IO THE MYTHOLOGY: OF GPELE WICHITA: 
parents of the girl still favor him he remained. ‘Then, after this, the 
girl was watched, that she might not associate with other men. Should 
she prove unfaithful at any time she was beaten with a stick by her 
father. But should the parents of the girl at any time disapprove of 
their son-in-law they told the girl to send him home. ‘This constituted 
divorce. The duty of the young man was to watch over the property 
of the family, and in the faithful fulfillment of these duties and in the 
providing of food rested his claim for favor with his wife’s parents. 
Again it might happen that the parents of a certain girl desired a 
certain young man for their son-in-law, in which case the girl’s parents 
sent some middle-aged woman to ask the parents’ consent for him. 
Should the young husband die the girl’s parents cut her hair, the 
length being determined by the favor in which they held the young 
man. The parents of the deceased husband might also visit her from 
time to time and cut off a portion of her hair. The girl remained 
single for a certain number of months, during which time she kept 
secluded and permitted her hair to remain uncombed. During this 
time she wore old clothes. After the requisite number of months had 
passed, the parents provided new clothing for the daughter. The par- 
ents of the deceased husband now went to the young widow’s lodge. 
She, having been forewarned, had carefully swept the lodge. Upon en- 
tering, they washed her face, combed her hair, and painted her face, and 
then placed upon her, her new clothing. They then began to talk to 
her, telling her that they thought as much of her as when their son 
was alive, and now they had come to tell her that the period of mourning 
was over; that they had given her the things that they had 
brought; that she might laugh, eat heartily, and that now she might 
marry anyone she pleased. The woman, having her liberty, after the re- 
quisite period, might meet with some man whom she conversed with 
and who desired to marry her. She then reported the fact to her 
parents and to the parents of the deceased husband, in which case she 
’ was usually told that she might do as she liked. Should she have been 
faithful to her former husband during the time of mourning, her hus- 
band’s parents then said that they thought just as much of her as when 
her husband was living, and they might take her and her new husband 
into their lodge. Occasionally a man might wish to marry a woman 
who had a brother, and who had been separated from her first husband 
by death, in which case, the suitor went to the brother and asked him if 
he might have his sister, taking with him a present, such as a robe or a 
bow and quiver full of.arrows, on his pony. 
