IN BELIEFS AND OMENS lOl 



When swallows fleet soar high and sport in air, 

 They tell us that the welkin will be clear. 



Perhaps because of her ability to foretell 

 the weather, the folk appeal to her to decide 

 other and more important matters. The 

 French peasant who wishes to marry and 

 knows not which maid to choose, awaits 

 the coming of the first swallow in the spring. 

 As soon as he spies her, he looks down at 

 his feet, and there upon the ground he finds 

 a hair, which is the color of the tresses of 

 the lass he must marry. 



The Polish youth who needs a new horse, 

 and knows not which to choose, also con- 

 sults the swallows. He goes out into the 

 fields, and when he sees a swallow he whirls 

 around three times on his heel, saying as 

 he does so, " Tell me, O swallow, what color 

 my horse shall be." Then he steps to one 

 side and examines the mark made by his 

 heel, and there he finds a hair the color of 

 which tells him the color of the horse to 

 buy. But he must quickly say, " I've found 



