Origins: Cupid and the Bee

14 Feb 22 - 06:48 PM (#4136634)
Subject: Origins: Cupid and the Bee
From: Joe Offer

Needs research

Bee, The

DESCRIPTION: "As Cupid in a garden strayed/midst the roses played)," he is stung by a bee and begins to cry. He runs to his mother and proclaims that he is dying. She responds that if a bee hurts him so much, think how much his dart hurts others
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1798 (The American Musical Miscellany)
KEYWORDS: injury love bug
FOUND IN: US(MA)
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Thompson-BodyBootsAndBritches-NewYorkStateFolktales, pp. 339-340, "The Bee" (1 text)
Roud #V22674 and V11161
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Johnson Ballads 787, "Cupid wounded or the Mischievous bee" ("Little Cupid one day, o'er a myrtle bough stray'd"), J. Pitts (Seven Dials, London), 1808; also Firth b.26(56)=Firth c.18(65)=Harding B 16(66a), J. Pitts (Seven DIals, London (after 1819-1844)
NOTES [48 words]: There appear to be two versions of this, one beginning "As cupid in a garden strayed" and one which opens "Little Cupid one day o'er a myrtle bough stray'd." Both can be titled "The Bee," and the plot is the same, so I lump them, but Steve Roud gave them different tentative numbers. - RBW
Last updated in version 4.0
File: TNY339B

---

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography

The Ballad Index Copyright 2021 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

---

15 Feb 22 - 08:14 AM (#4136705)
Subject: RE: Origins: Cupid and the Bee
From: GUEST,cnd

Joe, a great writeup on that poem can be read here.

It reminds me a lot of the John Donne poem "The Flea," though less sardonic in nature.

---