all also, and to any
who were blood-relations of our dear friend who was killed," and then
broke a silver coin in two, giving him one half. Then the oldest of the
judges read the sentence imposing the price of blood, from 50 to 140
zecchins of gold. Part of the money went to the Church, a third to the
expenses of the judgment, and the rest to the family, who generally
applied it to some pious use.

Marriage customs vary slightly. About Pola and Parenzo the country
people make a great display, and go through ceremonies pointing to the
capture or purchase of the bride. The cortege is headed by a
standard-bearer, an unmarried relation, carrying a linen flag of
different colours, and on it a wheel-shaped loaf with a great apple on
the point of a long pole. The guests knock loudly at the door: after a
time a voice asks who they are and what they want. The oldest man
answers: "A rose out of the garden," or "A hind out of the thicket."
After some debate, first an old woman is brought out, then a younger,
then the bridesmaids. They take them all, but want another--"A barefoot
girl is still there." At last the bride appears. "That is the right one;
we will take her away," all cry, and the bride-leader asks for her
stockings and fine shoes, which generally contain a silver coin. These
she herself puts on. The bridegroom gives shoes or some other gift to
the mother and all the home people. Then one of the guests fires at an
apple on a stick fixed to the roof, or on a tree-top, and it is
considered a disgrace to all if he misses. Now the bride comes down,
garlanded and with one or two apples in her hand, which she throws at
the bridegroom, who tries to cover her with the flag. Whether struck or
not, he picks the apples up, to eat with his bride after the ceremony.
Then they go off to church. Other customs accompany the journey home.

The Morlacchi are very hospitable; if any one approaches one of their
houses they ask him in, and will not let him go without his tasting
bread and wine. They are exceedingly loyal and devoted to their native
land. They are very fond of proverbs, of which I quote a few: "The empty
sack does not stand upright"; "Penitence does not make the madman well
again"; "If you will not be a thief I will not watch"; "You can't shut
out the sun with the palm of your hand"; "Be married by your ears and
not your eyes"; "There is most milk in other people's cows"; "He who
cries most loudly works the least"; "Promises