Scientific Tales
Sweet
Friendship
by Farid Alakbarov
In faraway Africa there lives
a bird called Honeybird. You may think that this bird is very
fond of honey. Not at all. Honeybird eats wax. Right, a regular
wax. Don't be surprised. Honeybird is the only living being among
all animals and birds that can eat wax. Honeybird is very fond
of wax. But it's not so easy to get wax. Wax is found in beehives.
But it's not easy to take it from there. There are thousands
of angry bees guarding their hives from Honeybird.
One day having eaten wax the Honeybird was returning home. He
had been badly bitten by bees. Poor bird's whole body had swollen
because of bee poison. On his way he met an African Badger by
chance. The Badger was in a cheerful mood. He was licking the
honey that had stuck to his lips. The Badger greeted the Honeybird
and asked:
Why has your face swollen? Are you sick?
The Honeybird sighed and replied:
Oh Badger. There is no healthy spot left on my body. Greedy
bees didn't let me eat my wax.
And the Badger asked in surprise:
But why do you need wax? Who eats wax? I thought that you
were looking for honey in beehives, just like me. And now I see
that you've crippled yourself only because of wax! Hm!
The Honeybird answered:
Badger, you like honey and I like wax. You'd better explain
me one thing. How do you manage to avoid bees while entering
their hives?
The Badger said:
It's a very simple question. As you can see, my hair and
skin are very thick. Poor bees do their best, but still can't
bite me.
The Honeybird sighed very deeply and said:
You are lucky. I wish I had such thick hair and skin as
well. Then I wouldn't be afraid of any bee. I would enter their
hives and eat as much wax as I wanted.
God forbid! said the Badger.
Why? asked the Honeybird.
The Badger smiled and replied:
Then you would destroy all the hives in the forest and
leave the badgers without honey. I have always been wondering
looking at youhow you could find so many hives? I usually
walk the whole day around the forest and find only one or two
hives.
The Honeybird thought a little and then said:
Do you want me to help you?
Of course, I dosaid the Badger.
Then listen to me. Let's do this way: I will find beehives
and inform you. Then you'll come, enter that hive and eat the
honey. And I will be standing in a distance waiting for you.
As soon as I see that angry bees have calmed down a little, I'll
collect the wax pieces from the ground and eat.
I agree, said the Badger. But I can't understand
one thing. Why do you need wax? I recommend you to eat honey.
The Honeybird answered:
Dear Badger, I know that you wish me well. But you should
understand that if all living beings eat honey like you, then
there will be not a single honey drop left in the world. Someone
should eat wax as well.
Since that time the African Badger and Honeybird have been collaborating
with each other. The Honeybird usually finds a beehive. Then
he flies to the Badger and lets him know. He jumps from one tree
to another showing the Badger the way to a beehive. The Badger
enters the hive and eats the honey. And the Honeybird quickly
collects the wax pieces from the ground. As soon as each of them
eats his share, they start looking for another hive.
Translated into English
by Arzu Aghayeva
Web design: Farida Sadikhova
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