In ancient times , people thought that their gods  lived on the tops of mountains. They believed that anything above them was nearer to their gods than them. They thought that birds were messengers  from the gods. There were many beliefs  about how to treat birds. Some people even believed that killing a bird was an act against the gods and would bring bad luck. In some parts of the United States, people believe that if they hear an owl  in the early evening, it means death. Another link  with these past beliefs is in an English expression. People no longer believe that birds are messengers of the gods, but when someone knows a secret about another person, he or she might say, "A little bird told me about it." In ancient times birds were thought to be  _  .
the ones bringing news from the gods gods, too the ones bringing news from human beings bad