Why the Swallow's Tail Is Forked

A nature myth retold from The Book of Nature Myths by Florence Holbrook

This nature myth comes from The Book of Nature Myths (1902) by Florence Holbrook, a collection of Indigenous and world pourquoi tales — stories that explain how something in nature came to be. This text reflects its era; a few period terms have been modernised. The story shows how one small act of courage and cunning can change the world, and why people have long considered the swallow a friend.

Band

Purple · Pre-readers and first readers, about 4 to 5

Length

short · about 331 words in 6 sections · 4 pictures

Source

The Book of Nature Myths, Florence Holbrook · Project Gutenberg

First published

see the About page in the reader

Regions

Canada · United States

Included formats

• · Web reader and PDF
• · EPUB for e-readers
• · Home-print sheet
• · Folded booklet
• · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
• · Worksheet
• · Quick Check (6 questions) with answer key
• · Read-aloud script

Readers are engineered from the original public-domain text with AI under HummingRead’s published canon and Content Philosophy, checked by automated audit and sampled by a person. Pictures are made with AI to HummingRead’s brief for each story. How a reader is made.