IN LEGEND AND FABLE 



43 



of the mosquito before he became dumb. 

 Thereupon Solomon decreed that the serpent 

 should feed upon the frog. 



As the animals were separating after the 

 meeting, the swallow passed near to the ser- 

 pent, who, furious over the ugly 

 affront he had received, made a 

 grab at her. The swallow was 

 on the watch and quickly flew 

 away, but not before the 

 serpent had pulled some 

 feathers from the 

 middle of 

 her tail. 



From that day the swallow's tail has been 

 forked. 



A similar reason for the forked tail we find 

 in the following legend from eastern France. 



