320 



WILD SPAIN. 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 



THE IBEX-HUNTER'S BETEOTHAL. 



Bernal Gonzalvo was the smartest of all the shepherd- 

 lads in the mountain village of Valdama, and universally 

 acknowledged as the best shot and most successful ibex- 

 hunter in that part of the sierra. But in his wanderings 

 near the clouds, his thoughts of late had often strayed from 

 his flock : other music than the tinkling of their many bells 

 was sweeter to his ear. His thoughts would carry him a 

 thousand times a day to the hamlet which nestled far 

 below. In short, Bernal was in love ; for the first time in 

 his simple life of three-and-twenty years his spirit was 

 made captive by a daughter of Eve. Concha, the pretty 

 brunette of the parador, had heard the old, old story from 

 his lips, and he had found favour in her eyes. Concha's 

 good luck made her the envy of all the girls of the hamlet. 

 For not only was Bernal a handsome lad of the sprightly, 

 graceful type peculiar to the mountain region, but he 

 was also rich — he owned over two hundred goats, and had 

 inherited a two-roomed choza and an acre of trailing 

 vines. 



Engagements in these primitive nooks of the world are 

 not of long duration. The following week it was arranged 

 his betrothal should be announced, and the dichos declared 

 — the custom of avowing publicly the mutual accept- 

 ance of nuptial obligations, which in Spain corresponds 

 with our " calling the banns." On such occasions it 

 is customary in Valdama for the bridegroom-elect to 

 provide a feast whereat the friends of the fiances assemble 

 after this preliminary ceremony. The marriage itself 



