A Greek folk-song entitled “Chelidonisma (Χελιδονισμα), The Swallows’ Return” (Passow, 305), speaks to the return of the swallow (χελῑδών), and the first spray of green celadon on the hillsides:
“Swallows are returning fast,
Over wide seas they have past;
‘Neath the eaves they build their nest,
Sing as they from labour rest . . .
Flocks and herds, a numerous train,
To hilly pastures mount again;
Goats that skip and leap and play,
Nibbling wayside shrub’s green spray . . .”
From: Greek Folk-songs from the Ottoman Provinces of Northern Hellas, p. 88, edited by John S. Stuart-Glennie, http://books.google.com/books?id=J5BUL8sNT8EC&pg=PA88&lpg=PA88&dq=return+of+the+swallows+greece&source=bl&ots=cXpcyzRca-&sig=ir4Y1I4P19Mxx9_KK3LXfJf_QZU&hl=en&ei=cmy9TraMEqXu0gH96KnfBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCsQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=return%20of%20the%20swallows%20greece&f=false
“Swallows are returning fast,
Over wide seas they have past;
‘Neath the eaves they build their nest,
Sing as they from labour rest . . .
Flocks and herds, a numerous train,
To hilly pastures mount again;
Goats that skip and leap and play,
Nibbling wayside shrub’s green spray . . .”
From: Greek Folk-songs from the Ottoman Provinces of Northern Hellas, p. 88, edited by John S. Stuart-Glennie, http://books.google.com/books?id=J5BUL8sNT8EC&pg=PA88&lpg=PA88&dq=return+of+the+swallows+greece&source=bl&ots=cXpcyzRca-&sig=ir4Y1I4P19Mxx9_KK3LXfJf_QZU&hl=en&ei=cmy9TraMEqXu0gH96KnfBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCsQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=return%20of%20the%20swallows%20greece&f=false
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