154 BULLETIN 139, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



rest of the company. After the feast the married pair retire to the 

 sleeping place prepared for them."^° 



Among the Ainu on the betrothal of an adult man : 



"The bridegroom's father takes a small sword, and placing it in the 

 hands of the father of the bride, says: 'This sword is a pledge of be- 

 trothal; take it and worship. Do thou pray to the goddess of fire.' 

 Then, having received the sword, he worships the fire, saying: 'We 

 have here and now settled to marry our son and daughter ; therefore, 

 O thou goddess of fire, hear thou and be witness thereto. Keep this 

 couple from sickness and watch over them till they grow old.' The 

 bridegroom's father then receives the sword and worships in like 

 manner."*^ 



An excellent account of the Hindu marriage fire is appended in 

 full: 



"The Marriage Fire (Vivahahoma) . The bridegroom has to hold 

 the bride, to conduct her hand-in-hand to the Vedi or altar prepared 

 for the sacred fire. He has then to sit on a low stool facing the east. 

 The priest tells the bride to pass by the west of the altar, to ascend 

 it by the north, and to sit to the right of the bridegroom. The 

 Sutrakars say after thus ascending the altar the bride must not 

 speak (Sanslmt Niyamit vacham vadhumanya) . But this restriction 

 naturally forces itself on the girl, as she is by custom or etiquette 

 quite silent during the whole process out of modesty. The bride- 

 groom begins by sipping the sacred water twice and then mentioning 

 the country and the time of the worship. He offers an oblation 

 which means ' In order to attain for the bride just given to me the 

 position of a wife duly married, and to prepare the "homa" fire, I do 

 prepare this marriage fire,' beginning with the preparation of the 

 receptacle and ending with the installation of the god of fire. Near 

 the clay receptacle and to its west is placed a slab used for preparing 

 sandalwood paste, to the northeast is placed a kalish or waterpot 

 full up to the brim over a heap of rice covered over with mango 

 leaves, and a coconut. It is decorated with red powder, sandalwood 

 paste, and flowers. To the north of the fireplace are placed seven 

 pinchfuls of rice running east to west. The bridegroom then holds 

 in his hand a couple of the samidhas or fagots (taken from sacred 

 trees) and recites the mantras, including the mention of his country, 

 and the time, etc, of the performance, and a general offer-giving 

 incantation. It includes the thrice repetition of the ceremonies 

 under contemplation, such as (1) igniting the fire thrice; (2) offering 

 ghi to Agni, the god of fire, and Prajapati, the creator; then (3) 

 oft'ering parched rice to Aryamagni, Varunagni, Pushpagni, Prajapati, 

 and Svishttra Kritagni with the remnants. To the north of the fire- 



"M. A. Czaplicka. Aboriginal Siberia. A Study in Social Anthropology. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 

 1924. 

 " Idem, p. 103. 



