Page:Pearl of Asia (Child JT, 1892).pdf/273



From a Siamese manuscript I condense the following in regard to the marriage between a couple of young people in the higher walks of life. Elsewhere I spoke of the ceremony in general. The first stop is to secure an elderly woman, a friend of the family, whom the parents of the young man consult in regard to securing a suitable wife for their son, she arranges a meeting of friends at the house of the parents of the young woman whom she has selected; the day having been declared favorable by the astrologers, betel is brought out and the conference commences by an appeal to the parents of the girl, assuring them that the desire of the young man was the happiness of their daughters, that he regarded her as the only one with whom he could be happy, to comfort him in sickness and care for him in death, and then ask: "What wilt thou father and thou mother say to us?" The parents reply "Our daughter we love much, the son of the respectable parents you represent to us is one they also love, we must rely on the ancient proverb: 'Move slowly and you will gain your object; a prolonged effort will be likely to result prosperously;' hence we must counsel with our relations before we can give you an answer." When another favorable astrological day has come the parents of the young man call their friends together and request that they again go to the residence of the girl