122 THE SWALLOW 



of Athens going about the streets 

 each carrying in his hands 

 a crude wooden image 

 of a swallow attached to a 

 little windlass, which made 

 it spin rapidly round and round. They 

 stopped before the doors of the principal 

 houses and sang this song : — 



O'er the white sea the swallow is winging, 

 She rests ; and she's singing : — 



" To March, my good month of March, 



And to you, February, 



All snowy and dreary, 

 The fragrance of springtime you're bringing." 



Then they received gifts of eggs, cakes, fruit, 

 etc. 



From these old Grecian swallow greetings 

 sprang a custom, common still in several 

 countries of Europe, for the children, an^ 

 sometimes older people as well, to go about 

 in bands on New Year's Eve, Easter Eve, 

 and Martinmas (or Feast of Saint Martin, 

 celebrated on November 1 1). They sing 



