878 ^[ASAI, TUHKAXA, SUK, XAXDI, ETC. 



stick ill tlic middle iMirtioii of its lciit;tli, and forms n string, which is 

 (h-awii (>\cr tlie two small liridncs. Tln-ir songs and dances a.re much 

 like those of the .Alasai. 



The coriilil idii of irouien amongst tliese trilies is pretty much the 



same as with the iiastoral .Masai. The 

 immature girls live with the young fighting 

 iiM-n until thev reach womanhood. If hv 

 eliaiice one of tliese unmarried girls has a 

 child hv a warrior during this intercourse, 

 she strangles it as soon as it is liorn. Iir 

 such a case the young man who is the 

 falher of the child must present the girl 

 with a goat, and also give another goat to 

 her father. JJarriiif/e is generally arranged 

 hy the fither and mother of the bridegroom, 

 who negotiate with the girl's ])ai'ents. The 

 jii'ice paid to the father of tlie hride among 

 the Xandi is four goats, a fowl, and a cow. 

 .Mr. Isaac, howe\'er, states that among the 

 wealthier Elgevo the marriage fee is six 

 head of cattle and five goats. All the 

 Nandi-spealciirg tribes freely intemiarry with 

 each other and with the Masai, but not 

 with th(dr B;uitu neighfiours, tln^ Kavirondo. 

 As soon as the girl's father has consented 

 to the match, the bridegroom jiroceeds to 

 his h(]use. accompanied liy his own parents, 

 'fliiee davs afterwards all the pa\tv return 

 to the liridetiroom's \-illao-e. together .with 

 the gill. Here they stay for three days, 

 while there is feasting and dancing. < )n 

 the third day a house which they have 

 been building is usually ready for the re- 

 ception of the married couple, who tlien 

 nio\'e into it. The marriage is not con- 

 summated until the couple take possession 

 of their own house. Should a woman prove barren, the marriage fee 

 paid to her father is returned, and >he goes Ijack to hi^' own home. 



The biiili of twins is con-.idered lucky, Ijut, at the same time, to be 

 rather a tenrpting of Providence; and a woman who bears twins must live 

 away from her husband's village for some mcmths, and on no account go 

 near the kraal where the cattb^ an- kept. <Jne cow, howe\'er, is specially 



501. SWIIIlll ("sIIIE") A.\D SCABB.VHI) 

 .\XI1 1.0X1^ SPE.VR OF E.VSTEUN 

 .iXnOBOBO 



