48 SYLVAN SECEETS. 



powers, and outside of his dismal den is a 

 bonnie blue sprite of the water-ways, living 

 a bright and happy life forever, perhaps ; for 

 I never have found a sick, a decrepit, or a 

 dead one, nor have I ever heard of any body 

 who could testify that any of our wild birds 

 ever die of true disease or of old age. 



The most beautiful kingfisher superstition 

 or legend I ever have known of was told to 

 me by an old negro in Georgia. How far it 

 extended among the Southern slaves I have 

 no means of knowing. Here it is : 



" When you is a leetle boy, not mo' 'n six 

 year old, ef yo' go to de ribber an' see de 

 minner at sunrise fo' de kingfisher do, den 

 yo' neUber die 'ceptin' yo' git dro wnded ; an 

 den ef yo' does git drownded, de kingfisher 

 tote yo' sperit right off ter hebben, 'ca'se der's 

 no use 'r talkiii' 'bout habin' any bad luck ef 

 yo' got de eye like de ole kingfisher." 



I say the superstition is very beautiful, but 

 in effect it is the same old story of the heavy 

 chances against the seeker after lasting hap- 

 piness, for how much harder is it for a camel 

 to amble through the eye of a needle than for 

 any living being to see a minnow, in the 

 water quicker than can the incomparable 

 eyes of the Ceryle Alcyont 



