fO. I 



CH'uAN MIAO songs and stories — GRAHAM 



113 



ant places. Then she also swept the next 

 00m in preparation for the guests who were 

 escort the bride from the 3,000 strong- 

 lolds. 

 The song is ended. 



'weeping the House in Preparation for 

 Guests (152) 



The clear day inspired the hearts of La 

 ;in *^ and Mi Lo ** so that they flew down 

 nd around people's houses. Bo Na swept her 

 >arlor and the nearby rooms. She swept them 

 as to welcome the soul of the cow given 

 )y the bride's family (after it was killed) . On 



another clear day the hearts of die sparrow 

 hawk and die swallow were moved so that 

 they flew down and around Ntzi Na's golden 

 cup,*^ The wife again swept the parlor and 

 the nearby rooms. She swept these rooms 

 clean in preparation for the souls of the 

 domestic animals presented by the groom's 

 family when the bride returns on her first 

 visit home. 



Again the wife (or mother) swept the big 

 sticks of wood in her home and awaited her 

 brothers. She also swept the dry bamboo fire- 

 wood in preparation for the bride and her 

 daughter-in-law. 



The song is ended. 



Before Leaving the Bride's Home 



7o?nbing the Hair and Putting on the Clothes 

 of the Bride before Her Departure to Her 

 New Home (425) 



When the weather is clear, the flowers 

 )loom until they fill the trees. When it rains, 

 he fruit hangs on the trees. 



This year is the year when the mother's 

 laughter should comb her hair (before the 

 vedding). It is also the time for the father's 

 laughter to comb her hair. The daughter's 

 lair has been combed smoothly and is pretty. 

 A'^hen she has put the embroidered cloth 

 ibout her head it is also beautiful. Before 

 ong the parents will give their daughter away 

 n marriage. 



The name of the daughter is Nts'ai Ngeo 

 5o. The father prepared a silver comb and 

 ;ave it to his daughter to comb her hair with. 

 iVhen she had combed her hair she stuck 

 iilver ornaments in it and put on the em- 

 iroidered band, as pretty as a magpie. Then 



the mother gave the clothing and the skirt 

 to the daughter for her to put on and go as 

 a bride (guest). She also put the brass hair- 

 pins in her hair. About her waist there was 

 an embroidered belt. She put on a new skirt 

 and an embroidered gown. She bound puttees 

 around her legs until they were as large as the 

 beam for husking rice. 



There was a young man who was manager 

 of things. In his hand be held the bridal 

 bamboo tree. He addressed (taught) the 

 brethren who were escorting the bride, "Every 

 one carry a silver liu sheng and beat a big 

 bridal-party drum (the drum for escorting the 

 bride away) and disturb Ntz'i Je Ndo Leo's 

 people who play the liu sheng." 



The liu sheng players came and went along 

 with them. They escorted the mother's daugh- 

 ter out of the door of the heavenly well (in- 

 ner court). When others saw it, is was much 

 like an emperor's great official. 



The song is ended. 



After Leaving the Bride's Home 



The First Time That a Company of Miao 

 People Escorted a Miao Bride (371) 



In very ancient times Swa Bo, a Chinese 

 wife, and Swa Je, a Chinese husband, had a 

 ;on whom they could not raise. (They were 

 too poor.) The Chinese husband induced his 

 wife to travel all over the world. When they 

 had gone everywhere to the edge of the sky 

 and the end of the world, they had grown 

 old. Then they gave birth to two daughters. 

 The older was named Ngeo Tong Glo (black 



*^la-^ ^in'^, the sparrow hawk. 

 **mi'^ lo*'', the swallow. 



*^ The golden cup of the mother of Ntzi, the 

 highest god. 



brass girl), and the younger was named So 

 Ma Bang Ngen (string sell embroidery). 

 These two girls grew up in eight years (three 

 and then five years) ."^^ 



That year they were going to give the two 

 daughters in marriage. These daughters could 

 not get gold and silver hairpins to wear, so 

 they wept about it. Then the parents sent a 

 message and requested a silversmith to come 

 and make some. The silversmith carried his 

 bellows on his back and came and started a 

 fire with his bellows. They brought gold and 



*6 It is customary for the Ch'uan Miao to say 

 three and then five years, even when it is known 

 that it is more than ten years. 



