She gave the grub a tiny prick with the tip of her envenomed sting, which caused it to roll up into a tight ball and lie still.

Then straddling it, and holding it in place with her front pair of legs, she cut into it with her powerful mandibles and began to suck its juices.

The Child's nose wrinkled in spite of himself at sight of this unalluring banquet, but he stared with all eyes.

There was something terrifying to him in the swiftness and efficiency of the great hornet.

Presently the grub, not having received quite a big enough dose of its captor's anaesthetic, came to under the devouring jaws and began to lash out convulsively.