FABLE LX
by John Gay · from Fables of John Gay (Somewhat Altered)
Adapted Version
In a busy, buzzy hive lived many bees. They all worked very hard each day. They flew out to find bright flowers. They got the sweet nectar inside. They carried it all the way back home. They made the nectar into golden honey. This was food for all the bees. Well, almost all the bees worked hard.
One bee was very lazy. He did not like to work at all. When other bees flew out, he stayed behind. He would nap in a warm part of the hive. He watched the busy bees. He yawned. He only wanted to play games.
The Lazy Bee said, "Do not work." "Working is so boring," he buzzed to them. "Playing is more fun!" Some bees listened. They stopped getting nectar. They stopped cleaning the hive. They played games with the Lazy Bee. Soon, there was a whole group of lazy bees.
The Lazy Bee said, "Work is no fun! Let's just eat this yummy honey. Let other bees make it for us." His lazy friends all cheered. They ate and played and napped. The honey pots started to get empty.
But one bee was honest and brave. She liked to work hard. She was proud of the clean hive. She loved making sweet honey for her hive. She saw the lazy bees and she was not happy.
The Honest Bee flew to them. She said, "We must all work. That is the rule of our hive. Working as a group makes our home strong. It fills our home with food."
The lazy bees buzzed very loudly. They did not want to hear about work. They were angry at the Honest Bee. They flew all around her. They shouted, "Go away! We do not want you here." So the Honest Bee had to leave.
Two of her friends saw her go. They were sad. They were honest bees too. They knew their friend was right. "This hive is not happy now," they said. "We will go with you." So they decided to leave with her.
The Honest Bee told her friends, "Do not be sad. Soon, the lazy bees will have no honey. Their tummies will be empty. They will see that working is good. They will ask us to come back." The three friends flew away. They knew their home would need their help again very soon.
Original Story
FABLE LX.
The Degenerate Bees.
(To Dean Swift.)
Though courts the practice disallow,
I ne'er a friend will disavow:
It may be very wrong to know him,
And very prudent to forego him;
'Tis said that prudence changes friends
Oft as it suits one's private ends.
Ah, Dean! and you have many foes,
Behind, before, beneath your nose,
And fellows very high in station.
Of high and low denomination,
Who dread you with a deadly spite
For what you speak and what you write,—
Where, between satire and your wit,
They feel themselves most sorely bit.
Ah! can a dunce in church or state
So overflow with froth and hate?
And can a scribbling crew so spurt
On Pope and Swift, who stand unhurt?
Ah! can it be, a mighty race
(For giants may hold power and place)
Can scandals raise and libels pen
To prove that they are worthy men?
They suffered from your pen, 'tis true,
Therefore you have from them your due.
You have no friends—be it understood
Except myself—and wise and good.
To lay the matter on the table,
And give it point, I'll tell a fable.
A bee, who greedy was of gain,
But wanted parts him to maintain,
Seeing small rogues by great ones thrive,
Corruption sowed throughout the hive.
And as he rose in power and place
Importance settled on his face;
All conscience found with him discredit,
But impudence the loudest—merit:
Wealth claimed distinction and found grace,
But poverty was ever base.
Right, law, and industry gave way
Where'er his selfish rule had sway;
And so corruption seized the swarm,
Who plundered underneath his arm.
Thus he harangued: "Whilst vulgar souls
Waste life in low mechanic holes,
Let us scorn drudgery: the drone
And wasp, whose elegance we own,
Like gentlemen sport in the rays
Of sunbeams on all summer days;
It were not fitting they should moil,—
They live upon their neighbour's toil."
A bee, with indignation warm,
Stepped forth from the applauding swarm:
"The laws our native hives protect,
And for the laws bees hold respect.
I do not mind your frown; I cry—
Bees live by honest industry.
'Twas toil and honest gain to thrive,
Which gave us an ancestral hive,
Which gave us our time-honoured dome,
Bequeathed with store of honeycomb.
Pursue the self-same road to fame
By which your fathers won their name:
But know the road you are pursuing
Will lead you to the brink of ruin."
He spoke; but he was only hissed,
And from his cell forthwith dismissed.
With him* two other friends resigned,
Indignant at the Apian mind.
"These drones, who now oppress the State,
Proclaim our virtue by their hate,"
The exile said; "our honest zeal
Will serve again the common weal;
And we, be sure, shall be replaced,
When they shall from this hive be chased."
* Lords Oxford and Bolingbroke, in 1714, are intended.
Story DNA
Moral
Corruption, though seemingly advantageous in the short term, ultimately leads to the ruin of a society, while integrity, though scorned, will eventually be vindicated.
Plot Summary
The narrator, addressing Dean Swift, introduces a fable about a corrupt bee who, lacking true merit, sows discord and idleness throughout the hive to gain power. This bee encourages the swarm to live off others' toil, leading to the decay of traditional values. An honest bee bravely speaks out against this corruption, advocating for industry and law, but is scorned and exiled along with his loyal friends. Despite their banishment, the exiled bees remain hopeful, believing their integrity will eventually lead to their return and the downfall of the corrupt regime.
Themes
Emotional Arc
disillusionment to hopeful anticipation
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
This fable is a political allegory, specifically referencing the political climate and figures of early 18th-century Britain. Dean Swift was a prominent satirist, and Lords Oxford and Bolingbroke were Tory politicians who faced opposition and exile. The 'degenerate bees' represent corrupt politicians and their followers.
Plot Beats (11)
- The narrator addresses Dean Swift, lamenting the prevalence of powerful foes who resent their honesty and wit.
- The narrator states that despite these foes, he will not disavow his friendship with Swift, unlike those who change friends for private ends.
- He introduces a fable to illustrate the point about corruption and integrity.
- A greedy bee, lacking true merit, begins to spread corruption throughout the hive to gain power.
- This bee rises in status, valuing impudence and wealth over conscience and hard work.
- He delivers a speech to the swarm, advocating for a life of leisure, like drones and wasps, at the expense of others' labor.
- An honest bee, filled with indignation, steps forward to challenge the corrupt leader.
- The honest bee reminds the swarm of their ancestral laws and the value of industry, warning that the current path leads to ruin.
- The honest bee is met with hisses and is immediately dismissed from the hive.
- Two other friends resign in solidarity with the exiled bee.
- The exiled bee expresses confidence that their virtue will be recognized by their enemies' hate, and that they will eventually be reinstated when the corrupt drones are expelled.
Characters
The Corrupt Bee ⚔ antagonist
A larger than average worker bee, with a slightly distended abdomen indicating overindulgence. Its body segments are a duller, less vibrant yellow and black compared to healthy bees, perhaps from lack of honest toil. Its antennae might be slightly bent or less active, suggesting a lack of diligence.
Attire: As a bee, it wears no clothing. Its natural exoskeleton is its 'attire'.
Wants: To gain wealth and power without honest effort, by exploiting others and spreading corruption.
Flaw: Its greed and reliance on corruption make it vulnerable to the eventual collapse of the system it creates.
Rises to power by spreading corruption and advocating for idleness, leading the hive towards ruin. The story implies its eventual downfall when the hive is 'chased' from power, though this is not explicitly shown.
Greedy, corrupt, self-serving, impudent, disdainful of honest labor.
Image Prompt & Upload
A large, slightly overweight worker bee with dull yellow and black stripes, a smug expression on its face, and its antennae slightly drooped. It stands with a puffed-up, self-important posture. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Indignant Bee ★ protagonist
A healthy, robust worker bee with vibrant yellow and black stripes, indicating a life of honest toil. Its wings are strong and its body is lean and active.
Attire: As a bee, it wears no clothing. Its natural exoskeleton is its 'attire'.
Wants: To uphold the traditional laws and values of the hive, based on honest industry, and to warn against the destructive path of corruption.
Flaw: Its directness and adherence to principles make it unpopular with the corrupt majority, leading to its dismissal.
Stands up against the corrupt leader, is dismissed for its honesty, and becomes an exile, but remains hopeful for the eventual restoration of virtue.
Principled, indignant, courageous, honest, traditionalist, loyal to the hive's ancestral laws.
Image Prompt & Upload
A healthy, robust worker bee with vibrant yellow and black stripes, standing upright with a determined and indignant expression. Its antennae are alert and its wings are strong. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Two Friends (Exiled Bees) ◆ supporting
Two healthy worker bees, similar in appearance to the Indignant Bee, with vibrant yellow and black stripes, indicating their commitment to honest labor. They appear well-maintained and active.
Attire: As bees, they wear no clothing. Their natural exoskeletons are their 'attire'.
Wants: To stand by their friend and their shared principles of honest industry, refusing to participate in the hive's corruption.
Flaw: Their loyalty to principle leads to their exile, separating them from the main hive.
They resign from the hive in protest alongside the Indignant Bee, becoming exiles but remaining hopeful for the future.
Loyal, principled, indignant, supportive of virtue, willing to sacrifice for their beliefs.
Image Prompt & Upload
Two healthy worker bees, side-by-side, with vibrant yellow and black stripes. They stand with expressions of shared indignation and loyalty, mirroring the posture of the Indignant Bee. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
The Beehive Interior
A complex, enclosed structure made of hexagonal wax cells, likely dark and bustling with activity, filled with the scent of honey and propolis. The cells are used for storing honey and raising young bees.
Mood: Initially industrious and orderly, but becomes corrupt, tense, and oppressive due to the greedy bee's influence, leading to indignation and eventual dismissal.
The greedy bee sows corruption and harangues the swarm, advocating for idleness. An indignant bee speaks out against the corruption and is subsequently hissed and dismissed from his cell, along with two friends.
Image Prompt & Upload
A detailed cross-section of a natural beehive interior, showing intricate hexagonal wax cells filled with golden honey and busy worker bees. Warm, filtered light from a small opening illuminates the central area where a larger, more imposing bee addresses a dense cluster of smaller, attentive bees. The walls are textured with propolis and beeswax, and the air is thick with the subtle glow of industry. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Outside the Beehive
The exterior of a large, natural beehive, possibly nestled within a tree hollow or a sheltered rock crevice, with a small, active entrance. Sunlight streams onto the entrance, where drones and wasps are depicted 'sporting in the rays'.
Mood: Initially idyllic and carefree for the drones and wasps, but becomes a place of exile and contemplation for the virtuous bees, holding a sense of hopeful anticipation for their return.
The greedy bee suggests that drones and wasps 'sport in the rays of sunbeams on all summer days' without toil. Later, the exiled bees stand outside the hive, proclaiming their virtue and anticipating their eventual return when the corrupt ones are chased out.
Image Prompt & Upload
A vibrant summer scene depicting the exterior of a large, natural beehive, possibly a gnarled tree hollow or a sheltered rock face, bathed in bright afternoon sunlight. Golden sunbeams illuminate the active entrance, where several large, elegant drones and wasps are lazily basking. In the foreground, slightly apart, three smaller, determined-looking worker bees stand on a mossy branch, looking back towards the hive with a resolute expression. The surrounding foliage is lush and green, with dappled light filtering through the leaves. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
