Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 6 1888.djvu/133

Rh marry one of them; and if the father refuses to give him another of his daughters, the widower can claim a refund of the dafa which he paid at the time of his marriage. It is also usual for a man to marry his brother's relict.

While on the subject of matrimony, it may not be out of place to mention a fact noticed by Darwin in his "Expression of the Emotions," viz. that kissing is unknown throughout the Somali country. Burton, too, in his book on Zanzibar, says:—"Yet even amongst the Somal, if you attempt to salute a woman—supposing that you have the right—she will draw back in horror from the act of incipient cannibalism." Still there is a word (dúnkad) in their language to express the word "kiss."

There are one or two other interesting Somali customs which I should like to describe, but I fear they are too physiological for the Folk-Lore Society.

THE TREASURE ON THE DRIM.

THE following story was narrated by John Williams, collier, of Tavern-y Banwen, near Neath, on the 26th June last, to Mr. Llywarch Reynolds, of Merthyr Tydfil, Mr. David Lewis, barrister-at-law, and myself. It was told in Welsh, and copious notes were taken on the spot by Mr. Lewis, who afterwards read them over again to me. Mr. Lewis has also kindly compared the following (which was written the next morning from memory) with the notes in question, and corrected it by them.

There was a conjurer living at Ystradgynlais [a parish in Brecknockshire, at the top of the Swansea Valley] who had an iron hand; and there was a rumour that a lot of money was lying hid on the Drim [a mountain on the south-eastern side of the valley]. This