as overheard in the garden

"It must be true," the squirrel told the caterpillar. "I heard the frog telling the grasshopper and I've never known the frog to lie."
"But where did the frog hear it?" The caterpillar asked.
"Well," said the squirrel, lowering his voice so as not to be heard by anyone else around. "If I'm not mistaken the frog heard it from the ladybug."
"Hmmmm," the caterpillar replied and scurried off on her stubby little legs.

"Is it true?" the caterpillar asked breathlessly as she rounded the corner of the azaeleas and practically ran over the ladybug. "Did you tell frog ..."
"Hush," said the ladybug. "No one is supposed to know. I only told the frog because he swore he wouldn't tell anyone else. Where did you hear it?"
"Squirrel told me. But I haven't told anyone else if that's what you're worried about. Is it true?"
"Well," said the ladybug. "The mocking bird told me. She always seems to have the most current information. She insisted it was true and that she'd heard it almost first hand as she heard the lizard behind the wall telling the rabbit. And the lizard said that he had heard it from the ant who'd heard it from the bumble bee."
"The bumble bee?" asked the caterpillar. "And how, pray tell did the bumble bee find out."
"I'm not certain," answered the ladybug. "You'll have to ask the bumble bee yourself. Last time I saw her she was in the daffodils"
"Well I want to know if its true so I guess that's what I'll have to do. Thanks for your help." But the ladybug had already flown off.

The caterpillar scurried across the garden. As she did she heard bits and pieces of conversations amongst all the creatures in the garden. Clearly this was no secret as everyone - EVERYONE - seemed to be talking about it.
Caterpillar did find the bumblebee in the daffodil's and it took a moment to get her attention. "Helllllooooo! Hellllooooo! I say can you hear me bumble bee?"
The bumblebee stopped what she was doing and buzzed over to the caterpillar. "Hello caterpillar. What can I do for you?" Bumblebee asked.
"Is it true? Its all over the garden you know? I just want to know. Is it true?" The caterpillar asked.
"It is true indeed. I heard it straight from the butterfly."
"The butterfly?"
"Oh yes!" said the bumblebee excitedly which just made it harder to hear because when she got excited the buzzing got so much louder. "The butterfly told me herself that she was minding her own business over by the honeysuckle, when the boy came to her and whispered that she must go to the girl and give her a kiss and tell the girl that the boy was truly in love with her."
"Oh my goodness." Caterpillar said hopping from one foot to another foot to another foot to another foot. "So it is really true."
"Yes. But the very best part," whispered the bumblebee, which of course could barely be heard over the buzzing and the caterpillar had to strain very hard to hear it. "The very best part, is that the girl loves the boy truly too."