Sexual Life in Ancient India: A Study in the Comparative History of Indian Culture v1.c5.243

v1.c5.243

² It is a fight or a contest that often gives the decision between rivals for a girl among primitive peoples (Westermarck, 159–163; McLennan, *Primitive Marriage*, 181). The winning of a bride through skill with the bow, which is often found in India, we find reported also of the American Indians (Finck, *Primitive Love*, pp. 57–58) as also the widespread bow that can only be stretched by the strongest man (Boas, *Chinook Texts*, p. 80). On the other hand in the Shahnameh the choosing of a husband by Katajun, who hands Gushtasp a rose-wreath, and so makes him her husband, reminds us strongly of the typical Indian scenes. So, too, for instance, the Buddhistic tale in Schiefner, *Bull. d. Petersburger Ak.*, Bd. xxiii, col. 23 ff., is quite after this style of tale. There we find: “Thereupon the king made proclamation in various lands and cities that his daughter was going to hold a ceremony for choosing a husband, and had that city cleansed of rubbish, stones, and potsherds, sprinkled with sandal-water, and made fragrant with sweet perfumes, awnings, banners, and flags set up, many silken hangings hung with flowers of many kinds, like a grove of the gods, and the joyous proclamation made: ‘Hear ye, O honourable city and country-dwellers, and the throngs of people come from various parts! Forasmuch as the King’s daughter is minded to-morrow herself to make her choice of a husband, do ye gather together as is meet and fitting.’ Next morning the king’s daughter, wearing many