When A Girl Enters The Matrimonial Market, At About The Age Of Twelve
Or Thirteen, Her Face Is Specially Colored
With a yellow paint, made
from the flower of the date palm, and the aspirant to her hand brings
a
Bundle of firewood, neatly tied up, which he places beside her
earthen bed at early morning. As the rising sun gilds the eastern
sky, the girl awakes out of her sleep, rubs her eyes, - and sees the
sticks. Well does she know the meaning of it, and a glad light
flashes in her dark eyes as she cries out, "Who brought the sticks?"
All men, women and children, take up the cry, and soon the whole
encampment resounds with, "Who brought the sticks?" The medicine-man,
who sleeps apart from the "common herd" under an incense-tree, hears
the din, and, quickly donning his head-dress, hurries down to the
scene. With an authoritative voice, which even the chief himself does
not use, he demands, "Who brought the sticks?" until a young brave
steps forward in front of him and replies, "Father of Kittens, I
brought the sticks." This young man is then commanded to stand apart,
the girl is hunted out, and together they wait while the witch-doctor
X-rays them through and through. After this close scrutiny, they are
asked: "Do you want this man?" "Do you want this girl?" To which they
reply, "Yes, Father of Kittens, I do." Then, with great show of
power, the medicine-man says, "Go!" and off the newly-married pair
start, to live together until death (in the form of burial) does them
part.
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