Storia do Mogor 259.1

259.1

The people of this caste observe in their marriages no other ceremonies than those performed by Brahmans and Rajahs, with the exception that no marriage can take place without informing the shoemaker of the locality. These are the lowest and the most despised among men. When the shoemaker has consented, they make earthen figures of his two-edged scraper, his awl, his paring-knife, and his other tools. These are made over to the man about to marry as proof positive that they have the leave of the shoemaker. The reason some assign for this base practice is that in olden times that caste originated from a Brahman and a shoemaker's wife. This man, as they say, looked on the woman, disregarding the restrictions of his caste, by the maxims of which not only should he not have spoken to her, but not approached within eighty or more paces of her. In spite of this, he went near enough to be able to ask her if she would marry him. Her persistent reply was that without the permission of her husband she would grant nothing to satisfy his wishes. But this answer was not powerful enough to make the Brahman desist [130] from his pursuit. On the contrary, he became only the more inflamed, and each time he saw her he sought means to win her.