Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 22, 1911.djvu/195

 The Great Feast in Morocco. 167

cure for Buihedar himself if he is unwell, whereas the person beaten is not supposed to derive any benefit from it. Buihedar, who is most indecent in his appearance, pretends to have intercourse with Tudeit. The latter dances, and the people stick coins on her forehead. The Jews do not sell any goods, but collect money for Buihedar.

The neighbouring tribe of the Ait Sadden likewise has a masquerade during the evenings of the three first days of the feast. A man is made to represent a ram or a he-goat by being dressed in the skins of sacrificed sheep or goats, and holding in either hand a short stick, which gives him the appearance of walking on four legs. In many cases another man is in a similar way dressed up as a ewe or a she-goat, and sometimes a camel or a donkey is made up by four men. These animals are collectively named Bujlud. There are, besides, one or several "Jews" {iideiii) and " Jewesses," each of whom is called 'Azzuna, — the name by which every Jewish wife is called by the Braber and by the Jews themselves in case her real name is not known to them, — and a small crowd of men and youths carrying tambourines {alliXnen). The whole party, called by a common name sfina, make a tour from house to house and from village to village, entertaining themselves and others with music, singing, and dancing, in which, however, the animals do not join. The Jews have in their hands papers from which they read out fictitious claims to get a little money from the people, while the sheep or the goats amuse the public with the grossest obscenities. At present, however, there is not so much ambulation as there used to be. The people refuse to admit to their village any party as to whose intentions there can be any doubt ; for it happened a few years ago that a stina who went from the Ait Sadden to the Ait Sagrussen consisted of disguised enemies com.ing to exact blood-revenge, and it is feared that the same thing may occur again.

Among the Ait Yusi the masquerade commences in the