54 THE SWALLOW 



you this legend in the words of the little old 

 woman who told it to me, in her home on 

 the slopes of Mount Amiata in Tuscany; 

 You will learn from this why the swallow 

 has the right, according to the good people 

 in that part of Italy, not to be molested, and 

 why she must not, like other birds, be caged 

 or killed. And you will also learn why she 

 is called blessed, and why the people love to 

 have her in the eaves of their houses — a 

 morning awakener and a true prophet of the 

 springtime. This is what she said. 



Why the Swallows are not Molested 



A Legend of Tuscany 



The good Jesus was suffering on the cross 

 in the terrible hour of his agony. A thorn 

 of the crown which was fixed upon his brow 

 was piercing his eye, and was penetrating^ 

 more deeply ' with every movement of his 

 weary head. A bat was flying about the 

 cross, and at that time the bat was a bird 

 like any other. Jesus called to him: — 



