CHAPTER VIII 



OUR DEBT TO THE SWALLOWS 



A CURIOUS old legend of Naples tells us 

 how the poet Vergil once rid that city of its 

 pest of flies. One day Vergil, who for cen- 

 turies after his death was looked upon as a 

 wizard by the folk of southern, Italy, met the 

 young Marcellus as he was going fowling. 

 Vergil asked him which of two blessings he 

 would choose — a bird which would catch all 

 other birds, or a fly which would drive away 

 all flies. Before deciding upon such an im- 

 portant question, Marcellus consulted the 

 Emperor Augustus, who, mindful of the city's 

 need, promptly voted in favor of the fly. 

 Thereupon Vergil made a huge bronze fly, 

 and set it high upon one of the gates of 

 Naples. As long as that fly remained in 

 place it banished every other insect from the 

 town. 



