Siam and Laos, as Seen by Our American Missionaries
History
Siam and Laos, as Seen by Our American Missionaries
Laos -- Description and travel; Missions -- Laos; Missions -- Thailand; Thailand -- Description and travel
gay than the former, the fresh suit for the bridegroom being
frequently presented him on a salver by a lad sent from the parents of
the bride.
But to return to our young couple. After repeating with clasped hands
their vows to love, cherish, honor and live with one another until
death, the missionary pronounces the blessing and congratulations are
offered by their friends. The parties then separate, and in like
manner as they came to the house so they go back to their guests in
the garden.
The feasting continues if this is a propitious day, closing in the
evening. Oftentimes, however, the ceremonies are kept up until the
third and fourth day. Soft eyes look love to eyes which dare not speak
again, for the Siamese dames and grandames are lynx-eyed and the
maidens are shy; yet Cupid will not be outwitted, and his darts fly
thick and fast at such a feast. Still, the bridegroom must content
himself with an occasional glance as Leang flits in and out among her
guests. When the twilight has waned and the full clear moon transforms
everything into silvery beauty, preparations are made for the
torchlight procession to conduct the bridegroom and bride to the new
home. You remember the parable of the Ten Virgins in the New
Testament: “At midnight there was a cry made, Behold the bridegroom
cometh!” After somewhat the same manner is this procession formed. The
torches used are made of pitch rolled into small sticks about two feet
long and wrapped round with the dried attap-leaf.
The groom’s attendants escort him with lighted torches to his new
home, and at the same time a lad is despatched by the bride bearing a
tray of the areca-nut, with all its concomitants, ready for chewing,
tobacco, seri-leaf, red lime and soft wax for the lips. The happy man
meets them at the door, and, placing the tray before them, invites
them to partake.
After an interval two or three matrons, with Leang’s maiden
attendants, light their torches, and the little bride, shy and
trembling, but with her heart full of her happiness, is in her turn
escorted to the little home, where the youthful husband, engaged in
merry conversation with his friends, is impatiently awaiting her
arrival.
All sit down in the veranda, the maidens apart from the men. The tray
with the betel-nut is passed to them, and they all partake freely.
Then, after more friendly chatting and some suitable exhortations from
the matrons and the congratulations from all, the guests depart. Our
youthful friends are left to themselves, and another Christian home
adds its rays to the light which we hope will ere long cover Siam.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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