254 



brandy 



INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY— PUBLICATION NO. 6 



vhich he hands to Jaime, who returns it to 

 him with instructions to pass it. While drinks are 

 being poured Matias tells the story of how his 

 daughter was stolen and how the boy's father's friends 

 had come to reason with him and plead that he not 

 become angry at the will of God. Then the compadre 

 of Jaime tells a similar story, and Pablo still another. 

 These accounts, plus the liquor, little by little have 

 the desired effect, and Jaime becomes slightly more 

 mellow. The conversation shifts to general topics, 

 and soon another bottle is produced, which is also 

 consumed. Presently ail wish to talk at the same 

 time, and the original purpose of the mission appears 

 lost in good fellowship. At 2 o'clock in the morning 

 Julian returns to the original theme. "Now that even- 

 ing is drawing to a close," he says, "I wish, Compa- 

 dre Jaime, that you tell me what you think of the 

 matters we have discussed." Jaime replies, "Now 

 there is no oiher way out. If my daughter wished to 

 run away, what could I do. I only beg that you ask 

 the girl if she wishes to come home while the arrange- 

 ments are being made. She is a girl without expe- 

 rience and knows nothing. I don't want you to come 

 to me later saying I didn't tell you. She is not used 

 to housework, for I have not wanted her to do hard 

 labor. I don't want her to start learning these things 

 in another household; it's best that she come here 

 while arrangements are being made." 



Julian replies, "Compadre, rest assured that my 

 thoughts are the same as yours. I see no reason why 

 she should not live with you as soon as the civil 

 marriage has taken place, until the time of the ec- 

 clesiastical marriage. I suggest that we go to the 

 municijial building Sunday, and she will return home 

 with you immediately after the ceremony. My boy 

 also is young, and 1 would not have wished that he 

 marry so soon, since I find myself at this time in 

 a difficult financial position. Nevertheless, he is my 

 son and it is my obligation to see that he is properly 

 married." 



Goodnights are said all around, and the mission 

 leaves, well satisfied with the results of its work. 



Saturday, April 21. Today Julian has dunned all 

 his creditors, tried to sell an ox, and asked the pres- 

 ident to omit the usual marriage fees. In the evening 

 he gleefully announces that the wedding will be gratis, 

 but an offer of $300 for the ox has been turned down 

 as insufficient. 



Sunday, April 22. At noon today the civil mar- 

 riage takes place in customary fashion. Then all 

 close relatives and friends of both families adjourn 

 to the house of Julian for the wedding meal. Lucia 

 is grinding nixtamal in a corner, and Andres is carry- 

 ing water in a jar. Inside we seat ourselves on low 

 beams which serve as benches beside raised planks 

 which serve as tables. As usual, the women sit on 

 the floor on the far side of the room. Brandy is 

 served, and then the food, consisting of rice, meat, 

 beans, and tortillas, appears. Presently the women 

 leave, and the men begin to tell off-color stories. Be- 

 tween stories and drinks the afternoon quickly pass- 

 es, and upon the insistence of the women, it is de- 



cided to have the ceremony of asking pardon. A 

 |)etate is placed on the floor, and Jaime stands to 

 one side while the boy and girl kneel before him. 

 Andres speaks first. "I ask you to pardon me for 

 what I have done. " He takes his father-in-law's hand 

 and kisses it. then kneels and kisses his right foot. 

 Lucia, her face almost covered with her rebozo. does 

 likewise. Jaime extends his hand to be kissed, but 

 says nothing. Then the bride's mother takes the floor, 

 and without waiting to be asked, launches into a 

 speech directed at Andres. "Understand, youth, be- 

 fore pardoning vou and giving vou mv blessing. I 

 wish to tell you that vou are taking a girl who 

 knows nothing of the duties of housekeeping. She is 

 young and often very stupid. Nevertheless, you have 

 wished to take her. and it is entirely vour responsi- 

 bility. I do not wish that you ever say that we in- 

 fluenced you in your marriage: I warn you in ad- 

 vance you will have to pardon all the foolish things 

 the girl does, for she is without experience." Then 

 each of the young people asks pardon and kisses her 

 hand and foot. 



Then the grandmother of Lucia stands uji. "Chil- 

 dren, God wishes that you should be happy. Now 

 that you have decided to marry, you must resign 

 yourselves in case you do not always find that happi- 

 ness. When you have difficulties, don't blame your 

 parents. You yourselves will have to solve your pro- 

 blems." She then gives her blessing and they kiss 

 her hand and foot. 



Jaime reminds Julian that Lucia is to come home 

 with him until the Church wedding a month hence, 

 promising that Andres can come to see her during 

 the day. The others agree that the arrangement is 

 fair, and that the young people subsequently will 

 have time to talk secretly. \^ ell after dark the party 

 breaks up. 



Three weeks later, in the company of his son, 

 Julian went to the house of Jose V. to ask him 

 to be godfather of the marriage, which Jose, in 

 spite of the considerable expenditure involved, 

 accepted. It was decided that the wedding would 

 take place on the last Sunday of May, a little 

 more than a month after the civil marriage. 

 This gave time to read the banns during Mass 

 on three successive Sundays, with a week to 

 spare in case of unforeseen emergencies. For 

 Julian, this arrangement meant more time to 

 raise money for the wedding feast. 



The wedding itself was a gay occurrence, 

 though the Church ceremony was shared with 

 two other couples from the neighboring ranches 

 who had selected the same day to be married. 



After early Mass the church tower bells ring, in- 

 dicating to the pueblo that the event to take place 

 is not of general community interest. The three 

 couples stand at the front of the church, surrounded 



