Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 28, 1917.djvu/162

130 family, they are visited by the boy and his relations, the ceremony being known as Musa magaaru kanairen, "to receive the woman." They have meanwhile arranged the presents from the bride in the inner court of the house. The kind and amount of these are at their discretion; but, the richer the gift, the more honour to the bride. When the visitors arrive, the bridegroom gives a present to each of the bride's parents and brothers, usually a piece of bead cloth. Thereupon for the first time bridegroom and bride meet. Having previously prepared with her own hands new clothes, a chest cloth, a turban and a tobacco pouch for the bridegroom, the bride, now wears these above her garments and, when the meeting takes place, transfers them to his body. This ceremony is called Pirrikkus mirikin, "to put clothes on the husband." After it, there is a feast in the bride's house, the bridegroom's party spending the night there. Next morning the husband goes forth, carrying with him a pair of his wife's leggings (shirake), and consults the omen of birds. If it be propitious, he will take his bride home, otherwise he must wait another night. When at length they proceed to his house, the bride goes first, then the husband, next the wife's relations, and finally the husband's family; the wife's fellow villagers are not included in the party. On arrival at the husband's house, his mother and female relations warmly welcome the bride, and invite her to sit on the husband's bed. A feast is held, and on this night the couple sleep together for the first time. After a night or two spent at the husband's house the wife's people return home.

The dead are usually buried inside the house they occupied in a contracted position, and their belongings, including arms, are laid beside them in the grave. In many cases the corpse is buried facing the west; but the corpse of a man who fell in war or in a head-hunting expedition is left in the forest. The family of the dead man