
THE CHILDREN'S LIFE OF THE BEE - BY - MAURICE MAETERLINCK - SELECTED AND ARRANGED BY - ALFRED SUTRO AND HERSCHEL WILLIAMS - ILLUSTRATED BY - EDWARD J. DETMOLD - NEW YORK - DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY - 1919
The story opens with a quiet Dutch village, where a retired philosopher tends a garden full of bright, painted hives. Sun‑kissed straw domes of blue, pink and yellow stand against the canal wall, their bustling occupants filling the air with the scent of blossoms. From this tranquil setting the listener is invited to watch the bees as they turn ordinary flowers into a living classroom.
Through the spring awakening of a single hive, the narrative follows the queen, her tireless workers, and the brief‑lived drones as they build, forage, and protect their honey palace. Listeners learn the rhythms of swarming, the rise of new queens, and the gentle decline toward winter, all explained with simple wonder and vivid detail. The gentle prose and charming illustrations make the complex world of bees feel both accessible and awe‑inspiring.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (145K characters)
Release date
2012-01-08
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1862–1949
A master of Symbolist drama, this Nobel Prize-winning Belgian writer filled his plays and essays with mystery, dreamlike beauty, and big questions about life and fate. His work moves from shadowy, haunting theatre to the brighter wonder of The Blue Bird.
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