The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-20
rae queer. Customs of S,uIo,r,.

ls haunted by strange customs and obsorvs,,
sucb as are little known in Eurone Whir :,
chld is born the witch, who is present officieiiv
nls pIlnss = reMaping,hook ~ INTO the room, and then
pr0ceeuS 10 ruD the infant all over with salt.
Rnd 10 fumigatc the room in order fo Dive
hWay an intrusive evil spirits from the mother
pnd child
WIN the exception of this bath of salt. Bull
gariaIachlid is never washed until he attains the
nge OF seven years; and for the frat wears of his
pie, piece of garlic (n the case of n rirl one or
Iwo c0lns) Is tied upon his head to preserve him
ron tne evil eye. As soon as he is able to work,
pe Is surrounded by superstitions which he is
ppiEBeu 10 observe: II he fctches water, he must
|,lroW away some of it; If he brings flour from
|he mill, he must burn incense under it; in short,
pe cannot take step without coming in contact
Cup superstition or an ddet (custom), which,
Y not respected will avenge itself on him, and,
Flthout counting the spirits who lie in wait for
blni in the forest or at the fountain, his life is
! rlled with fears which go far to compensate for
rs great enjoyments of eating, drinking and
pancing.
When young man wishes to marry, he speaks
~ his parents, who arrange the matter with
|hose Of the lady chosen, and slodty are sent to
propose in due form; the amount of the corbeille
p settled, as well that of the bdseh pdrdSi, or
bead money presented by the suitor to the
p1other of his intended, and then the gody or
great interest to all Bulgarians, who have the
|ame tastes as those commemorated in the songs
Rbout their great heroes, of which the constant
Fhorus is:-
'Pak jede pie"
"And he eats and drinks"
The cody is usually held at the house of the
sirl's parents, where the elder guests sit around
cloth spread on the floor and covered with
'arious dishes all strongly favored with garlic
Fhilc the wine jug circulates freely; in another
pom the young people indulge in a similar re-
hast, and afterwards dance outside the house,
HE pirlS gnUiuU a intervals The
pan then brings in his presents, which consist of
|arious articles of feminine clothing, several
PAIRS of slippers, bracelets, earrings, a head
fress and necklace of gold or silver coins, and a
'ilver girdle; the value of these offerings is dis
tussed by the father of the girl, and fresh
bargain ensues the suitor adding coin by coin to
Die necklace till his future fatherin-aw is salts
led and when this result is attained, all the
bnery is placed in n tehneh wooden dish used
Tor making bread and for cradle. Then all the
quests set to work again at the banquet till day
light dawns upon the many tipsy and the very
few sober. The next day the young lady puts
Pm all the presents of her dnce and is considered
hs engaged.
nony, and leaves it open to either party to break
pf the engagement, but such rupture seldom
occurs; the marriage never takes place within
Pix months of the cody, and is often delayed for
Two or even three years.
With some rare exceptions, these arrange
}nents are by no means love matches: the young
man wishes to establish himself as head of
and chooses wife as he would
yoke of buffaloes, looking upon her as ma
ehine for labor and the probable mother of sons
who will in time be able to work for him, and
whom he can beat, as his father beat him. until
be became too strong to permit it; for Bull
garian son, when he grows up, makes no scru-
pie of returning with interest the blows re-
teived from his father. Thus the bride is
khosen not for the beauty of her more or less
kalmuck features, but for the muscular strength
which will render her valuable as a beast of
burden.
| Sometimes you may meet with a Bulgarian
ULindOrO who translates his passion into the
music of the Gaida, or courts some stalwart Ro-
fna by playfully throwing Jumps of mud at her
Bas they meet at the fountain, or who buys an
Enormous pair of boots and spurs to attract the
attention of his beloved, and proves the strength
Df his affection by treading upon her toes.
But Lindoro here, like the true LindOro
Everywhere, is poor, and perhaps seeks, by Il
3lisnterested love, to attract into his own purse
B few of the Zecchini which he needs at any
rate, it is no blasphemy to doubt the purity of
bis motives in a country where a powerfully
built wife is good investment, instead of being
tn expensive luxury.
The marriage (Sa0ddbG) is prepared for by the
bridegrooms Installation in his new house, and
The purchase of various domestic animals, espe-
bially pair of oxen or buffaloes, without the
Possession of which the match would be consi-
lered very poor one for the lady, If not en-
irely out of the question; when all is ready, he
lends his parents or his swaty to announce that
le wishes the ceremony to take place in two OF
three weeks.
During the week preceding the marriage,
which is always celebrated on a Sunday, the
parents of the bride and bridegroom prepare the
furniture, etc, of the new mendge, the girls OF
The village dance before the house OF the bride,
Ind the youths pay the same compliment to
|he bridegroom. On the Friday before the mar
iage, the presents, hung on a cord, are exhi-
bited in the brides house, and she herself has
her hair plated into innumerabe minute tresses;
hen she takes, for the first and last time in her
fe a complete bath. Horrible as this state
7lent seems, it is the literal truth. Till the age
bf sevensYears a child must not be touched with
Fater, and although, after that period, the face,
bands, and feet may be washed, the cleansing
bf the whole body would be cftOk gundh, great
hin. and is neuei' practised by either male ol
|emale Bulgarians, with the solitary exception
Mentioned.
On the eyentful Sunday, when the papas
Ire ready. and ceremony takes place in the
hurch, if there be one, or otherwise in the
AridegrOom's house, and after the marriage the
happy couple are led in procession to the man
lion of the brides father, where the young girls
lance corn is sprinkled over the husband anC
wife and the latter, her face covered with vel
often scarle) kisses the hands of all the married
women Of the village, receiving In return hs
rom each of them.
Then all the usual feastng goes on, and all thu
kuests drink more than is good for them, ant
he married couple are shut up in their owl
ouse for a week, during which Tune they ma.
Neither go out nor receive visits.
When this period of imprisonment is over
he married women fetch the bride, who carrie
wo water buckets to the fountain, round Wnlcl
he walks three times, preceded by the Oldest o
he women, then the contents OF the buckets ar
brown over her. she kisses hand all rouhu, "n
gain receives present OF hgs.
The same day She pays a visit to her mother