DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6095#0326
3o8 A TOUR THROUGH
hope will ever continue as sweet to their
souls, as that honey is to their palates.—
They then begin to throw handfuls of wheat
upon them, which is continued all the way
to the house of the bridegroom. This is
probably the remains of some ancient rite
to Ceres, their favourite divinity, and they
think it cannot fail of procuring them a
numerous progeny :—however, the Sici-
lian women have no occasion for any charm
to promote this, as, in general, they are
abundantly prolific even without it. Faz-
zello gives an account of women having
frequently upwards of forty children ; and
Carrera mentions one who had forty-seven.
The young couple are not allowed to taste
of the marriage-feast; this they pretend is
to teach them patience and temperance; but
when dinner is finished, a great bone is
presented to the bridegroom by the bride's
father, or one of her nearest relations, who
pronounces these words: " Rodi tu quejl'
« ofo,
hope will ever continue as sweet to their
souls, as that honey is to their palates.—
They then begin to throw handfuls of wheat
upon them, which is continued all the way
to the house of the bridegroom. This is
probably the remains of some ancient rite
to Ceres, their favourite divinity, and they
think it cannot fail of procuring them a
numerous progeny :—however, the Sici-
lian women have no occasion for any charm
to promote this, as, in general, they are
abundantly prolific even without it. Faz-
zello gives an account of women having
frequently upwards of forty children ; and
Carrera mentions one who had forty-seven.
The young couple are not allowed to taste
of the marriage-feast; this they pretend is
to teach them patience and temperance; but
when dinner is finished, a great bone is
presented to the bridegroom by the bride's
father, or one of her nearest relations, who
pronounces these words: " Rodi tu quejl'
« ofo,