ffered her a present
worthy of her. Thereupon began the song of the _Wedding-gifts_, to an
air as solemn as a church psalm, the men outside singing bass in
unison, and the women answering from within in falsetto. In twenty
couplets at least the men enumerate all the wedding-presents, and the
matrons at length consent that the door should be opened.

On this being arranged, the flaxdresser instantly drew the wooden
spigot which fastened the door on the inside--the only fastening known
in most of the dwellings in our village--and the bridegroom's band
rushed in, but not without a combat, for the lads who garrisoned the
place, even the old flaxdresser and the ancient village dames,
considered it their duty to defend the hearth. The invaders were armed
with a goose stuck upon a large iron spit, adorned with bouquets of
straw and ribbons, and to plant this at the fire was to gain
possession of the hearth. Every effort was of course made to attain
this object. Now came a veritable battle, although the combatants did
not come to actual blows, and fought without any anger or ill-will.
But they pressed and pushed one another so closely, and there was so
much emulation in the display of muscular power, that the results
might have been more serious than they appeared amidst the singing and
laughter. The poor old flaxdresser, who fought like a lion, was pinned
to the wall, and squeezed until he could hardly get breath. More than
one hero was rolled in the dust, more than one hand was withdrawn
bleeding from an attack on the spit. These sports are dangerous, and
in consequence of the occurrence of serious accidents, our peasants
have resolved to drop them. The enormous iron spit was twisted like a
screw before it was at length flung across the fire-irons, and the
conquest achieved.

There was now no lack of talk and laughter. Each one exhibited the
wounds he had received; but as they were in many cases given by the
hand of a friend, nobody complained. The matrons cleaned the
stone-floor, and order was re-established. The table was covered with
pitchers of new wine. 'When they had all drunk together, clinking
their glasses, and had taken breath, the bridegroom was led into the
middle of the room; and, furnished with a ring, he had to undergo a
new trial.

During the contest, the bride had been concealed, with three of her
companions, by her mother, her godmother, and her aunts, who had
seated the four young girls on a bench, in a