26 THE SWALLOW 



legends, from countries far remote from one 

 another, which tell us how the swallow came 

 upon the earth. The oldest of these leg- 

 ends, the one most important in the his- 

 tory of the swallow, comes to us from the 

 ancient land of Greece, and has its origin 

 in those times when gods and godesses 

 peopled the green slopes of Hellas, and 

 when fables were recounted to interpret 

 the mysteries of the natural world. This is 

 the Greek legend. 



The Origin of the Swallow 



A Legend of Greece 



Once upon a time Pandion, King of 

 Athens, had two daughters named Procne 

 and Philomela, whom he dearly loved. One 

 daughter, Procne, he gave in marriage to 

 Tereus, King of Thrace, who took her awa^ 

 to malce her home in his own country. 

 Many years of happy married life went by 

 for Procne, but ever she kept the memory of 

 her dear sister Philomela in her heart, and 



