Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 21, 1910.djvu/317

 Marriage Customs of the Bedtt and Fellahin. 279

message to his client's father, and returns, bringing one camel, or mare, or a few goats less than before, a process which is repeated at every renewed refusal until all are withdrawn, when the young man is free to take possession of his bride, in whom her father has no further property.

The most propitious time for a wedding is the night between Thursday and Friday, the Arabic name for Friday being ydnt el-jiimnia'^, or day of assembly or union.

The mother of the maiden, hitherto in the background, now becomes important, and seven days before the wedding erects a white flag over her tent, which now becomes a centre of gaiety until the wedding day. The young people meet there every evening, dancing and performing feats of arms about a blazing fire, the elders apart, — the men drinking coffee, the women chatting, and the old ones possibly spinning goat's- or camel's-hair for carpets or tent-clothes, — all smoking if means permit.

A favourite game is for the young men, with arms inter- locked, to form a semicircle before a young girl who holds in each hand a drawn sword. She stands at some distance from the fire with her back to it. Stepping slowly towards the men she sways gracefully backwards and forwards, whirling the swords above her head. The young men, swaying rhythmically and singing simple words of invitation, — " O be welcome " or the like, — beat the ground in measured time with their feet, and seek to drive her backward towards the fire, while she defends herself with the swords. Should they succeed, she kneels down, holding one sword above her head ; the men also kneel, but, incited by the onlookers, especially the women, she will seize a chance to regain her feet and continue her dancing, driving them away at the sword point. When exhausted, she will escape and shelter amongst the women. Is this a reminiscence of marriage by capture }

Another amusement is for the girls to place the bride upon a camel and lead her between the tents to an open