One day the Angry Wasp decided to attack a honey bee that was going about its business humming softly to itself. After a short chase, the bee turned and faced its pursuer and defied it to tell her why.

“You are surrounded by flowers, there is pollen, sweet nectar, and honey in abundance,” she said. “Why pick on me with your savage intentions?”

“Because you are the source,” the Angry Wasp replied. “If there is honey in the world, it is because of you and your kind. Why go back and forth gathering pollen or whatever, when I can go straight to the source and grasp all the sweetness in one stroke?”

“But I am not the sweetness!” the honey bee shrieked. “I am simply the maker of it.”

“Well, make some now then,” the Angry Wasp demanded.

“Come home with me. Stick around. And you will enjoy all the honey you could ever need,” the honey bee offered, with surprising generosity. “Well,” she continued. “Are you coming?”

“No,” said the wasp. “No,” he muttered. “It’s a trap. You won’t catch me.”

And with that he was gone.

 Richard Parkin, 2024