The Royal Beekeeper

The Royal Beekeeper Yavuz DEMİRKIRAN

Princess Violet loved the palace gardens more than anything. Every morning, she ran through the orchard, her lavender dress flapping and her honey-blonde braid bouncing. She checked the apple trees and the pear trees. But this spring, something was wrong. The branches were mostly bare, with only a few small, hard fruits. Violet frowned. "Where are all the blossoms?" she wondered. 1

Queen Marigold found Violet standing under a quiet tree. The queen's silver-streaked braid shone in the sun. She carried her small garden trowel in her pocket. "What troubles you, my dear?" she asked. Violet pointed at the empty branches. "The orchard is making less fruit than ever. I want to help, but I don't know how." The queen smiled gently. "Then we must learn together." 2

That afternoon, Violet sat in the garden with a book about nature. She read about pollination. Bees carry pollen from flower to flower, and that helps plants grow fruit. Violet's green eyes grew wide. "So bees are the key!" she said. She looked around the garden. There were very few flowers for bees to visit. "No wonder the orchard is sad," she whispered. "The bees have nowhere to go." 3

Just then, a tiny golden bee landed on Violet's sleeve. It had shimmering wings and a fuzzy striped body. "Hello, little one," Violet said softly. The bee danced in a little circle, then flew a few inches away and hovered, as if waiting. "Do you want me to follow you?" Violet asked. The bee buzzed once, and Violet laughed. "All right, lead the way!" 4

The bee led Violet to an old stone wall at the edge of the garden. There, in a hollow, was a small wild hive. Bees buzzed in and out, their legs dusted with yellow pollen. Violet watched from a safe distance. "You've been working so hard," she said. "But you need more flowers." The bee landed on her hand and seemed to nod. Violet decided to call her new friend Buzz. 5

Back at the palace, Violet found Queen Marigold in the throne room. "Mother, I have a plan," Violet said. "We need to plant flowers everywhere so the bees have food. Then they can pollinate the orchard, and the fruit will grow back!" The queen clapped her hands. "A wonderful idea! I'll give you a patch of land and all the seeds you need. And I'll help you plant." 6

Violet worked every day after that. She dug, planted, and watered. She chose bright flowers: sunflowers, daisies, lavender, and clover. Buzz visited often, buzzing around Violet's straw hat. "This will be your garden," Violet told her. "A garden just for bees." She planted seeds in long rows, and the queen helped with her trowel. Together, they turned the earth into a rainbow of green shoots. 7

Weeks passed, and the shoots grew into buds. Then one morning, the first flower opened. It was a bright yellow sunflower. Violet gasped with joy. "Buzz! Look!" she called. Buzz flew straight to the sunflower and dipped inside. When she came out, her legs were covered in yellow pollen. Violet clapped. "It's working! The flowers are here!" 8

More flowers bloomed every day. Buzz told the other bees. Violet watched in wonder as more and more bees arrived. They buzzed happily from flower to flower. "You brought your whole family!" Violet said. Buzz danced in the air. The garden was alive with golden wings and happy humming. Soon, the orchard trees began to blossom again, covered in pink and white flowers. 9

Violet knew the bees needed a proper home. She asked the queen for help. Together, they built a wooden hive near the flower garden. Violet put on a wide straw hat with a veil to keep safe. "I'll take care of you," she promised the bees. She filled the hive with sweet syrup to welcome them. Buzz was the first to move in. "Welcome home," Violet whispered. 10

The next morning, Violet opened the hive carefully. The bees buzzed around her, but they did not sting. They seemed to know she was their friend. Violet lifted a frame and saw honeycomb shining like gold. "You did it!" she said. The queen came to see. "You have a gift, Violet," she said. "You understand these little creatures." Violet's face glowed with pride. 11

Summer arrived, and the orchard was full of fruit. Apples, pears, and plums hung heavy on the branches. The whole kingdom celebrated the harvest. Violet stood in the garden with Buzz on her finger. "Thank you," she said. "You saved the orchard." Buzz buzzed softly, as if to say, "We did it together." Queen Marigold placed a hand on Violet's shoulder. "You taught us all something important." 12

At the harvest feast, Queen Marigold stood before the court. "My daughter has shown us that even the smallest creatures matter," she said. "She has cared for the bees and brought back our fruit. I am proud to name her the Royal Beekeeper." Everyone cheered. Violet's dimple showed as she smiled. She wore a new yellow apron with deep pockets for her beekeeping tools. 13

From that day on, Violet visited her bees every morning. She wore her veil and straw hat and checked the hive. Buzz always greeted her with a happy dance. The bees became her loyal friends, buzzing around her as she worked. She planted more flowers each year, and the gardens grew more beautiful than ever. The kingdom became famous for its sweet honey and juicy fruit.