ON THE ETHNOGRAPHICAL SURVEY OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. 479 



485. Dairy. — It is not lucky for a bride to put on the bridal dress 

 before the marriage day. 



486. Mochrum. — A bride ought on no account to look in a looking- 

 glass after being dressed. 



487. Dairy. — If the bi-idegroom enters the marriage-house before the 

 minister, the married pair will not live together. 



488. Kirkmaiden, Mochrum. — The minister must always be in the 

 bridal house before the bridegroom enters. If this is not the case the 

 bridegroom and his party wait till the minister enters. I have seen this. 



489. Mochrum. — It is considered unlucky if the minister shakes hands 

 with the bride or bridegroom before they are joined in marriage. 



490. A mother should not see her daughter married. 



491. It is accounted unlucky if the bride-cake is broken or chipped. 



492. It is unlucky to be married to a bi-ide who is with child at the 

 time of marriage. 



493. Laurieston. — It is accounted unlucky for a marriage party to 

 meet a funeral. A farmer with his party was driving to be married. 

 A funeral was seen approaching along a road that joined the road 

 leading to the church and churchyard. The marriage party drove quite 

 quickly so as to get in front of the funeral procession, but did not 

 make out to do so. The bridegroom took the matter much to heart. 

 After marriage, things did not go well on the farm. This misfortune, as 

 well as every mishap that befell, was attributed to the funeral cortege 

 meeting the marriage party. The fai'mer brooded so much on the 

 matter, and spoke so constantly on it, that his wife's life was made 

 miserable. My informant knew the farmer. 



494. Rerrick. — It is accounted unlucky for the bride and bridegroom 

 to meet during the time between the proclamation of banns and the 

 meeting before the minister to be joined in marriage. In the parish of 

 Eerrick a marriage took place between a pair that lived in the same house. 

 On the afternoon of the Sunday on which the proclamation of banns 

 was made, the bride and bridegroom took a walk together along the 

 sea-shore. This act excited no small attention, and called forth many 

 remarks about how improper it was to do such a thing. 



495. Crossmichael. — It is unlucky to finish a bridal dress and then 

 put it on to see how it fits or looks. Some little bit, such as sewing on a 

 hook or button, is left unfinished. After trying on the dress it is finished. 

 This was done in the case of my informant's daughter on the occasion of 

 her marriage in August 1896. 



496. It is considered lucky if the dressmaker accidentally let slip 

 from her hand the bridal dress she is making. My informant's 

 daughter was married in August 1896, when the dressmaker who lived 

 in the house of the bride's father to prepare the bride's outfit told this 

 ' fret.' 



Marriage Customs. 



497. Kirkmaiden. — In the days when hand-spinning was part of the 

 employment of the women of the household, the young women spun the 

 thread and yarn for their own sheets and blankets. 



498. The bride's mother sometimes went to invite her guests to the 

 marriage. The bridegroom invited his own guests. 



499. Minnigaff. — At the feet-washing, the feet, both of the bride 



