NO. I 



Ch'uAN MIAO songs and stories — GRAHAM 



91 



escort Heo Ch'i Deo Tsu (Xau tSi Tau tsu*), 

 the daughter of the official living above the 

 waterfall. When they had reached die ninth 

 valley there was not enough room for all the 

 followers on the road. They also went over 

 several big hills, and the big hills were not 

 enough for Deu Tsu's officers to travel on. 

 When they had gone over nine more ridges 

 it was still not sufficient for the followers of 

 Deo Tsu to travel on. When they had gone 

 over nine more ridges, it was still not enough 

 for the followers of Deo Tsu to walk on. 

 They also went through several big black 

 gulches (bends), but it was still not enough 

 for the officers to rest on. They were truly 

 very many and very good. 



At one time diey went down to a big flat 

 that was very broad. Then they also reached 

 another big flat that was level. In the center 

 of this flat was a place for people to put down 

 rice plants and rest. When they had passed 

 by this spot they saw the big house belonging 

 to Je La Hai (se^ la*' hai'). When they had 

 reached the house diey went inside. Je La Hai 

 was ceremonious in welcoming them. He 

 brought a table with which to entertain them. 

 The host was named Hai Ni Tsu (Xai ni* 

 tsu"). He came forward and saw the faces of 

 those who were escorting the bride. The 

 older brothers who were escorting the bride 

 ate Hai Ni Tsu's dinner until they were full. 

 The younger brothers came and drank a pot 

 of wine. The wine was fragrant. The older 

 brothers laughingly visited with the bride 

 that night. All sat until midnight. 



At daybreak the master arranged the tables 

 and the stools according to the customary 

 methods."^ They had good manners and 

 asked for some customary gifts. Je La Hai 

 then took the tables and placed one on each 

 side. He picked up the two pieces of meat 

 and placed one on each side. He also picked 

 up a pot of wine and placed it in the middle. 

 Je La Hai brought an ox to use as a cere- 

 monial present to the go-betweens. He again 

 went back and led a mule to give to those 

 who escorted the bride. The escorts did not 

 want it. They led the cow and the donkey to 

 the coalfield (they wanted the coalfield or 

 mine). They also wanted the bees on the 

 cliff. 



Je La Hai opened his mouth and said, 

 "Why have you come upon my coalfield? I 

 bought this with very heavy silver. It is worth 

 3,363 grams of silver." Je La Hai again said, 

 "Why have you come to the cave where I 



''^ This ceremony is to suggest to the guests diat 

 they start home. 



raise bees? This I have bought with 3,363 

 grams of silver. I am not willing." He then 

 made up this poem as an evidence to later 

 generations (so that they would not covet 

 the bridegroom's family's things). 



Preparing to Give Away the Bride in Mar- 

 riage (95) 



I roam over the world with a persevering 

 heart. I roam to the door of the road to a 

 sorrowful heart of a mother demon. Having 

 roamed over all the world, I roamed to the 

 demon's habitation. In the mother demon's 

 home there was no son. 



The demon father came down to control 

 the plain below. The demon father had a son 

 but could not bring him. He returned and 

 brought with him the demon mother to con- 

 trol the world with him. He controlled the 

 world, which was already owned by him. In 

 controlling the world he had control of the 

 people. When he controlled the people he 

 also controlled the grassy hills between three 

 roads. When he had the grassy hills, he then 

 had secured a place to live in, and the demon 

 mother gave birth to a son. When she had 

 given birth to this son, she gave him the name 

 of Leo Den Leo Wang Fu (a very old offi- 

 cial). She also had another son whom she 

 named Leo Tsu Leo Wang Fang (an old 

 official who could rule a place) . In three years 

 he had grown up. In six years Wang Fu 

 had also grown up. Wang Fang combed his 

 hair, and it was bright and slick like that of 

 a Chinese leader. Wang Fu also braided his 

 hair like a Chinese official's. Leo Tsu Wang 

 Fu owned 3,800 mules. Wang Fang also 

 owned horses. They then drove their horses 

 and mules upon the hills to graze. The horses 

 were in the middle of the road, and the mules 

 were on the edge. When these mules and 

 horses were brought back, it was already the 

 date for Wang Fu to give away his daughter 

 in marriage. Leo Wang Fu weighed out 13 

 ounces of silver and then 12 grams of gold. 



Wang Fu took the gold and the silver to 

 the town. Wang Fang went with him onto 

 the street. Then Wang Fu saw that the Chi- 

 nese girls on the street wore fine silver orna- 

 ments, and also that their golden ornaments 

 resembled yellow brass. Old Wang Fu bought 

 a lot of these with money. He wanted to 

 buy the silver ornaments for his daughter 

 Nts'ai Ngeo Tao to wear on her hair so they 

 would dangle and resound. Wang Fu also 

 bought golden ornaments to give to Wang 

 Fang's daughter Nts'ai Ngeo So to wear on 

 her head. 



