Story: The Bee Tree
Book: Stories for Children
Author(s): Mrs. M. R. Allen
Published: 1912
Internet Archive link.

Notes: Lightly edited. The motifs of selling-mothers/wives and dead-in-the-road are classic African folktale motifs.

Possum and Squirrel Sell Their Wives

Mr. Possum and Mr. Squirrel wanted some rice, and didn’t know how to get it, for they didn’t have any money. So Mr. Possum says, “Let’s take our wives to town and sell them, and then we can get as much rice as we want.'” Mr. Squirrel didn’t like that plan, for he didn’t want to sell his wife, for he loved her, but he didn’t want to make Mr. Possum mad with him either, for he wanted some of his rice when he got it. So he tied his wife with a cotton string, so she could get away. And Mr. Possum tied his wife with a twine string.

So they started to town, and on their way Mrs. Squirrel got away. So Mr. Possum said, “”Never mind; I’m going to carry mine on any way. And when I buy my rice, I’m not going to give you one bit.”

So Mr. Possum went to town, and sold his wife, and bought him a nice sack of rice, and as he was coming home Mr. Squirrel was lying stretched out across the road like he was dead. Mr. Possum said, “Poor Squirrel! I guess you So think you will fool me, and make me give you some rice; but I know your trick; you ain’t dead; you are just possuming!”

So he passed on, and when he was out of sight Mr. Squirrel jumped up and run through the woods, and threw himself across the road again. So when Mr. Possum came up again, Mr. Squirrel was lying across the road again. Mr. Possum said, “This looks mighty like the same Squirrel I just passed. I’l just run back and see if that other Squirrel is there still.” So he set his rice down and went back.

So as soon as he was gone, up jumped the Squirrel, and, taking the sack of rice, was soon out of sight. So when Mr. Possum got back hot and panting, he found his rice and Mr. Squirrel both gone.

So Mr. Squirrel was mad, and went running on, and met an Ant. And he said, “If you don’t tell me which way that Squirrel went with my rice, I’ll stamp the life out of you!” So the Ant said, “He is in that hollow tree, the one with the Bees flying around it. We call it a Bee tree.” So Mr. Possum said, “Ha! Ha! I’ll stop him up, and let the Bees sting him to death.” So he stopped him up.

But Mr. Squirrel was so fleet of foot he came running out at the top, unharmed, and all covered with honey, and licking himself. So as Mr. Possum looked at him, Mr. Squirrel said, “Mr. Possum, just taste; how sweet!” Mr. Possum tasted, and forgot all about the rice, and said, “I believe I’ll go in and get some good honey.” So he went in, and Mr. Squirrel run and stopped up the tree at the top and bottom.

So after a little while the Bees begun to sting the Possum, and he tried to get out and couldn’t. So he begun to call, “Mr. Squirrel, Mr. Squirrel, come quick and help me! My old woman’s ghost is after me, and she is pulling my hair all over. Open the hole and let me out! I’m dyingl?”

“You ought to die,” said Mr. Squirrel. “Anybody that would sell their wife for a mess of rice can’t die too hard.”

So Mr. Squirrel went off and let the Bees sting Mr. Possum to death… becanse he sold his wife.

Squirrel in a tree from Public Domain Pictures. https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=283220&picture=fox-squirrel-in-a-tree