him the more eager to possess her. His family tried to dissuade him, and the unjust and unkind remarks he was forced to hear only the more determined him to obtain her as his wife.
Her fair features, elegant bearing, well-chosen language, and her few accomplishments, made her an object of envy to the country lasses, but her lover's city experiences had taught him to know her true worth. Even when he had gained the unwilling consent of his friends, he had yet to obtain the maid's own free consent; but one night, having dreamed her mother had visited her and advised her to consent, she finally allowed a lucky day to be chosen.
Great was the stir made in preparing for the wedding ceremonies and feastings. Many were the remarks made, but the faithful and love-smitten swain heeded not the banter of his acquaintances of both sexes, and, as a diversion, set himself to work laying out the garden, and fitting up the apartments set apart for him by his father for himself and his bride.
Before the wedding, frequent efforts were made to remove the bowl, and the well-meaning, but too officious, friends only desisted when they found their efforts fruitless, and that they caused the maiden much pain. However, in the evening, when the final hymeneal wine cup had passed between them, the wooden bowl suddenly split asunder, and, disappearing with a great clash and rattle, left a shower of all kinds of precious and beautiful presents on the train of the bride's robes. She told her spouse about her mother appearing to her in her dream, and promising that, if they were true and faithful to each other, happiness and prosperity would be their lot through life. Let us believe it was so with the faithful swain and his pretty maid with the wooden bowl.
