home, taking no part, however, in the entertainment. It is etiquette for her to take no interest in anything, to eat nothing, and even in some places to make a pretence of trying to run away. The guests, however, amuse each other with dance and song. The songs are mainly in praise of the bride, and prophetic of her future happiness. When the night is far advanced and all claims satisfied, the cry is heard,—"Behold the bridegroom cometh,—go ye out to meet him!", and the procession, bearing lights as of old, sets forth to meet that of the bridegroom, and to conduct the bride to her new home.
She is mounted upon a mare; in sign of submission, because the horse is stronger and more powerful, is the explanation of some. Others, with more probability, say because the mare is so much more valued, and the honour paid to her is the greater. Another informant said that the first reason was Christian and the second Moslem. In either case the animal is led by the father or uncle, for the maiden, heavily veiled, is unable to guide her steed. A near relative, uncle or brother, must also hold her on, as both of her hands are occupied with the sword which she holds before her face, and which is often brought for the purpose by the bridegroom decorated with flowers and gilt stars. In some districts two relatives, walking on either side, hold each a drawn sword, the two points meeting over her head, the idea being that of protection in either case.
The procession is accompanied by crowds of friends, the young men shooting and performing sword feats, the girls clapping, and the matrons trilling their zaghareet. A complication may arise if the bride and bridegroom belong to opposite factions, one being Ḳais and the other Yemâni.[1] Though the difficulties
- ↑ Formerly the whole country was divided between these two factions, the origin of which is lost in the mists of folklore. Now only certain villages keep up the tradition. A rich Shech of the race of Antar of Bab-el-wâd, the point where one leaves the Judaean hills and enters the Plain of Sharon, had a
