IN FOLK SONGS 119 



the new season, some bright eggs for the 

 coming Easter : — 



Little swallow, joyous one, 

 Joyous one, my swallow; 

 From the desert what dost bring ? 

 " Health, red eggs, and joy I sing ! " 



The swallow builds her nest, and, perch- 

 ing upon the edge of it, she recites to the 

 children all the delights of the new season. 

 She tells them that the trees will soon be 

 green, the hens will cluck and lay, the herds 

 will skip to the mountains, and all created 

 things will rejoice in the departure of the 

 snow, and the coming of the sun : — 



From the Black Sea the swallow comes, 



She o'er the waves has sped ; 

 And she has built herself a nest. 



And resting there she said : — 

 " Thou February cold and wet, 



And snowy March and drear. 

 Soft April heralds its approach. 



And soon it will be here. 

 The little birds begin to sing. 



Trees don their green array. 

 Hens in the yard begin to cluck, 



And store of eggs to lay. 



