42 



THE SWALLOW 



^ ordered by Solomon, 

 ^ y^ and the mosquito was 

 on his way thither, 

 when on the street he 

 met a swallow, and, — 

 "Where are you 

 going?" the swallow 

 asked. 



"To the reunion of Solomon, as you know." 

 "I had forgotten it. And what did you 

 find to be the sweetest blood?" 



"That of man," answered the mosquito. 

 "That of — ?" asked the swallow, feigning 

 not to have understood. 



"Of man," replied the mosquito, and as he 

 opened his mouth, the swallow with one peck 

 pulled out his tongue. 



In the reunion, the mosquito, upon being 

 questioned, could express himself only by, 

 making the sound Xssss. The swallow 

 stepped up and interpreted it thus, " The blood 

 of the frog," at the same time observing that 

 she had heard this answer from the mouth 



