BUZZ A BUZZ

OR THE BEES

Buzz a Buzz
or
The Bees

Done freely into
English

BY THE AUTHOR
OF MY BEE BOOK

from the German
of
Wilhelm Busch.

London: GRIFFITH & FARRAN.
Chester: PHILLIPSON & GOLDER.

iii.

Preface.

EXPLANATORY.

I must say a few words in explanation of the somewhat novel form whichmy new "Bee-Book" has taken, and which, doubtless, will be a surprise tothe many Bee-Friends who are waiting with exemplary patience for thesecond edition of my original "Bee-Book," soon about to appear after aninterval of thirty years from the publication of the first edition.

I happened last year to be at the Cologne Station, waiting for thetrain, and employed my spare time in looking over the book stall forsomething to read on my way to Aix-la-Chapelle. The stall was coveredwith books about the late War. I had returned from a visit to the BattleFields of 1870, and was sick of the subject. I wanted something of amore peaceful nature, and I was turning away, without making a purchase,when a book met my eye entitled Schnurrdiburr. What that might mean Iknew not, but the second title, oder die Bienen, was intelligible, andhad attraction enough for me. I opened it, and saw it was profuselyillustrated with very comical cuts. I paid my Thaler and carried away myprize.

The cuts are reproduced in the book which my readers have in theirhands. The verses were written up to the pictures rather than translatedfrom the German text; for alas! my German is very limited; enough for travellingiv.purposes, but hardly enough to enable me to read a Bee-Bookeither serious or comical.

RIDENTEM DICERE VERUM QUID VETAT?

There is much truth lying hid under these comical stories; still more inthe illustrations; and the notes which I have appended may be founduseful even by serious Bee-Masters.

I promise my readers that they shall have the second edition of "My BeeBook" as perfect as I can make it, and with as little delay as possible.

I trust it may be much nearer perfection than the first edition,published under great difficulties, could be, and I hope it may have asmany purchasers as this its forerunner.

W. C. C.

Frodsham, Cheshire,
September, 1872.

v.

Prelude.