IN LEGEND AND HISTORY 77 



How THE Sparrow was Punished 



A Fable of Hungary 



A swallow returns to her nest in the spring 

 and finds it occupied by a sparrow. She 

 cries and shrieks to attract the attention of 

 her companions, who soon come hurrying 

 from all directions. They at once pitch upon 

 the usurper to make him leave the stolen 

 nest. But the sparrow refuses to move. 

 The swallows then hold a brief consultation 

 and decide to punish the sparrow for unjustly 

 keeping the nest. With one accord they all 

 fly away and get some moist earth, and, quick 

 as a wink, they put a layer of mud over the 

 opening of the nest, thus hermetically sealing 

 it. The sparrow and his wife, deprived of 

 food and air, both quickly die. 



The folk of the country of Hungary have 

 this little song, which records this punish- 

 ment by the little mud plasterers: — 



Quick the swallows hither fly, 

 And wall the foolish sparrows in ; 

 So the stupid creatures die, — 

 A warning sad to all their kin. 



