On the day after the wedding, in Teryshevsk (Simbirsk), the bride takes a pail, and goes with her mother-in-law to fetch water. She bows politely to all she meets; her mother-in-law shows her the water, which she then draws, carries home, and sets on a bench near the stove. Her mother-in-law then thanks her for her obedience. This is called “showing the water”.
In Simbirsk, about five days after the wedding, the best man, and two or three of the bride’s relations, come to the house of the young couple. The bridegroom’s relations again assemble their friends, who bring materials for the feast. After laying these on the table, they pray:
“Grant, good God, that all the relations and friends shall love the young couple; grant that their cattle and crops shall thrive.”
The pies that have been brought are cut in four, and all eat and drink. When this is over, the guests drive home, and the bride is taken home by her relations on a visit, her husband fixing how long she is to stay away.
§ 7a. The customs of the Moksha, on the wedding-day, are as follows:—Between 7 A.M. and 8 A.M. the bridegroom’s relations, who are about to take part in the wedding, assemble at his father’s house, and sit down to a small breakfast. His father, rising from his seat, raises above his head a round loaf, on which is placed a salt-cellar and an omelette, while he exclaims:
“Great Shkai, exalted Shkai, here is a round loaf and a round egg for thee. Illuminate thy son; illuminate his eyes to see good and evil. Make his life bright. Cause his heart to be warm towards his wife; cause his wife’s heart to be warm towards his. We give thee a loaf, do thou give him bread; we give thee the seed of a hen, do thou give him the seed of a human being. Give him luck, wealth, and many children.”
After this prayer, the father takes a knife and presents it to his son, whom he exhorts to cut off, for the first time in his life, the “god’s portion”. This the bridegroom does
