PARSEE WEDDING. 25 



})art of the ceremony, a white sheet is held up between 

 the couple, which effectually prevents their seeing each 

 other's face ; their wrists and ankles are then loosely 

 tied together, and a white band or sash passed round 

 their waist. This done, a large ball of the mystic 

 thread is produced, which is wound round and round 

 the happy couple, thus irrevocably completing their 

 union. At this moment the two priests, who have 

 been holding up the sheet whilst repeating passages 

 from the sacred book, drop the former, and man and 

 wife are permitted to look upon each other's heat- 

 stained features ; but as if that indulgence were too 

 precious a privilege to continue, they are now placed 

 next to each other, the priest facing them, uttering 

 prayers or incantations as before. During this part of 

 the proceedings rice is thrown over the heads of the 

 pair, which is eagerly scrambled for by the old women 

 as foreboding luck. Incense is all this time burning 

 from a silver urn. For three nights this ceremony is 

 repeated, at the end of which man and wife retire to 

 their own liearth. A long wearisome business for the 

 ■company, but how much more so for these two young- 

 people ! Of course a good deal of feasting goes on at certain 

 intervals, but even this is of a very sober kind, nothing 

 stronger than sherbet or lemonade being allowed to a 

 Parsee by his religion. Apropos of the custom of 



