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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



the bridegroom's village, and the bride 

 and those with her become by invitation 

 the guests of the first house they reach, 

 and this opportunity of entertaining them 

 is looked upon as a distinctive honor. 

 The host kills a fatling and prepares a 

 feast to which only women are admitted, 

 and here, under the protection of her 

 mother, the bride spends her first night 

 in her new village. 



When the bride has arrived safely, 

 messengers are sent back to invite her 

 father and male relatives to the ensuing 

 ceremonies, and if the groom be promi- 

 nent or wealthy he calls all his friends 

 in the surrounding country to take part in 

 the marriage feast. 



THE WEDDING CEREMONIES 



Early the next morning the wholesale 

 slaying and cooking is begun, and a spe- 

 cial dish is prepared for the women. 

 During the day the religious formalities 

 are attended to with great secrecy. The 

 bride, in the presence of two witnesses, 

 appoints her father or nearest male rela- 

 tive as her representative. 



The groom and the bride's representa- 

 tive are now seated facing each other, 

 and a certain exact formula is thrice re- 

 peated with much punctiliousness. The 

 parties are prompted by the khatib 

 (teacher), or the religious head of the 

 village, who does not allow the slightest 

 mistake to pass uncorrected. In this 

 manner the young man accepts the bride 

 as his wife and the representative of the 

 girl in her stead agrees that she be his 

 wife. At this time the marriage contract 

 is written, which gives the names of both 

 parties, the sum paid for the bride, with 

 all the minor details. 



The explanation of the secrecy ob- 

 served while the couple is thus being 

 married is that they believe that should 

 an enemy be present and either spill flour 

 on the ground or tie knots in a string a 

 specific calamity will surely befall the 

 newly married pair. 



Toward evening the young men dress 

 the bridegroom in his best, and with the 

 entire village go out into some open field, 

 where they have horse-racing and shoot- 

 ing (see page 309), in both of which the 

 groom is supposed to demonstrate his 

 skill, while the women stand by and sing. 



Returning to the village, the men go to 

 the guest-chamber and the marriage sup- 

 per begins, while the women congregate 

 at the groom's home and likewise feast. 

 A portion is also sent to the bride and 

 another to the family where she is a 

 guest. The details of these customs vary, 

 however, in each district. 



When the feasting is over in the guest- 

 chamber, each guest drops a coin as a 

 present for the groom into a handkerchief 

 spread out for the purpose. Amid much 

 joyous excitement a herald announces the 

 name of each donor and the amount 

 given, calling upon Allah to recompense 

 him. 



Meanwhile the women have taken the 

 bride, with much rejoicing and merri- 

 ment, from the house where she has been 

 visiting to her new home, going either 

 mounted as she came from her village or 

 on the shoulders of two women, while in 

 some localities she walks. 



They dress her in her bridal attire, her 

 arms and legs having been previously 

 dyed with henna, the face is decorated 

 with gold leaf, and the eyelashes and eye- 

 brows blackened with kohl, which to the 

 fellah is the acme of beauty. Her head 

 and face are finally covered with a thin 

 veil. The men are notified when all is 

 ready, and with much pomp and firing 

 of guns, they escort the groom to his 

 house, when all retire and he alone enters. 



Removing the bride's veil and wiping 

 off the gold leaf, they stand together, 

 while presents of money are given to the 

 bride by her male relatives and the wo- 

 men, as the groom had received his previ- 

 ously. The husband begins by giving his 

 first. No men are admitted except the 

 male relatives of the bride, and they only 

 long enough to present the bride with 

 their gifts. 



For the first few days the bride keeps 

 on her finery and does no work ; but this 

 luxury and immunity she does not long 

 enjoy, for we soon find her at the regu- 

 lar hard work which falls to the woman's 

 lot. 



AGRICULTURE IN THE HOLY LAND 



In the mountain districts the farm land 

 is usually owned by peasant proprietors, 

 each man's property being composed of 

 various small pieces scattered about near 



