the way to his house she is cheerful, but when they reach the lover’s house she begins to cry and wail, whereupon she is locked up in a cabin that has no window.  The father, having found out where she is, comes and demands payment.  If the lover offers too little, the parent plies his whip on him.  Among the Ostyaks such elopements, to avoid payment, are frequent.  Regarding the Esthonians, Schroeder says (40):  “When the intermediary comes, the girl must conceal herself in some place until she is either found, with her father’s consent, or appears of her own accord.”

In the old epic “Kalewipoeg,” Salme hides in the garret and Linda in the bath-room, and refuse to come out till after much coaxing and urging.

QUAINT CUSTOMS

The words I have italicized indicate the passive role played by the girls, who simply carry out the instructions given to them.  The parents are the stage-managers, and they know very well what they want—­money or brandy.  Among the Mordvins, as soon as the suitor and his friends are seen approaching the bride’s house, it is barricaded, and the defenders ask, “Who are you?” The answer is, “Merchants.”  “What do you wish?” “Living goods.”  “We do not trade!” “We shall take her by force.”  A show of force is made, but finally the suitors are admitted, after paying twenty kopeks.  In Little Russia it is customary to barricade the door of the bride’s house with a wheel, but after offering a bottle of brandy as a “pass” the suitor’s party is allowed to enter.

Among the Esthonians custom demands (Schroeder, 36), that a comedy like the following be enacted.  The intermediary comes to the bride’s house and pretends that he has lost a cow or a lamb, and asks permission to hunt for it.  The girl’s relatives at first stubbornly deny having any knowledge of its whereabouts, but finally they allow the suitors to search, and the bride is usually found without much delay.  In Western Prussia (Berent district), after the bridegroom has made his terms with the bride and her parents, he comes to their house and says:  “We were out hunting and saw a wounded deer run into this house.  May we follow its tracks?” Permission is granted, whereupon the men start in pursuit of the bride, who has hidden away with the other village maidens.  At last the “hound”—­one of the bridegroom’s companions—­finds her and brings her to the lover.

Similar customs have prevailed in parts of Russia, Roumania, Servia, Sardinia, Hungary, and elsewhere.  In Old Finland the comedy continues even after the nuptial knot has been tied.  The bridal couple return each to their home.  Soon the groom appears at the bride’s house and demands to be admitted.  Her father refuses to let him in.  A “pass” is thereupon produced and read, and this, combined with a few presents, finally secures admission.  In some districts the bride remains invisible even during the wedding-dinner, and it is “good form”