ICX) THE SWALLOW 



a mystical correspondence with certain men 

 and women, who get from them mysterious 

 messages from the skies. I could tell you 

 of an old woman, held to be a saint, who 

 is said to talk with the swallows." 



By carefully noting her actions at the 

 approach of a storm and when the skies 

 were clear, the people have discovered in 

 the swallow one of our surest prophets of 

 the weather. To this office we owe our 

 most familiar swallow omens, common to 

 many languages and countries. Swallows 

 announce the approach of rain by flying low 

 over the fields and the ponds, so 



When swallows fly low, 

 A storm will blow, 



say the Italians. The French have it : — 



Swallows skimming o'er the plain 



Are sure messengers of rain. . 



When sunny days are at hand, swallows 

 mount high into the heavens and lose them- 

 selves from sight in the blue sky — and the 

 English poet sings : — - 



