sword or an axe. Sometimes he pretends to cut down a bush from the path, a reminiscence, Mr. Mainoff believed, of the time when obstacles really stood in the way when proceeding to carry off a bride by force. As soon as the party is seen approaching by the people at the bride’s house the gates are barred, and a dialogue ensues:
“Who are you?”
“Merchants.”
“What wares do you want?”
“Live wares.”
“We won’t negotiate.”
“We shall take by force.”
“Try it.”[1]
The bridegroom’s party tries to open the gate, but in vain; and only after a long parley, and after promising to
- ↑ In Simbirsk the bridegroom and his party are received by the parents of the bride with bread and salt, with the words: “Be welcome, come within.” But just before this they are assailed by the girls in the house with abusive songs. They sing at the bridegroom: “You empty head! what sort of bridegroom are you? You can’t turn a boot round, you can’t count money. You thief! you visit ill-conditioned old women, and leave your shoe there. Why have you delayed till now? Didn’t you find your boots. The bride is not like you. Place on one side of her a barrel of millet, on the other a barrel of walnuts, but count all the grains.” Turning to his companions they shout: “You deceivers on horseback! you have the dress of riders, and in your short fur coats are two pockets, and there you keep your hands.”
In some parts of Simbirsk the bridegroom’s party, headed by the best man, proceeds to the bride’s village the evening before the wedding-day, and lodges there for the night, but does not go to the bride’s domicile till early next morning. I think this must be the case also—though it is not expressly stated—in the narrative in the body of the text, where the proceedings of the eve of the wedding run into those of the wedding-day, without a break and without mention of night time. The dialogue above, therefore, really takes place, I presume, on the morning of the wedding day, not on the eve.
aunt acts as bridesmaid on his part; for there are two bridesmaids to represent and defend the interests of the bride and bridegroom respectively.
