May and Bee
By Cecee Rowland-Huss

First draft

Early one morning, high up in a tree,

no one was working as briskly as Bee.

“I’m tired” she thought. “I’m taking a break!

I’ll fly to those lily pads down on the lake.”

 

She perched on a lily and suddenly saw

a big swarm of mayflies rise up from the shore.

They appeared in an instant and then zoomed away.

But one flew to Bee and said, “Hello, I’m May.

What creature are you?” May giggled with glee.

“You really don’t know? I’m a Bee, can’t you see?”

“Well Bee,” said May, “it’s a beautiful day.

Will you play with me please?” And Bee said, “Okay!”

 

They raced through the forest, played hide and seek.

Sped across valleys and soared over peaks.

 

They dived into bluebells to dodge a big shower.

Bee smiled, “A bluebell’s my favourite flower!

Do try this nectar, it’s tasty and sweet!”

May answered, “No thanks, I really don’t eat.”

“Don’t eat?” wondered Bee, “How can you stay strong?”

But instead of an answer May started a song:

 

You and me,
May and Bee,
We go together so easily.

May and Bee,
You and me,
Best friends forever we will be.

They both sang together then May said, “Oh dear!

There’s a task I must do now the sunset is near.

I must lay my eggs back home, on our lake.”

So they flew to the spot where Bee took her break.

 

May laid her eggs and said, “Now I must rest!

Thank you sweet Bee, today was the best!”

Bee headed home buzzing, “Goodnight dear May,

I hope that tomorrow is just like today!”

 

Bee worked hard all night then was ready to play.

She searched and she searched but just couldn’t find May.

“Where has May got to? She’s taking so long!”

A little green frog answered, “Is something wrong?”

“I can’t find my friend, a mayfly called May.”

Frog said, “But mayflies live just for one day.”

“I’m sorry,” said Frog, with a comforting smile.

Together in silence they sat for a while.

 

The forest seemed darker than ever before.

The valleys seemed deeper, the mountains a bore.

As Bee flew back home, she felt lonely and sad.

There was no one to blame, yet still she felt mad.

“Oh May, what a pain you have left in my heart.

How can I bear it when we are apart?”

 

“Cheer up!” said Bee’s friends, and “Keep pushing on!”

But her work was no fun now that May was gone.

Later, she thought, ”Could it be a mistake?

Perhaps Frog was wrong. I’ll fly back to our lake.”

 

But May wasn’t there. Bee’s sadness just grew.

Then came a heartwarming voice that she knew.

“You are sad,” said the frog. “But remember, it’s true

that May spent her whole life being happy with you.”

Then Bee started humming a comforting tune.

The song of a friendship that ended too soon.

May and Bee,
You and me.
Our happy day a sweet memory.

Dearest May,
Now I see,
In my heart forever you will be.

 

Frog said, “I think you could do with a break,

Rest on my head and I’ll hop to the lake.”

Frog stopped on a lily to stretch his legs,

near to the spot where May laid her eggs.

Bee thought, “There is something magical here.

Somehow it feels as if May’s very near.”

 

Then Frog declared, “Look! What a marvelous sight!”

As a glittering cloud of new mayflies took flight.

One flew to Bee and said, “What a fine day!

What creature are you? I’m May. Can we play?”

Fun Facts:

1. Mayflies were around when the dinosaurs lived and long before that too, they’ve been around for over 300 million years.
2. Mayflies never eat, they don’t even have mouths. They have one mission during their short lives as flies and that is to lay their eggs.
3. The frog in this story is friendly – probably because he isn’t feeling hungry. Most hungry frogs will happily eat any insect that comes along – including bees and mayflies!
4. All worker bees are female and really earn their name, they never sleep! To make 1kg honey a bee has to fly the equivalent of three laps around the earth.
5. Bees dance instead of talking to each other, so I guess that’s how May and Bee communicate in this story too.
6. We need bees to survive! About two thirds of the food we grow has to be pollinated by bees.