The Bumblebee and the Snail

Once upon a time, in a land of seemingly endless summer, lived a very busy little bumblebee.   Having worked so very hard over the last few months, the little bee found that she had injured one of her wings. She was unable to make the long flight north she had planned, to where spring had finally arrived in the Land of Forest Fern.   She had planned to visit her dear snail friends who had just woken up after a very, very long sleep.

Fern was one such friend, who upon peeking out of his shell felt that one could not watch the awakening of spring and not be conscious of its significance, confirming the renewal and restoration of life.  Only a few days earlier the trees, grass, wild flowers and mosses seemed dead, and now everything was alive and rapidly reaching fruition.  Fern knew that if the little bumblebee could experience this, her wing would mend. He shared his thoughts with her by snail mail.  The little bee enlisted some friends to help her build a tiny ship from a walnut shell with sails made from linen and colorful scraps of Liberty fabric. She embroidered a tiny little snail flag for the mast, and christened her ship L’Escargot Liberté.

She set sail under the thimble filled with milky moon, and it was as if a magic breeze caught the patchwork sails, because by morning she reached the fragrant shore of the Land of Forest Fern. Of course her dear friend Fern was waiting by the shore, as if he had foreknowledge of the time of her arrival. 

She started to feel the healing forces of the forest atmosphere almost immediately, but it was the little journey up the mossy slope to the wise old snail with the dented shell who lives in the giant magnolia blossom that completely mended her broken wing.

The next few days were so relaxing, enjoying the great hospitality of the snail folk and learning how to experience life at a snail’s pace.  It was something she was never going to forget. 

With her wing knitted together and her body and mind more relaxed than she thought possible, she picked a bright sunny morning to fly back south to her family.  She couldn’t wait to share her adventures with them. She left the little ship for the snail children to enjoy sailing around the pond.

So if you happen to see a little bumblebee flying a little more slowly than the others, or taking time to really smell the roses, it might just be this little bee or one of her children since she believes a lesson worth learning is always worth sharing.  The end and the beginning.

I want to dedicate this tiny tale of  little friends with big hearts to my dear friend Elsita, whose birthday is tomorrow and her daughter Natalie whose birthday is coming up very soon and to my mom, in honor of mother's day on Sunday.

Don't worry no one mentioned above has a broken wing or any other appendages requiring mending.

I hope you enjoyed the little tale and perhaps if you have a chance please share it with you little ones. Have a wonderful weekend.

a little note: the inspiration for this tiny ship and the thimble filled with milky moon came from a favorite song of mine. Can you guess which one??

 

Comments

[Mathyld / encore petite]

This story is incredibly moving and poetic.
And the images, Margie ...
You always come with incredibly pretty photographs but these are beyond beautiful. They are magical and dreamy.

I love the colours, all the tiny details, the flowers (I love muscari !), the SHIP and the friends.

Thank you for being such a magician and a poet, both with words and images.
x x x
___mathyld___

[Novi]

What a wonderful story! Beautiful photos too. A nice treat at the end of my day. Thank-you.

[Elsita :)]

You're amazing my drear friend!
This story filled with love has reached a very special spot in my heart. Thank you so much for doing something so thoughtful. I am going to read the story with Natalie right now, she is going to love it and I am sure that some beautiful drawings are going to be inspired by it.
My little wing (heart) was actually broken a few weeks ago when I realized that i couldn't fly to see my friends far away but it is now healing, this story has been a miracle remedy.
Thank you so very much for being so unique and tomorrow you and all your caravan of little friends will be in my heart having a happy party!
We're going to have a simple gathering at home with friends in the morning to celebrate the fact that I am getting a year wiser :)

Lots of love and a biiiiiig hug from your bee friend here in Los Angeles!

Elsita :)
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[rebekah]

bridges and balloons :)

[thea]

you are an amazing person and i feel lucky enough to be able to see into the window of your world

[Sonia]

Aw what a lovely, sweet little tale, which somehow reminds me of Beatrix Potter ... This story was so adorable & meaningful, Happy Birthday to Elsita, what a lucky lady to have you as such a special & thoughtful friend ! I enjoyed each & every photo you shared & each & every word of the tale. Thanks so much for sharing with us your magic & sweetness. xoxo

[Nanou]

Margie, you surprise us every day ! All my family is so delighted to hear this lovely tale ... From now, we'll be very attentive to every bee ou bumblebee flying around ...
When do you publish this story ? That would be a wonderful children's book (and for adults too) ! A best-seller ! Fern could autograph the book with you ...
Elsita, a great happy birthday to you, so enchanting than this tale !

[Karen Salva]

I came here and what did I see?
found a story that shows a bee...
if you don't mind,
I would like the world to see,
a link, a picture, in a post from me!

Smile you have "bee"n spotted! I do a weekly bee spotting post and would like to show you off in my next post, usually every Tuesday. If you wish not to bee featured, let me know ASAP!!

(that was my drill)

I am falling out of my chair over how adorable this is! You are too much girl! A very nice birthday story for Elsita, friends and love do inspire our greatest creations. I do agree with Nanou above, this would be a fabulous children's story or part of a book of stories with all your nature photos and characters. "The Art-ventures of Fern"...I would buy it in a nanosecond!

[joanie]

What a lovely weekend treat. I've already shared it with my daughter and we were both enchanted. A very special gift for very special friends and your mother. The little ship made me smile as I'm in the midst of stitching some tiny patchwork of my own, we share a love of Liberty :)

[mary]

LOVED your sweet tale and the lesson it told! Thank you!

[Elizabeth]

You need to publish this!

[Clara]

I love this little fairytale and your photos......you are great Margie!

I wave "bye-bye to the bumblebee and the snails" :))

Hugs from Clara

[saganaga]

Margie,have you already seen this?

Margaret Wertheim: The beautiful math that links coral, crochet and hyperbolic geometry

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/margaret_wertheim_crochets_the_coral_reef.html

Just wanted to share...

Have a great day !

[Carrie Torres]

Hi I'm Carrie from California. I've been following your posts for some months. this story moved me to write because I finally realized why I love your photos so much. When I was a girl we lived in Geneseo NY. I had no relatives there and home was Santa Barbara. I was the oldest child and by the time I was 10 we had moved back to Calf. I have few memories and fewer pictures of the area but your photos bring back memories of the little girl who learned to crochet and sew there. I also loved to make things out of natural materials, a tea set of horse chestnuts comes to mind. your little boat is just the sort of thing I would have made. Thanks for the memories.

[Rane]

This was by far the best bedtime
story I have read to the kids....
I climed into bed with them all
in the dark with the lap top
on my ..well lap, my face glowing
in the dark I read them the
sweet story... there was not a
single comment or I have to have
a drink or potty break. That is
saying alot with my group.
After words I look over and
the baby is asleep on Alex....
Leo is asleep on Gav, who is
leaning on Leah.... who said
"Mrs. Margie is now my favorite
writer, her story was even
better than the movie Milo and
otis. I could see myself looking
and watching them... like I was
there!!" Then she asked for the
story just one more time!
On the second reading Ella and
Alex fell asleep leaving just
Leah and I. At the end she
Asked me if she can print it
out to share with her class.
I let her know I would ask if
it was ok or not. Her reading
class were asked to bring in a
story next week that was about
spring, and that the writer
had to inspire them. She went
to bed very hopeful.
Thank you Margie.... and
Happy Mother's day.
Loads of love to you,
Rane

[Mona]

Thank You so very much for this beautiful & enchanted fairytale!! - A story like this, words, pictures, everything, tells so much about the person telling it. And it tells me that you are beautiful and enchanted as well :)

[Patricia]

What a beautiful story of frienship and nature--both potent healing forces. I hope the little bumblebee will make it to the Land of Forest Fern, where she can mend her broken wing and bask in the love from her snail friends.

[Holly]

this is just all kinds of cute. I had no idea that bees were so cooperative for photo shoots!

[Mathyld / encore petite]

Dearest Margie,

I have been wanting to blog this wonder on my friend Andrea's blog for ages. It's now done :
http://beehaunting.blogspot.com/2009/05/bumblebee-snail.html
I hope you won't mind !

Have a wonderful end of the week,
x x x
___mathyld___