Home life in Hellas, Greece and the Greeks - eBooks4Greeks.gr

FAITH AND FOLK-LORE 245came under his observation during the War ofIndependence. It was on the eve of a battle,19th April, 1825. At supper the right shoulderbladeof the lamb was handed to Vattini. Placingitbefore the candle, he attentively considered theoutlines presented by the vascular system of thediaphanous portion of the bone. Then in solemntones he said, "Brethren, the enemy is preparingagainst us ; much Greek blood will be spilled, buttwo considerable tombs will be erected by theTurks." All the old Klephts examined the boneand pronounced it to be true. The appearancesof their habitual augury were too plain to be mistaken.Women wise in foretelling the future stillexist, notably in Thessaly. The gift is usuallyhereditary. Like the augurs of antiquity, theyThe birdbase predictions on the flight of birds.always occupied a large place in the imaginationof the ancients. The eagle of Zeus, thepeacock of Hera, the owl of Pallas Athene, thedoves of Aphrodite, the myth of Halcyon hadtheir counterparts in human life—in Anacreon'sdove and Lesbia's sparrow. The swallow is, asit ever was, a favourite. Athenasus quotes a songsung by the boys of Rhodes in his time. Greekboys sing one to-day, the beginning of which hasalmost identical words ": She has come, she hascome, the swallow, bringing the spring and fineweather." And so is the end ": However littleyou give, it will be much. Open, open thy doorto the swallow."