Deep in the forest, a big bear went padding down the path, his belly rumbling with hunger. Nose lifted high, he sniffed the air as he ambled along. "Something sweet… now where is that coming from?" His mouth began to water.
A little farther on, the bear stopped short. There, from the branch of a great tree, hung a golden honeycomb — and drip… drip… the honey trickled down. "Ohh! All that honey! Today I'll eat until I can't move."
Just then a bee came buzzing over and landed right on the tip of his nose. "Stop right there, friend! This is our home." The bear only swatted at her, crossly. "Buzz off, you little speck of a fly." And quick as that — zip! A sting on the nose!
One tiny sting, and the bear saw red. "Sting ME, will you? I'll teach you a lesson!" Growling with anger, he rose up on his back legs and sprang at the honeycomb — riiip! — and tore the whole hive clean apart.
Well — now he'd done it! Out of the broken hive poured thousands upon thousands of bees, all at once — BZZZZ! A whole storm of black and gold. Ears, nose, back — everywhere they landed, another sting! Who can win against a thousand bees?
The bear ran for his life — thud, thud, thud! Past the trees, through the bushes, and straight into the pond he leapt — SPLOOSH! At last the bees couldn't reach him.
Evening settled over the pond. His nose swollen up like a drum, aching all over, the bear sat there quiet at last. "I could have put up with one little sting. Instead, my own temper brought a thousand of them down on my head."