The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-16
LIVELY BASQUE WEDDINGS.
Picturesque Customs still Preserved in the
Pyrcnean villages.

The Basque marriage customs which still
prevail in the little villages nesting among
the Pyrenees and on the shores OF the Bay
OF Biscay are both lively and picturesque,
as described by a writer for a Partisan
woman magazine. The ceremonies begin
with the proposal, which must be managed
according to immemorial forms.
When the young man selects the girl he
desires to marry he writes her a letter in
which he describes his devotion and asks
for a rendezvous in order that he may still
further explain himself. The letter is in
trusted to an oil woman for delivery. The
girl, il she is willing, invites the youth to
come and speak with her under her window
at night.
He goes armed with his guitar, and while
he strums on it the traditional airs of the
people be sings of his love and asks the
girl to favor his suit. If she is coy, he may
have TO sing two or three ballads, but usually
he has not to wait long for her to open her
window and invite him to climb'up on the
wooden balcony which is a feature of nearly
every Basque cottage. Before he goes away
the couple have usually become engaged.
On the morning of the wedding, the
children wake up the village by setting of
firecrackers. The religious ceremony is
held at 2 O'Clock in the parish church, sc
that the whole day may be given up to
installing the couple In their new home.
The wedding breakfast served at the
brides house is the second feature of the
day. All the adults OF the village take part
in il, while the children are regaled with
cakes and fruit outside.
In the meantime all the farm wagons in
the place have been mustered to transport
the possessions of the couple in procession.
They are drawn by oxen covered with white
sheets and having their horns decorated
with flowers. The first wagon Is fitted
with a canopy draped with red curtains.
On this the nuptial bed ia displayed, deco
rated with ribbons and strewn with flowers.
The village seamstress, holding a mirror,
rides on the front OF this wagon.
The other wagons follow containing the
remaining furniture, the brides trousseau,
linen, farm tools and all the other appurte-
nances Of the new household. Behind each
walks a group OF girls, the leader carrying
a decorated ham on her head while all the
others have baskets of biscuits and almond
cakes, covered with flowers. Sheep are
also led in the procession with strings of
bells about their necks.
Arrived at the new house the seamstress
exhorts the bridegroom to be kind to his
wife. She presents him with the ham and
then she and the village carpenter enter the
house and get busy putting the furniture
in place and fitting it for habitation.
While this is going on, a circle of chairs
is arranged in the courtyard and the sister
and sis~ter-in-law Of the bride exhibit her
trousseau TO the women, displaying first
a pail of milk and a distaff as immemorial
symbols of plenty and industry. This
ceremony concludes with the counting
out of the marriage portion.
All that evening andthe next day are given
up TO Feasting. There are meals as often as
thew can be eaten. Singing and dancing
the fandago to the music Of h accordion
fill in the intervals.
The following week the young men Of the
village invade the house of the young couple
in ali sorts Of grotesque DISCUSSES and armed
with drums and lanterns to conduct a
charivari. The village c%utup-he exists
everywhere-reads a funny poem on matri-
mony. They all eat and drink and the
proceedings end with a traditional farce in
which the woman beats her husband with
a broomstick.
Then the couple settle down. TO the realities
Of life.