Courtship and Marriage [pp. 233-234]

234
THE LADIES'
to summon her guards, who fall with fury upon the
lover-tear his hair, scratch his face, and act in vio lent opposition. The attempts of the lover are some times unsuccessful for months; but the moment the
touch is achieved, the bride testifies her satisfaction
by pronouncing " Ni, ni," in a soft and loving voice.
This ceremony was also usual in Lithunia and Mus covy.
In Livonia, the young man engages the services of
an old woman, who usually officiates for a whole par ish in succession, to propose to the girl of whose
qualifications he has heard a favorable account. The
old lady sets about her business cleverly-dwells on
the good looks or fine disposition of her client, and
especially on the vehemence of his attachment-for
even a savage knows the kind of flattery most accept able to a woman's heart. If she succeed in obtaining
a favorable answer, the parties meet at the pastor's
house for the ceremony of betrothal; if not, the old
lady is sent to a succession of girls, on a similar
errand, till she does-for when a Livonian lad has
made up his mind to be married, he thinks the sooner
he gets over it the better. On the wedding day, it is
customary to make every vehicle turn off the road
for the procession, which proceeds to the house of the
bridegroom, singing a low chant, that rings very
pleasantly through the dells. Gloves suspended to a
shaft of the vehicle containing the bride and bride groom are supposed to bring good luck to whoever
reaches them first, and are eagerly caught after by
the guests who have been awaiting the arrival. The
bride is then lifted from the cart at one bound, on to
a sheep-skin extended before the door, to signify that
the way through life is henceforth to be soft to her
feet; then corn is strewed before her, in emblem that
abundance is to follow her to her new home; and
thus she is carried in noisy triumph over her hus band's threshold. Here, propped in a high-backed
chair, and surrounded by women, sits the oldest mat ron of the family, ready to receive the new-comer.
The bride bends before her, and the matron takes a
high, stiff cap, made of white silk, and places it on
the young wife's head. When the cap has been
slowly adjusted, the dame repeats this ancient form
of words: "Forget thy sleep-remember thy youth love thy husband;" accompanying each sentence with
a slight stroke on the cheek.
In Liburnia, before the dinner is over, the bride
and all the guests rise from the table. She has then
to throw over the roof of the bridegroom's house a
cake called kolarb, made of coarse dough. The higher
she throws it, the likelier, according to her notion,
she will make a good housewife; and as the houses
are very low, and the cakle about as hard as a stone,
the omen is generally secured. Two men attend the
bride, and are expected to present her with new shoes
and stockings. She does not put them on till after a
dance, and gives two or three old handkerchiefs in
return.
In Mexico, when a man arrives at the age of bearing the charge of the married state, a suitable wife is
picked out for him; but the diviners are first consulted, and, according to their predictions, the match
is abandoned or pursued. If they predict happiness
to the young couple, the girl is demanded of her parents by certain women styled " solicitors," who, hav
REPOSITORY.
ing, after many respectful applications and a profu sion of presents, obtained the appointment of a day
for the wedding, the bride, after a proper exhortation
from her parents, is conducted to the house of her
father-in-law, where the bridegroom and his rela tives receive her at the door, or first entrance. The
ceremony chiefly consists in tying the robe of the
bride to the mantle of the bridegroom; they then
offer sacrifices to the gods, and exchange presents. A
feast follows; and when the friends are exhilarated,
they go and dance in the open air; but the newly
married couple retire within the house, in which they
shut themselves for four days, spending the time in
fasting and prayer. At the end of this time, they
are considered as man and wife; and dressing them selves with all the ornaments common upon such
occasions, the ceremony is concluded by presents to
the guests. Among some of the savages in North
America, a collar, formed of a leathern thong, of
considerable length and breadth, a kettle and faggot,
are put in the bride's cabin, as symbols of her duty to perform all the domestic drudgery, dress victuals,
or provide food.
In the province of Leon, in Spain, many persons
would be frightened at the improvidence with which
the peasants contract their unions. Many who leave
service to be married have not even a bed to lay their
heads upon the first night, and often borrow a bed for
a single day.
In Shoa, Abyssinia, a girl is reckoned according to
the value of her property; and if she is heiress to a
field, cow, or a bedstead, is certain to add a husband
to her list before many summers have passed over her
head. The parties declare before witnesses, " upon
the life of the king," that they intend to live happily
together; and the property of both being produced, is
carefully appraised. A mule, or a dollar, a shield,
and a sheaf of spears on the one side, are noted
against the lady's stock of wheat, cotton, and house hold gear; and the bargain being struck, the effects
become joint property for a time, till some domestic
difference arises, and either, taking up their own,
depart to seek a new mate.
In Switzerland, it is considered somewhat impru dent to marry without a good stock of cows, and
many a wedding has been brought about by the
" Kuhreihu," or cow-song. This song is in the shape
of a dialogue between a young drover, whose shoe
pinches him, and a young maiden, who kindly lends
a pair of slippers to ease him. Talking of slippers
leads to a remark upon'the pretty feet that had worn
them, and, by an obvious train of thought, to the
praise of other charms. The charms produce love,
love an offer of marriage, and marriage mentioned,
becomes a question of cows.
In most parts of Sweden, the fair betrothed is married about six o'clock in the evening, and immediately afterward she is brought to the window, in
which a number of lighted candles are placed, where
she has to blush-if she can-and show herself till
evening, an immense crowd being gathered below,
having the privilege, according to a vile custom, of
demanding her to come forward, should she be absent a longer time than suits their notion of propriety, or, rather, longer than suits their senseless whimsicalities.
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