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The Witch's Plan to Kill the
Bees |
 He rose from his seat to introduce Shin to the princess. The princess immediately took a liking to the artist. She thanked him, blushing a little. Shin smiled and wished them both a happy birthday, and then he became serious. "King, is it true that you gave an order to kill all the bees in the kingdom?" "Oh, that." The king could be a bit unthinking at times, and he hadn't give much consideration to bees. He had even nearly forgotten that he had told the witch to do as she pleased just a little earlier. "Nothing would happen to this kingdom even if the bees disappeared." "King, that is where you are wrong," said Shin. He pointed to the croissant on the table. "Without bees, there would be no honey to glaze that pastry." "That might be a problem." "The beekeepers who manage the honeybees would lose their jobs and be out of work." "We couldn't have that." "Most of the flowers, which the bees fertilize by carrying pollen around, would disappear from the kingdom." The king became silent. He finally realized how serious the matter was. "Your Majesty, nature survives through a delicate balance of forces. Bees are an important part of that balance." "I believe you're right," said the king. "The bees haven't done anything wrong. I shall call the soldiers back." |
 The
witch watched the soldiers from her room at the top of the tower.She thought they were finally going to go out and kill the bees, but now they were sitting down. The artist had stopped them, and after a while sitting around, they went back inside the castle. "It's that artist again. He's interfering!" The witch started shaking with anger. Just then a large, red-eyed crow flew in the window and landed on the witch's shoulder. "Caw... Did they kill all the bees yet?" "Shut up!" The witch swung her crystal cane to chase away the crow. "They are just about to. Tell her that!" The witch thought that the crow was a messenger. But such was not the case. The red-eyed crow spun around in mid-air and landed with a thump, turning into an old woman. The witch was taken by surprise. She bowed her head and started mumbling to herself. "My big sister, the Black Witch. I never thought you would come to me yourself." "Humph!" The Black Witch glared at her. "I will not tolerate your mistakes any longer." "The sh-showdown is y-yet to come." "That showdown has already begun. You are of no use to me." The Black Witch waved her own cane topped with a large ruby, and turned her younger sister into a crow. "Caw!" Now a crow, the witch flew away, cawing sadly. |
 The
dinner celebration had begun.People dressed in elegant finery sat all around the king. The food on the long table was prepared with the greatest care and delicacy. But Shin could not enjoy himself. Because in front of him sat the witch, and something about her made him uncomfortable. She looked exactly the same as before, but was not the same person, Shin kept thinking. "You know a lot about bees," said the king. "Have you long had an interest in them?" "Not so long," replied Shin. "I used to lie next to beehives and listen to a beekeeper tell his stories." "I see," said the king, his eyes sparkling like a young boy's. "They must have been interesting stories." "Yes, very much. Every spring he would start travelling from the south, heading north following the flower blossoms." "Oh, really? He would travel carrying his beehives?" "Yes. To make sure that the worker bees could find plenty of flowers, he would load the hives onto a cart and set out on foot." "Hmm. And even in different surroundings the bees could find their way back to the hive?" asked the king. "Without any problems," answered Shin. "There are even worker bees that buzz their wings at the entrance to give off a scent to guide the bees home." "Well, that's quite a feat." "Also the worker bees tell the others where the flowers are that they found." "Tell the others? How is that?" "They do a dance." "A dance! Well, that's surprising. That's what the beekeeper told you?" "Yes," replied Shin. "The beekeeper loved his bees very much." "Ah, the life of a beekeeper. People have so many different occupations." The king sighed. "I sometimes think how nice it would be to lie on the grass and listen to such stories." "Why don't you, then?" "I couldn't. A person of my status couldn't do that." "Your Majesty, you're wrong about that," said Shin. "Does status prevent the king from doing as he pleases?" The king was surprised at Shin and just looked at him. Nobody had ever been so straight with the king before and told him that he was wrong. But the more the king thought about it, the more he knew that the artist was right. |
 The
band began to play dance music.People asked each other to dance and they formed a circle. This was a good chance. Shin bowed to the king and rose from his seat, taking the hand of the princess. Actually he had something to talk about with the princess. "Did the witch put something on your neck before?" asked Shin. "Yes," replied the princess. "She said it was to stop the pain from the bee sting." Shin looked at the princess's neck. The spot was a bit red and swollen. "Please excuse me." While continuing to dance, Shin touched the princess's neck and then put his finger to his mouth. Just as he thought. It was the same taste as when he had kissed the princess's neck and sucked the poison out. "Listen carefully," said Shin. "The liquid she put on your neck is dangerous. Other bees will sting in that same spot." "Really!?" "You'd better wipe it all off and make sure the witch doesn't see you." "I will." "Where does she keep that liquid?" "In the end of her cane," said the princess. "The ruby is a cover." "I see...the cane is where she hides things." Shin and the princess finished dancing, he bowed to the king, and they returned to their seats. "What is the witch trying to do?" Shin wondered. "She definitely wants all the bees in the kingdom to be killed. I wonder why." |
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