40 



THE SWALLOW 



as to boast that they could kill on the 

 wing, with the first shot, any bird whatso- 

 ever. These boasts aroused the wrath of 

 the Evil Spirit, and he at once went among 

 them, and ordered the best marksman to kill 

 a swallow in flight. The 

 hunter fired and hit the bird, 

 but instead of killing it he 

 shot away only the middle of 

 the bird's tail. 



Then, as a punishment for 

 their boast- 

 ing, the 



Evil Spirit changed all those hunters into 

 Bobacs. And from that day to this, swal-, 

 lows' tails have been forked. 



Also from eastern Europe comes another 

 ancient legend, giving another reason for the 

 forked tail of the swallow. 



