Bee and Butterfly: A Tale of Two Cousins

In Short

Lucy Foster Madison’s Bee and Butterfly: A Tale of Two Cousins is a classic 1913 coming-of-age story centered on fifteen-year-old Beatrice "Bee" Raymond. Desperate to win the approval of her widowed father—a world-traveled entomologist specializing in butterflies—Bee tries to transform herself into a beauty like her refined, pretty cousin Adele. Through a series of misadventures involving cosmetic mishaps, small-town misunderstandings, and a dangerous outbreak of disease, Bee learns to master her fiery temper and embrace her true self. The story endures as a gentle, domestic study of emotional maturity and filial devotion.

The Story

The narrative opens as fifteen-year-old Beatrice "Bee" Raymond eagerly anticipates the return of her father, Dr. William Raymond, a distinguished scientist who has spent years traveling abroad to collect lepidoptera specimens. Bee lives under the care of her affectionate aunt and beside her cousin Adele, a soft-spoken, extraordinarily pretty girl who is accustomed to receiving praise for her looks. Feeling awkward and plain in comparison to Adele, Bee resolves to make herself irresistible to her father. She secretly studies his butterfly textbooks and attempts various foolish beauty remedies—including a disastrous jimson-weed face poultice that leaves her skin yellow, swollen, and temporarily disfigured.

When Dr. Raymond arrives, he proves to be an absorbed, reserved man, unused to young girls and initially disarmed by Bee's impetuous nature. Misunderstandings quickly arise. Dr. Raymond admires Adele’s graceful, polished manners, which causes Bee intense pangs of jealousy and fear that her father prefers her cousin. Wanting desperately to attract his attention and prove her worth, Bee throws herself into assisting him with his scientific work, learning to feed caterpillars, mount rare specimens, and recognize complex concepts like protective mimicry. She also crosses paths with local figures, such as Percival Medulla, an arrogant child violin prodigy whose antics test her patience.

Despite her best efforts to be good, Bee finds herself constantly caught in embarrassing mishaps. When Percival impulsively cuts off his own famous curls, Bee takes the blame to protect him from his mother's wrath, leaving her father to believe she was recklessly irresponsible. Later, Bee discovers that Adele has been slacking on her charitable duties to a sick neighbor, Aunt Rachel. When Rachel contracts smallpox, Bee bravely isolates herself inside the woman’s cabin to nurse her, locking the door against her frantic father to save him from exposure.

Bee’s selfless courage during the health crisis completely shatters Dr. Raymond’s emotional reserve. Realizing the deep integrity, loyalty, and strength of character his daughter possesses, he seeks her forgiveness for his earlier blindness. Having originally planned to send Bee away to a girls' college while he undertakes a new scientific expedition abroad, Dr. Raymond changes his mind. Recognizing that Bee is the ultimate companion and helper he could ever hope for, he invites her to travel the world by his side. The novel closes aboard an ocean liner outward bound, with Bee holding her father's hand, fully secure in his love and respect.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Bee and her pretty cousin Adele prepare for the long-awaited arrival of Dr. William Raymond. Eager to surprise her father, Bee studies his butterfly books, but her insecurity about her appearance drives her to apply a disastrous herbal poultice that temporarily ruins her face.

A distant father Dr. Raymond returns to Walnut Grove and proves to be a reserved scientist deeply immersed in his academic research. Bee feels crushed when her father initially responds more warmly to Adele’s quiet manners than to her own energetic efforts to manage his household.

Shared passions Bee finds common ground with her father by displaying her genuine knowledge of lepidoptera during walks through clover fields and woods. She assists him with cataloguing specimens and raising larvae, though her volatile temper continues to cause occasional friction.

Trouble with the prodigy Bee encounters Percival, a spoiled musical prodigy who wears curls and knickerbockers to maintain an infantile image for his concerts. When a hair-cutting incident occurs, Bee silently shields the boy, accepting her father's stern disapproval rather than betraying a confidence.

The test of devotion When old Aunt Rachel falls gravely ill with smallpox, Bee steps up to care for her alone inside the cabin. She locks out her father when he arrives to retrieve her, choosing to endure quarantine and danger rather than allow him to risk infection.

A new understanding Moved by his daughter's heroism and unwavering loyalty, Dr. Raymond abandons his plans to place her in a boarding college. The two board a transatlantic ship together, embarking on a foreign expedition as devoted companions.

The People

• Beatrice "Bee" Raymond: An impulsive, energetic girl of fifteen who longs for her father's love and affection. Initially insecure about her appearance compared to her cousin, Bee matures through hard work, trial, and self-sacrifice into a deeply loyal and courageous young woman.
• Dr. William Raymond: Bee’s father, a distinguished lepidopterist and scholar. Absorbed in his scientific research and naturally reserved, he initially fails to see his daughter’s deep devotion, but eventually comes to appreciate her sharp mind and heroic heart.
• Adele: Bee’s remarkably pretty, gentle cousin. She is accustomed to admiration and luxury, often dawdling over her duties and relying on her sweet charm to navigate life's difficulties.
• Percival Medulla: A young violin prodigy exploited by his mother, forced to wear knickerbockers and long curls to maintain a youthful appeal. Though arrogant and manipulative at first, he finds a sensible friend in Bee.

In Its Own Voice

"The wonderful evolution of a caterpillar, or grub, into a beautifully winged creature must inspire admiration in every one. More marvellous still is the growth of the human soul which in many respects resembles the development of the butterfly."

— From the Foreword, establishing the novel's central metaphor of spiritual and personal growth.

"I have been an ugly grub for so long that I'm afraid to try my new wings."

— Bee musing nervously before a mirror after using a home remedy to improve her complexion.

"This much have you taught me, Beatrice: that there is a charm greater than that of beauty."

— Dr. Raymond acknowledging his daughter's true worth before agreeing to take her abroad.

What It's Really About

At its core, Bee and Butterfly explores the process of moral evolution, drawing a direct parallel between the metamorphosis of an insect and the emotional growth of a young girl. The novel critiques early 20th-century social obsessions with vanity, surface charm, and superficial beauty. Through the contrasting paths of Bee and Adele, Madison argues that physical attractiveness is fleeting and insubstantial compared to moral strength, candor, and devotion. The book also examines the fragile dynamic between a widowed, intellectual parent and an affection-starved child, illustrating how honest communication and shared labor can bridge emotional distance.

Why Read It Today

Lucy Foster Madison’s novel offers a charming, nostalgic slice of Edwardian juvenile fiction that will appeal to fans of classic domestic coming-of-age stories like Anne of Green Gables or An Old-Fashioned Girl. What sets the narrative apart from typical period romances is its genuine, detailed integration of natural science. Readers who enjoy entomology will be delighted by the author's precise references to butterfly species, caterpillar diets, and protective mimicry.

The story moves at an easy, wholesome pace, filled with domestic drama, mild humor, and gentle morality. Modern readers should be prepared for typical period tropes, including sentimental melodrama, stylized dialect from minority minor characters, and strict Edwardian notions of decorum. However, Bee’s earnestness, flawed humanity, and stubborn determination to be loved remain deeply relatable, making this forgotten public-domain gem a warm and comforting read.