X.O

A long time ago the Khan-Garid, the king of the feathered world, called a swallow and wasp to him in order to find out which creature’s meat was the most tasty in the world. When they came at once, Khan-Garid said:

“Both of you fly around world, and come back when you have found out which creature’s meat is the sweetest.”

The swallow and the wasp flew away at the command of the king of birds. On that day the weather was very fine, the sun shone brightly, and it was very warm and hot, so the swallow forgot the king’s order and spent his day swooping in blue sky, singing beautifully, bathing in the sun and enjoying himself at ease.

But the filthy and harmful wasp stung all the animals that were on his way and tasted their blood. Then the sun began to set, and they had to return. They met at an appointed place, and on their way back to Khan-Garid , the swallow asked the wasp:

“Did you find out which animal’s meat was the sweetest?” the wasp answered,

“I found out that a human being’s meat is the tastiest. And our respected king must always eat human meat.”

The swallow grieved and despaired:

“How shall I save those poor human beings from disaster?” and he asked “How could you taste the hot blood of a living man?”

“Oh, that’s very easy. I pierced him with my sting and tasted with my tongue.” said the wasp.

Then the swallow asked “where is your great tongue?”

And when the wasp opened its mouth and showed its tongue, saying “this is my tongue’ the swallow pecked it out.

Since that time the wasp has not been able to sing beautifully and only makes buzzing sound.

When they came to the king of the feathered world, the wasp flew around the king complaining and buzzing with all his strength, but because he had lost his tongue he could not say anything.

“What kind of sound is he making? I can’t understand anything at all” said the king angrily, and then he asked:

“swallow, you tell me, whose meat is the sweetest?”

“The tastiest meat is the snake’s”, replied the swallow. The king of the feathered world believed the swallow’s word and from that time he began to catch and eat snakes.

At present, only the hawk remains of the descendants of Khan-Garid, and this bird loves to eat snakes just like its king.