Section 40
The Bee and Jupiter explained simply
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Original excerpt
Excerpt preview
A Queen Bee from Hymettus flew up to Olympus with some fresh honey from the hive as a present to , who was so pleased with the gift that he promised to give her anything she liked to ask for. She said she would be very grateful if he would give stings to the bees, to kill people...
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Public-domain original
A Queen Bee from Hymettus flew up to Olympus with some fresh honey
from the hive as a present to , who was so pleased with the
gift that he promised to give her anything she liked to ask for. She
said she would be very grateful if he would give stings to the bees,
to kill people who robbed them of their honey. Jupiter was greatly
displeased with this request, for he loved mankind: but he had given
his word, so he said that stings they should have. The stings he gave
them, however, were of such a kind that whenever a bee stings a man
the sting is left in the wound and the bee dies.
Evil wishes, like fowls, come home to roost.
Public-domain original text shown for study context. Underlined terms can be tapped for simple reader notes.
What happens here
A bee asks Jupiter for a deadly sting, but the gift puts the bee’s own life at risk.
Why this scene matters
This fable warns that revengeful wishes can harm the person who asks for them.
Characters in this scene
- Bee: A central figure in the fable’s conflict and lesson.
- Jupiter: A central figure in the fable’s conflict and lesson.
Simple story version
The bee wants power to punish anyone who steals honey. Jupiter grants a sting, but using it will kill the bee.