Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 18, 1907.djvu/107

Rh they approach the house, or cabin, they are much daunted if they hear the barks of a dog, fearing that some of the other villagers may be aroused and so catch them on so significant a prowl. When the cabin, after much trepidation and caution, is arrived at, the friend first knocks at the door; from within he is questioned as to his identity and his business. The obliging friend answers "he wants a wife." "Who is she for?" shouts the father from the recesses of his bedroom and his blankets. On the needful information being supplied, the matter is discussed in situ by the parents while their visitors stand waiting outside in the cooling influence of a February or March night. If, after consulting, the parents do not approve they will say, perhaps, that "the little girl is too young to let her go this year," or that it is too late to be disturbed. On the other hand, if the father and mother are satisfied, the former rises and opens the door of the cabin and welcomes his guests; this is regarded as a good omen of acceptance, and the suitor who, though not actually at his friend's elbow, is not far distant, now comes to the front. Immediately a big peat-fire is put down, that is, stacked on the hearth-stone, and the father sits on one side of the blaze and his good dame on the other. There is much shaking of hands and a good deal of blessing; and then the bottle of whisky is produced as an opening to the first act of the drama.

The chief idea of the young men is now to humour the parents so as to extract as much fortune as possible. As soon as the whisky is finished and their spirits elevated they set seriously to business, and several hours perhaps elapse before the matter is finally settled. At this point, for the first time, the girl makes her appearance, and though her fate is there and then in the balance it is usual for her to say nothing; nor is she so much as asked whether she will accept her suitor or not. The writer knows a case (typical of many) where the girl refused on such an occasion to marry the man, and left in