The Origin Of The Swallow
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William Forsell Kirby
The Hero of Esthonia and Other Studies in the Romantic Literature of That Country
John C. Nimmo, London
1895
Estonia
The Origin Of The Swallow: bird origin, transformation, nature myth, explanation, beauty, folklore, metamorphosis, flight, wonder, loss
Public Domain (copyright expired)
n/a
The Origin Of The Swallow
The wife of a drunkard was sitting weaving with her child on her lap. She wore a black cloth on her head, a red neckerchief, a white shift, and a coal-black petticoat. When her husband came home, he pushed his wife away, and destroyed the loom with an axe. Then he killed the child with a blow of his fist, and beat his wife till she fell senseless. But Ukko took pity on her, and changed her into a swallow. As she was trying to escape, the man struck at her with a knife, but only cleft her tail. Since that time she flies about twittering her misfortunes, and does not shun men like other birds, but builds her nest against their houses.
Folktales, Fairytales, myths, legends, stories, fantasy