1. There is a pretty story about a swallow which built its nest for its
young ("idoj") on the king's tent. 2. The soldiers who were walking
along the steep path past the tent glanced at it, and caught sight
of (206) the bird. 3. Some of them burst into a laugh, and gestured
("svingis la brakon") toward the bird, to point it out to their
comrades. 4. The good-humored king put on a thick woolen overcoat, and
came out of his tent, to inquire why his soldiers were conversing so
noisily there. 5. The tent was an expensive one, and contained handsome
furniture, as well as ("kaj ankau") a bell which always rang as soon
as ("tuj kiam") one touched it. 6. The king immediately noticed the
swallow's nest, and said with an amiable smile "Surely such a courageous
bird is a worthy (154) guest for a king." 7. The warriors (172) cared
for the swallow as much as possible during the course of the war. 8.
When the victors departed, they left that tent there. 9. Finally the
wind upset it, and it fell to the ground. 10. The young swallows already
could fly, by ("je") that time. 11. The battleground is covered with
bullets, piles of human bones, and similar melancholy signs of war. 12.
War (201) is wicked and shameful (154). 13. Why do kings and princes
wish to make war upon each other (180)? 14. When their sons have gone
away to (make) war, the mothers of the soldiers are very uneasy. 15.
Perhaps those sons will be prisoners of war.