How the swallow got its forked tail Shop Daniel's Swallow greetings card Swallows have a distinctive forked tail, which marks them out from other birds. Daniel's Swallow design is currently the only repeating pattern in the DM Collection, and emphasizes the beauty of its trailing tail feathers. This Native American story shows how faithful a friend the swallow has been to man from the beginning, and explains how the swallow got its distinctive forked tail .... When the earth was young, the animals were having some troubles settling into their new lives the Great Spirit had bestowed on them. He tired of hearing their constant complaints and called them all to him. They all went as fast as they could, eager to hear what he had to say.