IN LEGEND AND FABLE 37 



of the world, yet found no plant and no liv- 

 ing thing in all the land." 



(The same questions were asked and the 

 same answers given for the other points of 

 the compass.) 



" They spoke the truth," said the Swallow 

 People. " Had you asked us in the begin- 

 ning what the land contained, we would have 

 told you and saved you all your trouble. 

 Until you came, no one has ever dwelt in 

 all this land except ourselves." 



The people then said to the swallows : 

 "You understand our language and are 

 much like us. You have legs, feet, bodies, 

 heads, and wings as we have. Why can- 

 not your people and our people become 

 friends ? " 



" Let it be as you wish," said the swal- 

 lows, and both parties began at once to treat 

 each other as members of one tribe. They 

 mingled one among the other, and addressed 

 one another by the terms of relationship, as 

 my brother, my sister, my father, my son, etc. 



