At first one fights to put the fire out.

When that's no use, then one thinks only of saving the things.

That's the principle the bees generally go upon.
At first they attack the enemy, in the hope of driving him off.

But if they find that he is going to succeed in breaking in and burglarizing the place, then they fling themselves on the precious honey which they have taken so much pains to store, and begin to stuff their honey sacks as full as possible.

All they think of then is to carry away enough to keep them going while they are getting established in new quarters.
The trouble with the fool bear who has got us into this mess to-day was that he tackled a bee tree where the outside wood was too strong for him to rip open.