The remote land of the hornets and yellow jackets

From the journals of Bearnacle Bear, written a few (or more!) years after the actual events.

When we entered the land of the hornets and yellow jackets, we were afraid. We had heard the frightening stories of dive bombing insects that attacked without warning. We sat together as a group to protect one another. We could hear the buzzing and the sound scared us. Well, most of us. I had never seen a hornet or a yellow jacket, so I was less afraid. But, still, the stories set my fears on edge and I don’t like to feel frightened so I went to talk to the Queen of the Hornets.

“Please don’t go,” Momma said. “We are in a remote land and there would be no one to rescue us, if the hornets decide to attack us.”

“It will be okay,” I said. For reasons that I have never been able to explain, I felt very confident that we were safe and that the hornets would not attack us on our journey, although I still felt a little afraid. “The Queen of the hornets will help us. The butterflies told me about her just before they flew away.”

And so, I walked until I met up with a hornet.

“May I please speak with the Queen of the Hornets?” I asked. I carried a few overripe apples, and I gave the hornet large chunks of one of them.

The hornet dug its way into the apple chunk and made a happy buzzing sound.

“We protect her from all outsiders, but I will let you visit her,” said the hornet. “Because you are polite and kind. No one treats us kindly. They think that we are mean. And we are mean to most. But not you. What is your name?”

“I don’t have a name yet,” I said. “I am called Baby Bear. We are going to the mountains, where I will get my name.”

“Oh,” said the hornet. “Before I take you to see our queen, would you like to see our orchids?”

“Yes, I would like that very much.”

The hornet flew ahead of me and, before long, we were at a grove of trees, which were covered by orchids in a variety of colors. The hornet buzzed around them. I felt no fear, despite the loud buzzing.

“This one is purple for our queen. She is beautiful and radiant and she rules well and wisely,” said the hornet.

I was feeling a bit dubious, having heard many stories about how frightening hornets were. I had no words, so I just nodded slowly.

“You have been told that we are scary,” said the hornet. “It’s all right. We are scary to those who don’t understand us.”

“Oh.”

A second hornet flew up to the first hornet and then flew away.

“The queen is ready for you. Follow me,” said the hornet. I walked behind the hornet into a cave. I felt terrified of walking into a hornet’s nest Growing from the cave walls were pinkish-white orchids. It was the most astonishing sight. I had never seen anything like that. The sight of the flowers growing from the walls was amazing and was something I wanted to share with the other bears. I still was a little afraid, but I kept going…