96 ' THE SWALLOW 



ings and beliefs. " Swallow, come and 

 build your nest in my little window ! " cry 

 the boys and girls of Brittany in the early 

 springtime, for, unlike the raven, swallows 

 bring good fortune to the homes that har- 

 bor them. But the homes they favor with 

 their presence must be the abodes of love 

 and peace, for, according to the Germans, the 

 slightest quarrel in a family makes the swal- 

 lows abandon their nests in the eaves and fly 

 away, taking the good fortune with them. 



The ancient Romans gladly allowed Swal- 

 lows to build in the eaves and roofs of their 

 houses, for one of their legends taught that 

 the spirits of the little dead babies of their 

 household came back from heaven to visit 

 them in the form of swallows. 



But beware of harming the nest ! Ter- 

 rible are the misfortunes which will fall upon^ 

 your head for the offense! Sicilian boys are 

 taught not to harm the nest for fear of being 

 stricken dumb, and Norwegian mothers 

 w^arn their children that they will become 



