THE LOLOS OF KIENTOHANG, WESTERN CHINA—LEGENDRE. 585 
strong of both tribes. “Do they still wish to yield to their hatred, 
to sacrifice themselves, forgetting that their wives, their children, and 
their white-haired aged ones will soon have no protectors?” If her 
prayer has no effect, as the warriors stand like statues, savagely 
keeping silent, she begs them for the last time to listen to her. But 
if the lances be not lowered, then heroically, with a bold gesture of 
sublime immodesty, she throws aside her clothes and stands entirely 
naked before the ranks of men. A clamor then breaks forth, vibrating 
through the depths of the ravines, mounting to the summits, a clamor 
of shame and of despair hurled forth by the warriors of both clans; 
this time the lances are lowered and the deadly feud is closed. By 
sacrificing her modesty the woman has triumphed; by this great 
sacrifice all their hatred is thus suddenly ended. There is shame for 
all these men for having provoked such an act by a respected wife of 
a chief, there is shame, but endured entirely by them! They tremble 
with horror for a long time, recalling it with anguish. Modesty! 
thou art not then merely a word in the land of the primitive Lolo! 
I will give an amusing account of the ceremonial accompanying 
every Lolotte marriage; translated by Father Martin. 
As soon as the fiancée arrives in the tribe of her adoption the 
marriage is celebrated with great pomp. If the family is well to 
do, the sorcerer is called with his book of traditional conjurations or 
adjurations and threats against evildoers. His rituals are said, a 
-. cup of ‘chao tsieou” in the hand which he pours out on the ground 
at the end or toward the four points of the compass; this is the 
ritual gesture. His principal réle is to clear from the path of the 
young couple the evil genii, but he must also make some wishes for 
their happiness, for abundance of good things of this world, for 
posterity, and for long life. His cup of alcohol in hand, he cries: 
A libation! A libation to the protecting spirits above, to the god Apou Ouosa, 
to the shades below, to the spirits of the mountains, to the spirits of the valleys, to the 
spirits of the East, to those of the West, to those of the North, to those of the South. 
A libation to you, spouse X! To you both, may the spirits on high give you full 
measure of happiness; likewise the spirits below! May the god Apou Ouosa load you 
with blessings! May he protect you by day, defend you during the night! May there 
come to you abundant posterity: some sons for the father, some daughters for the 
mother. May the sons live 99 years and the daughters 77, and may such posterity 
continue for 1,100 years! Protection by day, watchfulness by night! To you two, when 
you shall spend the day on the mountain and should the evil spirit come, may the evil 
one fly away! If the evil spirit comes, may it fly away! When the newly married hus- 
band shall enter or leave his house, if the evil one seeks to accompany him, may he be 
powerless, may he fly away! If it be that evil spirit x., may it fly away; if the evil 
spirit M., may it fly away; if the evil spirit N., may it fly away! If the newly mar- 
ried spouse goes into the village and the demon of the thickets should come toward 
her, may it flyaway! Ifit be the chief of devils, may he flee! May the itches henge 
forth vanish! May evil omens cease! Away misfortune! Away sickness! vee ae 
married ones in your white old age, may you have youth with teeth complete! May 
