Who’s that I see?

Ah – it’s you, Fuzzy Bee.

Why aren’t you waggle dancing for me?”

“Your majesty,” he trembled, “I’m trying, but I can’t.”

“You can’t?!” she boomed.

“My bottom won’t move.”

 

 

 

The other bees sniggered –

“Fuzzy Bee can’t waggle;

Fuzzy Bee can’t dance!”

“Hush!” commanded the queen of the bees.

“Well, Fuzzy Bee, if you can’t waggle,

you’re no use to me.

You’re no use to the hive.

You’ll have to go –

and only come back when you’re able to dance.”

 

The bees all laughed as they flew away –

some to the fields

and some to the heath;

but Fuzzy flew with a tear in each eye

and came – all alone – to a churchyard.

 

He hummed along a black, cracked path

and spied a burst of daisies.

He settled on a petal and rolled out his tongue

and sucked the sugary nectar.

Fox looked up from digging, and called –

“Are you going to waggle your bottom?”

“I cannot waggle,” poor Fuzzy moaned.

“You cannot waggle?!” Fox was stunned.

“And I can’t go home until I can dance.”

Fox stopped scraping his dusty hole –

he smiled and said, “I’ll teach you. –

You waggle to the left,

you waggle to the right;

you waggle your bottom

with all your might!”

 

 

 

Fuzzy watched Fox, and Fuzzy tried –

but his bottom refused to move.

“Oh, dear,” said Fox.

“Oh, dear,” Fuzzy sighed.

 

He hummed around the tumbling church

and spied a flash of ragwort.

He settled on a petal and rolled out his tongue

and sucked the sugary nectar.

Crow looked down from the roof, and called –

“Are you going to waggle your bottom?”

“I cannot waggle,” poor Fuzzy moaned.

“You cannot waggle?!” Crow was stunned.

“He cannot waggle.” Fox shook his head.

“And I can’t go home until I can dance.”

Crow stretched her black and gleaming wings,

then she and Fox smiled, “We’ll teach you. –

You waggle to the left,

you waggle to the right;

you waggle your bottom

with all your might!”

 

Fuzzy watched them, and Fuzzy tried –

and his bottom twitched a touch.

“That’s better than nothing,” Fox and Crow said.

“But it’s not good enough,” Fuzzy sighed.

 

He hummed beside a crumbly wall,

and spied some scrambling brambles.

He settled on a petal and rolled out his tongue

and sucked the sugary nectar.

Cat lazily blinked, then yawned and called –

“Are you going to waggle your bottom?”

“I cannot waggle,” poor Fuzzy moaned.

“You cannot waggle?!” Cat was stunned.

“He cannot waggle.” They shook their heads.

“And I can’t go home until I can dance.”

Cat leapt down from her mossy wall

then all of them smiled, ”We’ll teach you. –

You waggle to the left,

you waggle to the right;

you waggle your bottom

with all your might!”

 

 

 

Fuzzy watched them, and Fuzzy tried –

and his bottom wiggled a little.

“You’re getting there,” Fox, Crow and Cat said.

“But it’s not the real thing,” Fuzzy sighed.

 

He hummed beneath a broad beech tree,

and spied some nodding nettles.

He settled on a petal and rolled out his tongue

and sucked the sugary nectar.

Squirrel sat up, flicked his tail and called –

“Are you going to waggle your bottom?”

“I cannot waggle,” poor Fuzzy moaned.

“You cannot waggle?!” Squirrel was stunned.

“He cannot waggle.” They all shook their heads.

“And I can’t go home until I can dance.”

Squirrel scampered headlong down the tree

then all of them smiled, “We’ll teach you. –

You waggle to the left,

you waggle to the right;

you waggle your bottom

with all your might!”

 

Fuzzy watched them, and Fuzzy tried –

and his bottom waggled – like theirs.

“You’ve got it! You’ve got it!” All of them squealed.

“I really can waggle!” Fuzzy cried.

 

They cheered – “Hooray!

Go back to the hive

and show them

you really can dance!”

With a drumming heart,

he hummed over grass,

he hummed above clover

and breeze blown seeds.

 

 

 

But when he reached home,

the other bees sneered,

“Look who it is –

the bee who can’t dance!

You shouldn’t be here. –

You’re in big trouble now!”

 

But Fuzzy flew past them

and straight to the queen.

He bowed and he buzzed,

“Please give me a chance

and I’ll show I can dance.”

 

The other bees watched;

The queen’s face was thunder.

Then she nodded to him,

“Go ahead – begin.”

 

He waggled to the left,

and he waggled to the right;

then he waggled his bottom

with all his might!

 

Everyone gasped –

and their eyes nearly popped

when the queen stood up

and the queen joined in.

 

“This,” she declared,

“is the best dance I’ve seen;

and Fuzzy must be

the best waggler there’s been!”

 

Now they all jumped up

and hummmmmed and danced. –

They –

waggled to the left,

and waggled to the right;

then waggled their bottoms

with all their might!

 

© Charlie Wilson 2013