Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 7 1889.djvu/462

 118 TABULATION OF FOLKTALES.

Where published — Theal's Kaffir Folklore, London, Preface dated 1882. Story No. 3, pp. 47-53.

Nature of Collection, whether :—

1. Original or translation. — Translated by G. M. TheaL

2. If by word of mouth, state narrator* 8 name.

3. Other particulars.

Special Points noted by the Editor of the above — in this story «ome

liberty is taken with the Kaffir marriage ceremonies, a description of which will serve as a key to much that is contained in several of these tales. The dance at a marriage is considered of more importance than any of the , others, and is consequently frequently practised until skill in its perform- ance is attained. A young Kaffir woman's marriage is generally arranged by her father or guardian, but matches from mutual love are not un- common. That which makes a Kaffir marriage binding in their estimation is not the performance of a ceremony, but the transfer of a certain number of cattle, as agreed upon, from the husband or his friends to the father or guardian of the woman. This system of transfer of cattle is of great advantage to a Kaffir female, protecting her from gross ill-treatment by her husband, as violence gives a woman's relatives a right to claim her divorce without restoring the cattle. It creates protectors for herself and her children in the persons of all the individuals among whom the cattle are shared ; and lastly, it gives her the status of a married woman in the esti- mation of her people, whereas, if no cattle are transferred, she is not re- garded by them as having the rank of a wife. Marriages are absolutely prohibited between people of the same family title. This peculiarity seems to indicate that the tribes and clans of the present day are combinations of others that were dispersed before their traditional history commenced. A man may marry a woman of the same clan that he belongs to provided he is not a blood relative ; but he may not marry a woman whose father's family title is the same as his own, even though no relationship can be traced between them, and the one may belong to the Xosa and the other to the Pondo tribe. Remarks by the Tabulator— For incs. 6, ll (great snake making sound like wind), comp. inc. 14, Steere's Sultan Darai.

For helpful animals, cf. Tabulator's remarks Steere's Blessing or Property.

(Signed) Janet Key.