PLATE 13.—WEDDING PROCESSION.Model, showing a wedding procession arriving at the bride’s house, the bridegroom being
carried on a man’s shoulders, and shaded by an umbrella.Page 381.In some cases a rope or piece of red cloth would be stretched across the path to
bar the progress of the bridegroom’s party, and a stout enough resistance would
be offered by the defenders until the bridegroom consented to pay a fine which
formerly amounted, it is said, to as much as $20, though not more than $3 or $4
would now be asked. Occasionally the bridegroom would pay the fine by pulling
the ring off his finger and handing it to the bride’s relations, but the ceremony
would not unfrequently end in a free fight. Verses were recited on these
occasions, of which a few stanzas will be found in the Appendix.^88
On arriving at the door the musicians strike up their liveliest tune, and as the
bridegroom is carried up the steps he has to force his way through an Amazonian
force consisting of the ladies of the bride’s party, who assemble to repel the
invader from the threshold. A well-directed fire is maintained by others, who
pour upon the foe over the heads of the defenders repeated volleys of saffron rice