The play, which is derived from a painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder called Venus with Cupid Stung by a Bee (1532), is set in a small decorous wilderness—a tidy tempered forest—not far from a small German city. Venus naked and serene, is strolling among the trees, accompanied by a plump little cupid, who floats around her like a pink balloon. It is a sunny summer afternoon.
Cupid (hovering in the still air, suddenly alert): What is that buzzing?
Venus (languidly): Birds perhaps.
Cupid (surprised): Birds? Do birds buzz?
Venus (abstractly): I don’t know…do they not? I’ve forgotten.
Cupid: I bet they’re bees!
Venus (quietly): Well, perhaps.
Cupid (giggling): And where there are bees, there may be honey!
Venus: Yes, perhaps. Whatever that is.
Cupid (eagerly, boyishly): The bees make it. Would you like to try some honey, Goddess?
Venus (almost alarmed): Me? Well, I don’t know. I don’t remember it. It’s something to eat, is that right?
Cupid (eager): It’s sweet like candy!
Venus (suspicious): Insect candy.
Cupid (even more eager): I’ll be right back [he flies up into the buzzing tree]
[The buzzing of the bees grows louder and there is a sudden affrighted cry from Cupid]
Venus (languidly alarmed): Are you alright, Little One?
[Cupid returns, holding a chunk of honeycomb in one plump hand. He is covered with bee stings. A few angry bees cling to him still]
Cupid (breathless, trembling from his ordeal, holds out the honeycomb for Venus to see): Look, Goddess. This is Honey!
Venus (wary): The bees didn’t seem very pleased about your visit.
Cupid (laughing): They weren’t. They’re still not!
Venus (dejected): And look at yourself! You’re covered with stings.
Cupid (happy to have demonstrated his valour): It was worth it!
Venus (dubious) I’m not at all certain it was. The bees have spoiled your perfect, infantile beauty.
Cupid (gaily): Have some honey. I got it just for you.
Venus (gingerly dipping he finger into the honeycomb and cautiously tasting the worrisome honey): Mmmmm.
Cupid (proudly, as if he’d made the honey himself): You like it?
Venus (smiling): It’s as delicate and gentle as a rainbow.
Cupid (happily): Ambrosia! Food of the gods!
Venus (smiling happily): Of the Goddess, rather. It’s much too fine for all those boisterous, rough-hewn gods!
Cupid (grinning): If you like. It will be our secret then
Venus (delighted): Yes. Just for us. Beautiful Venus Honey—just for the two of us!
(curtain)
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Cupid, Honeybees and Pain: The Bee's Sting
