Tell it to the Bees

[Shortie]

I'm the kind of grape that loves to know where sayings come from and this one was mentioned in my '52 ways to downsize your life' book that I was rereading for the billionth time last week.

Does anyone know the origins of the saying? I know that when you have a major event in your life (wedding, death, birth...) you should 'go tell it to the bees' but I can't work out the reason.

I wondered if it was either:

* A variataion of 'A problem shared is a problem halved' (or in the case of a beehive it a problem devided by tonnes not half )

* Because bees go in search of pollen for miles around, they 'pass on the message'

Anyone know it's origins?

[Flummery]

Dunno really - but that never stopped me answering a question! I always understood that you had to tell the bees if the master of the house (they were different times then, eh?) had died and who the new master was or they would swarm as they hated being masterless. Could have dreamt that though!

[Shortie]

Dunno really - but that never stopped me answering a question!

Lol, sounds a bit like me that does when it doesn't stop me from having a stabbing guess

[rustylady]

Bit like talking to your plants, really. In the olden days most cottage gardeners had a beehive, and it was really important to keep the bees happy. This means constant attention, and getting to know them, so I guess you'd talk to them too and tell them about any important happenings in your life.

[Headfry]

I will try and find out????
I think I will be telling my bees....."please be kind to me, and I am sorry if I am doing it wrong"
I have told them where all the broad bean plants were on the plot...hope they find them!

[Flummery]

You could paint little arrows on the paths?

[moggssue]

Sounds like a song Flum ... little arrows?? I could do with some to get the bees from the flowers in my front garden to the veg in my back! But back to the question ... I thought you told the bees things that were worrying you so they'd take the worry away?!!

[Shortie]

Oooo maybe Moggssue... that makes sense

[yoanbob]

you talk to bees for meditation, anything worrying you or just genral familly turmoil, bees are suposed to be wise, hive mentallity and all that, its suposed to work, weather the bees themselves help or if its just talking out your problems i dont know!

[nick the grief]

it was probably started by a village idiot somwhere I've heard it but have no idea why

[SarzWix]

The only info I could find on the 'net about it is this:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/osc/osc69.htm

but it doesn't really explain it. I'd love to know, it's something my Nan used to say, and I never quite understood it!

[madderbat]

As far as I'm aware it's part of the old magic. All about connection with everything. I first came across it in a book many years ago: Linnets and Velerian by Elizabeth Goudge. Beautiful story about a family that moved into the country and lived in an old village.
Bees need to be part of the family....