One sunny morning, little Star the bee woke up very early. The sun was peeking into her hive window. It was warm and bright.
"I'm going to gather honey!" said Star.
She flew out of the hive and over the garden. She saw red apple trees and tall yellow sunflowers.
The sun got hotter and hotter. Star landed on the first flower.
"Buzz-buzz!" she sang.
She sipped a little nectar. Then she flew on to the next flower.
But the sun was even hotter now! Star felt very warm. Her wings began to ache.
"Oh, it's so hot," she whispered.
She spotted a big burdock leaf. Underneath was a shady spot.
Star sat down under the leaf. It was cool there. A soft breeze blew.
"Ah, how nice!" said Star happily.
She rested a little. She drank a drop of dew from the leaf.
Then she flew back to the flowers. This time she flew slowly. She didn't hurry.
She sipped from one flower. Then she rested under a leaf. Then she flew to another flower. And rested again in the shade.
All day long, Star worked like that. A little sipping, a little resting. By evening, her little honey baskets were full!
The sun slipped behind a cloud. The air grew cooler.
Star flew home to the hive.
Mama bee met her at the door.
"Well done, my dear!" said Mama. "You brought so much honey!"
Star smiled. She didn't tell how she had gathered the honey. She just felt that she had done the right thing.
That night, all the bees sat together. They ate fresh, sweet honey. It was delicious and smelled like flowers.
Star lay down on her soft wax bed. Her wings didn't hurt anymore. She was tired but happy.
Outside, crickets sang. The moon peeked into the hive.
Star closed her eyes and fell fast asleep.