Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 7 1889.djvu/100

92 The names of the deities recited by the yanbed vary according to whom it is proposed to sacrifice. The dwelling-rooms of the Mordvins were formerly somewhat differently constructed to those of the Russians. The fireplace was at the left-hand corner of the hack-wall, and therefore faced the door.

When the yanbed opens the door, the collectors enter the room and remain standing at the door, the one holding a vat, the other the knife, while they repeat prayers to Cham Pas, Ange Patyai, and Yurtava ozais. On the hearth-stone burns a candle, and before it stands the table with the bags already prepared. The married women of the family stand in front of it with their backs towards the door, and their breasts and shoulders bared to the waist. The girls stand beside the women, also with their backs to the door, but completely dressed.

When the women hear the collectors at the door, the senior married woman seizes the two straps of the meal-bag, one in each hand, and throws it over her head upon her bare shoulders. She then approaches the door backwards and without looking behind her, for the women are not allowed to look at the collectors. When sufficiently near, the parindyait places the sacred vat behind her back. The yanbed seizes the bag with one hand, and with the other lightly strikes her five times over her bare back and shoulders while repeating a prayer to Ange Patyai, then severs the straps so that the bag falls into the vat, though both the ends of the straps remain in the woman's hands. She returns to the table without looking back. Another woman, then a third, fourth, etc., repeats the same ceremony with the other bags. If there is only one married woman in the family she does it all herself, taking the bags one by one. The girls remain near the table, but are not allowed to touch the bags. When the two collectors take their departure to the next house, they leave the door of the room and the gate of the house wide open.

As soon as they have gone the women make a fire in the stove, kindling it with the lighted candle, and burn the ends of the straps. They heap the ashes and coals in the left-hand corner while the senior woman repeats a prayer to Yurtava ozais.