Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 21, 1910.djvu/311

 Marriage Customs of the Bedu and Fellahin. 273

could afford to keep slaves.^ The agriculturist Fellahin " smiles at the claims of long descent," but the Bedawi still boasts himself " the son of a woman with a white forehead," and holds the maxim, — " If you cannot find an equal match for your daughter, her best place is the grave." Needless to say an unmarried woman, unless physically defective or evil spoken of, is practically unknown among Moslems. " Take a woman of a clan," they say, " even if she be on a mat," i.e., is possessed of no property but her sleeping mat. It is the duty of every able-bodied Moslem to marry so soon as he possesses a moustache.* It is his first duty to

For example it is held undesirable to choose a wife with " rounded heels." In North America I believe that a projecting heel is considered a sign of "coloured blood." Has the former the same significance?
 * There are certain '* points " in a woman's appearance which tell against her.

Jews and Christians, who also hold that a young man of marriageable age is committing actual sin by remaining single. Such an one is buried in wedding clothes, just as a Moslem dying uncircumcised must be circumcised after death. In February, 1909, when a fierce ^meiite took place amongst the Christians of Jerusalem, a young unmarried Arab of the Greek Church was amongst those killed. His corpse was paraded about the town in procession, seated upright in full wedding finery, a cigarette in one hand and a bouquet in the other, and his father danced the wedding dance. The following song refers to such an occasion : —
 * This point of view may perhaps be regarded as Semitic, as it is shared by

1. "Barhoom, O Barhoom !

O father of locks ! [i.e. having the abundant hair of youth.]

With your eye you beckon me !

Woe to me ! And with your hand you beckon me !

Woe to me ! And with your hand you beckon me !

2. Barhoom is upon the roof, And his hair is fluttering, And the heart is wounded.

Woe to me ! It is the wound of the knife ! Woe to me ! It is the wound of the knife !

3. Barhoom is behind the door. He is calling O youths ! The moon has set, has set.

Woe to me ! He no longer entertains me. Woe to me ! He no longer entertains me.

4. Barhoom is not with us,

And the hair has been dyed with henna.