I read both of these in The Appalachian Voice.
- “Some believe ‘if a colony of bees swarm, you’ve got to get out and ring a bell or beat on a dishpan before they’ll settle.'”
- “It is believed that when a beekeeper dies, someone must tell the bees or they will leave or die. In Kentucky, this telling was done through a song.”
The first scene is easy to imagine, though I’d never think of trying it in the case of a bee swarm in my own yard. The second, though! Think of it–what does the song sound like? Who is the singer, and how did they learn the music?
If humans can keep hold of whatever makes some of us sing compassionate songs to orphaned bees, we might be OK.
One Comment
Comments are closed.