Mari, Our Little Norwegian CousinWade, Mary Hazelton Blanchard
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Mari, Our Little Norwegian Cousin
Wade, Mary Hazelton Blanchard
Norway -- Juvenile literature
And now the procession is formed and starts out toward the church. First
comes the fiddler with his violin under his arm. He is followed by a man
bearing a large silver tankard. The health of the newly married pair
will be drunk from this many times before the festival is over. Next
comes the best man, with Gustav and Frigga close behind; after whom
follow the fathers, mothers, sisters, and brothers of the couple. Last,
come the other relatives and friends. All are laughing and joking, and
are bright with the pretty colours of their holiday clothes.
Now they enter the little church and pass down the aisles strewn with
juniper-tips. The air is very sweet with the odour of the freshly cut
sprigs. The minister is at the altar to meet them. He is dressed as
usual in his long black gown with the great white ruff around his neck.
But the bride! How lovely she looks as she stands with bent head, with
the silver crown resting on her fair hair. A heavy silver chain is
around her neck, and she sparkles with rings, and brooches, and other
ornaments without number. Her stomacher is covered with silver
embroidery. Her apron is of the finest muslin, and is also embroidered
beautifully.
The little church was so full that Ole and Mari were crowded near the
door with the other children. But they could see everything that was
going on.
"Isn't she beautiful?" whispered Mari, to a little girl behind her. "I
don't believe our queen in her own palace can look grander than she."
When the service was over, the wedding party left the church and turned
toward the shore. Was the good time over now, do you think? By no means,
for a whole week's merriment had only begun.
The bridal party seated themselves in the boat in which they had
arrived. The other boats were quickly filled; the fiddler began to play
a lively air; the rowers pulled with long, steady strokes, and as they
moved out over the clear, sunlit waters, one of the party began to
sing. Others joined in the song until the air seemed filled with music.
Ole and Mari stood on the shore together with the others who had not
gone with the young couple to their new home.
"Gustav has made a lovely new house for Frigga," Ole told his sister. "I
sailed over there last week with Olaf, and it was just done. The last
piece of furniture was also finished. I wish we were going there to-day;
what fun everybody will have, feasting and dancing."
"Never mind, Ole, we shall be grown up before many years. And then we
shall be invited to the wedding-parties," said Mari. "Let's go in
swimming and have some fun by ourselves this afternoon."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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