It is folly to buy a cat in a sack—i.e. a game bag. (French). To buy the cat in the bag. (German, Welsh). ALLIED PROVERBS A cat is not sold in a bag, but openly produced. (African, Accra). Do not look upon the vessel, but upon that which it contains. (English). Don't bite till you know whether it is bread or a stone. (Italian). Nocturnal venison is not fat-i.e. Game caught in the night is poor. (Oji). The horse is in the stable and you declare his price in the market. (Hindustani). To buy a cat for a hare. (French). To settle the price of a buffalo while she is lying in the water. (Marathi). When the pig is proffered hold up the poke. (English). When they give you a heifer make haste with the halter. (Spanish). 3 ONE SWALLOW DOES NOT MAKE A SUMMER One drop of water does not make a shower, one virtue does not make a saint, one battle does not decide the fate of war, one misdoing does not make a vagabond, one profitable venture does not make a successful business career. In days of old the people of England expected swallows to make their appearance about the middle of April and the fifteenth day of the fourth month was therefore set apart as "Swallow Day," yet they were wise enough to realize that birds could not create seasons and that one swallow would not make a summer any more than one woodcock would make a winter. There are several reasons why the swallow should have been selected by the makers of this proverb, rather than any other bird. It attracts attention by its graceful movement and is loved because of its solicitous provision for the comfort of its mate. No male bird is more tender of its mate, particularly at nesting time. He provides not only for her wants but takes her place in the nest that she may fly abroad for needed exercise. When the birdlings appear he is ready to assist her in caring for them until they leave the nest. Even after they have entered independent lives, both he and his mate seem to retain an interest in them, for it is said, when they meet in the air the parent birds pause in flight to lovingly touch the beaks of their children. Another reason why it was said that "One swallow does not make a summer" may have been that one is seldom seen. Swallows are gregarious; they go in flocks and live in colonies. So pronounced is this trait that when the fledglings leave their nest they keep together feeding about the same place. Perhaps the main reason is found in the fact that the swallow has always been closely associated with superstition. In centuries past men were wont to regard the bird as a bringer of good and ill luck. Among the Romans it was sacred to the household gods and was under special protection. To kill one meant that the slayer would meet with dire misfortune. Its early appearance in the spring assured the old Slavonians of an abundant harvest and also protected them from fire and lightning. Bohemian maidens looked for the coming of the bird with both hope and fear, for they believed that the girl who was first to see one would be married before the close of the year, but the girl who saw two would be compelled to wait. In Ireland the swallow is called the "Devil's Bird" because it is said to pluck the hair of destiny from men's heads which dooms them to perdition. The peas ants of Germany once thought that the flight of the bird beneath a cow would sometimes lead to its death, or in case it should live would cause it thenceforth to give bloody milk which was known as "Swallow Milk." Our own ancestors were glad to have swallows build their nests under the eaves of their houses because their presence brought good luck. There is an old belief that they fly to the seashore and bring their fledglings a stone which gives them sight. "Oft in the barns they climbed to the populous nests on the rafters, Seeking with eager eyes that wondrous stone, which the swallow Brings from the shore of the sea to restore the sight of its fledglings; Lucky was he who found that stone in the nest of the swallow." HENRY W. Longfellow, a.d. 1807-1882, Evangeline. There is an old Norwegian tradition that the swallow obtained its name at the cross-that when Jesus died it flew above the head crying "Svala! svala!" and was thenceforth known as Svalow which means the bird of consolation. Still another tradition is preserved in France that declares the swallow removed the crown of thorns from the brow of Christ and in doing so pierced its own breast, which accounts for its ruddy hue. The origin of the proverb is unknown. It was quoted by Horace the Latin poet before the Christian era. It was also used by Aristotle three centuries and more before the coming of our Lord. It may have been suggested from Æsop's fable of The Spendthrift and the Swallow. The oldest form of the proverb substitutes spring for summer. "I did lately hear How flek and his make use their secret haunting, 'Pimon: With all my heart, gentlemen both and how fare you? First Lord: Ever at the best, hearing well of your lordship. Second Lord: The swallow follows not summer more willing than we your lordship. Timon (Aside): Nor more willingly leaves winter; such summer birds are men.' -WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, A.D. 1564-1616, Timon of Athens. "I could never yet be a friend to the Roman Auguries, nor have any faith for their fond, foolish and credulous observations taken from the flying, feeding, chirping, chattering or singing of crows, pies, owls, eagles, vultures, buzzards and such like birds: I do not know whether there were any swallows among 'em; but this I am confident of, that the Grecians were much in the right on't, to say, that one swallow makes no summer. A swallow's flying abroad early in |