IN LEGEND AND FABLE 45 



the feathers of the center of the bird's tail 

 remained in his mouth. Those feathers 

 never grew again in the swallow's tail, and 

 the mosquito is dumb to this day, able only 

 to make his zum, zzzz, zzz. 



The following legend tells us not only why 

 the swallow's tail is forked, but also why her 

 breast is red. It shows our bird in rather 

 an unfavorable light. 



Why the Swallow has a Forked Tail 

 AND a Red Breast • 



a Swedish and Norwegian Legend 



Once upon a time there was a young girl 

 in the service of a Fairy. One day the 

 girl stole from her mistress a spool of red 

 thread and a pair of scissors. For this theft 

 she was changed into the bird called the 

 swallow ; and also, as a further punishment, 

 she was condemned to carry about with her 

 forever the signs of the objects she had stolen 

 — the spool of red thread upon her throat, 

 and the scissors in her tail. 



