1866. | Social Customs of the Karens. 15 
ENGAGEMENT. 
When a young man wishes to take a girl for a wife, the first persons 
to be consulted are her parents. If they make no objections, he em- 
ploys a go-between to transact the business for him. 
The go-between takes a fowl and gives it to an Elder who consults 
its bones, and if the response is unfavorable, the match is broken off 
and no further proceedings taken. 
When the fowl’s bones are read as approving the marriage, the 
go-between goes to the parents of the girl, when, in some sections, the 
following form of dialogue takes place : 
Go-between.—‘‘ Now I will creep up thy stairs, I will tread on the 
steps of thy ladder. Thou plantest up large house posts, thou flattenest 
out wide bamboo planks. Thou callest thyself the master of the 
house, a good man. When the sun rises, it shines upon thee ; when the 
moon rises, it shines upon thee. Thy head is as large as a still pot, thy 
tongue as long as the gigantic bean pod. How wilt thou reply? The 
children lift their eyes on each other. They lift their hearts on 
each other’s heart. Wilt thou approve?” 
Girl’s Guardian.—“ Man is the horse’s tooth ; the elephant’s tusk. 
Woman is a tree, a bamboo. We are the woman, the female. We 
cannot reach distant waters, nor arrive at far off lands. We dare not 
Seize those who seize us, we dare not strike back again. The man can 
reach waters, and arrive at distant lands. Can he take upon himself 
the charge of a house and a field ? ” 
Go-between.—“ Fear not, be not anxious, for the house and the field. 
Mother dying, occupy mother’s chamber ; father dying, occupy father’s 
hall. By day, there is one sun; by night, there is one torch. Fear 
not, be anxious for nothing.”’ 
Gils Guardian.—“ li thy word is true to thyself; if thy language is 
faithful to thyself ; if thy word is one, thy foot-print one—Let not the 
tree depart from its shadow, let not man leave his place—very good. 
Thou art a hunting dog, thou scentest the covert ; thou trackest the 
game. Art thou satisfied?” 
Go-between.—““ T am a hunting dog, and in scenting the hiding 
place, and tracking the game, I have got to thee.” 
Girl's Guardian.—“ Thou art a hunting dog. What ornaments hast 
thou brought ? Let me take a look at them.” 
