THE SWALLOW.
Or else a plate of wheat; or else a loaf,
A halfpenny, or whatsoe'er you please;
Give, my good friends, whatever you can spare
To the poor jackdaw; e'en a grain of salt;
For willingly she feeds on anything;
And he who salt bestows to-day, to-morrow
May give some honey. Open, boy, the door;
Plutus has heard, and straight a serving maid
Brings out some figs. Gods, let that maiden be
For ever free from harm, and may she find
A wealthy husband of distinguish'd name:
And may she show unto her aged father
A lusty boy, and on her mother's lap
Place a fair girl, her daughter, to bring up
A happy helpmate for some lucky cousin.
But I, where'er my feet conduct my eyes,
Sing with alternate melody at the gates
Of him who gives, and him who rude denies.
At present I'll leave off, and say no more.
And at the end of this set of iambics he says—
But you, my friends, who have good store at home,
Give something. Give, O king; give you too, housewife.
It is the law that all should give their hand
When the crow begs. And you who know this law,
Give what you please, and it shall be sufficient.
And those people who went about collecting for the jackdaw ([Greek: korônê]) were called Coronistæ, as Pamphilus of Alexandria tells us, in his treatise on Names. And the songs which are sung by them are called coronismata, as Agnocles the Rhodian tells us, in his Coronistæ.
60. There is also another collection made among the Rhodians, the making of which is called [Greek: chelidonizein]; and it is mentioned by Theognis, in the second book of his treatise on the Sacrifices in Rhodes, where he writes thus—"There is a species of collecting which the Rhodians call [Greek: chelidonizein], which takes place in the month Boedromion. And it derives its name of [Greek: chelidonizein] because the people are accustomed to utter the following song:—
The swallow, the swallow ([Greek: chelidôn]) is come,
Bringing good seasons and a joyful time.
Her belly is white, her back is black.
Bring, oh bring, a cake of figs
Out of your luxurious house,
Bring a cup of wine,
And a dish of cheese,
And a bag of wheat.
