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CHOOSING A WIFE 263
riage. Now they of the "Weinsja caste (of merchants),
when any one speaketh of a snake on the day that they
purpose to go make their first suit, hold that for an
AN INDIAN SNAKE CHARMER.
ill omen; but if they see a snake on that day, then
must they let the matter rest and never again think
of carrying out their purposed suit, since they deem
that this would be an evil and unlucky marriage. Also
these Weinsja take a half pagode, or a half-ducat of
