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the guelderrose； red being the emblem of maidenhood among
Slavonic peoples。 Other emblems are the binding of the bride's
tresses； and the veil which covers her head。 The bridegroom is
not allowed to remove the veil； nor to unbind the tresses of his
future wife； unless he consents to pay a small sum of money to
her bother。
Hitherto we have considered the different aspects of the
earliest period in the evolution of the family that which is
known by the term of the matriarchate。 The various features which
characterised the lowest state of the relations between the sexes
did not vanish all at once。 The incestuous relations between
persons of the same blood seem to have been the first to
disappear。 No further mention of these occurs in Nestor's
description of the Eastern tribes the Radimich； Viatich； and
Sever。 Thog they practise communal marriage so far that fathers
and sons have wives in common； nevertheless fathers and
daughters； brothers and sisters； dare no longer cohabit with each
other； and if licence still occurs at some annual festivities； it
is kept under some check。
The bilini； or poplar ballads； as also the old legends and
folk tales； often represent that transient period of social
evolution； when endogamy was gradually giving way to exogamy； and
relations between persons of the same kin were forbidden。 A
popular hero； known by the name of Michailo Kasarinov； and
belonging to a later series of Russian paladins； in one of these
ballads liberates a young Russian girl from the yoke of the
Tartars； and is on the point of becoming her lover； when she
discloses to him the secret of her birth； and proves that she is
his sister。 The paladin immediately abandons his purpose。 In
another popular tale； inserted by Afanasiev in his collection of
these curious monuments of our unwritten literature； a bother is
represented as insisting on marrying his sister； and the latter
as strongly protesting against his desire。 〃What do you propose
to do？〃 she asks。 〃Bethink you of God and of the sin？ Is it right
that a brother should espouse his own sister？〃 The brother
persists； and the couple are on the point of retiring when the
earth opens； and the sister； unharmed； disappears from view。 （8*）
In another popular legend； a husband； having discovered that his
wife is his own sister； finds no means of escape but that of
undertaking a pilgrimage in order to expiate his sins。（9*）
The prohibition is gradually extended to all persons of the
same kin。 A song（10*） in Vogue among the peasantry of Little
Russia speaks of a bird wishing to marry； and finding no bride at
his birthplace； all the females being his relations； there
remains nothing for him to do but to cross the sea； and seek a
bride of another kin than his own。
The complete discomfiture of endogamy in its long struggle
with exogamous prescriptions is shown in the fact that in some
parts of Russia； as for instance in the government of Simbirsk；
in certain villages of the government of Olonizk； and of the
district of Schadrinsk； inhabited by the Cosacks of the Don； the
bride is always taken from another village than the bridegroom's。
Even in provinces in which no similar custom is known to exist；
the remembrance of the time when exogamy was considered a duty；
is preserved in the fact that the bridegroom is constantly spoken
of as a foreigner （choujoy； choujaninin）； and his friends and
attendants are represented as coming with him from a distant
country； in order to take away the future spouse。
The origin of exogamy has been sought for in the fact of the
general prevalence； at a certain period of social development； of
the custom of capturing wives。 The co…existence of both customs
has been already noticed by the old Russian chronicler in his
description of the manners and customs of the Radimich； Viatich；
and Sever。 His testimony is corroborated by that of the nuptial
songs； and of the ceremonies still in use at country weddings。
The information which is derived from these sources as to the
general prevalence in past times of marriage by capture； I have
summed up in a work published in Russian under the title of 〃The
first Periods in the Evolution of Law。〃 I shall take the liberty
of bringing forward to…day the facts there summarised。 They
concern the Eastern as well as the Southern Slavs。
Amongst the Southern Slavs； marriage by capture was still in
existence no longer ago than the beginning of the present
century。 A well…known Servian writer； Vouk Karadjich； gives the
following details about this peculiar custom； known under the
name of otmitza。 〃The Capture of girls in order to marry them is
still practised among the Servians。 Young men very frequently
have recourse to this mode of procuring a wife。 On such occasions
they are equipped and armed as if they were going out to do
battle。 They conceal themselves； and quietly await the moment
till the girl passes near them on her way to look after the
cattle。 Sometimes they make a direct attack on the homestead she
inhabits。 In either case her resistance has no other result than
a direct appeal to physical force。 The young men seize her by her
long plaited tresses； drag and push her along； and sometimes use
a whip or a stick to quicken her pace。 The same custom prevailed
not long ago in Montenegro。 It existed also for centuries in
Croatia； as may be seen from the mention made of it in the
statute of Politza； a legal code published in 1605。 In Bosnia and
Herzegovina abductions still occur； but； as a rule； with the
previous consent of the supposed victim； and with the declared
intention of avoiding the expenses of a regular betrothal。〃
So much as regards marriage among the Southern Slavs。
As to the Eastern Slavs； the early development of a strong
government； and of a powerful clergy； prevented the possibility
of a long continuance of this wild method of constituting a
family。 An exception must； however； be made as regards the
Cosacks of Little Russia and the Ukraine； who； according to the
statement of Beauplan； continued to capture their wives no longer
ago than the seventeenth century。 But the existence； probably in
Pagan times； of marriage by capture in Russia； as well as in
Poland； is still revealed by the old ballads； the wedding
ceremonies of the country people； and the songs in use on the
occasion of a betrothal。
The bilini more than once mention the cases of paladins like
Ilia Mourometz having a personal encounter with the Amazons they
meet on their way。 As soon as the paladins have succeeded in
vanquishing the Amazons； they force them to become their wives。
Among the different ceremonies still in use at a country wedding；
one particularly deserves our attention； on account of the
symbolical representation of the means to which the family of the
bride once had recourse to prevent an abduction。 On the day fixed
for the wedding the doors leading to the homestead of the bride
are closely shut。 Sometimes a temporary wooden wall is erected to
preserve the family from intrusion。 The wedding…songs still in
use in the Government of Toula speak of the necessity of
defending the approach to the bride's residence by oak trees； cut
down to block up the road； and by shields arranged before the
principal entrance of the homestead。
The bridegroom and his friends wear a warlike dress； they are
mounted on horseback； and carry guns and pistols。 Such； at least；
is the custom in the western provinces of Russia； whilst in the
southern the whip； carried by the bridegroom's best man； appears
to be the only weapon in use。 The wedding…songs speak of arrows；
shot in the direction of the bride's home； and of stone walls
broken down； in order to take possession of her。 The bridegroom
and his followers are regularly met like foes。 In the Government
of Perm it is the custom for the father of the bride to fire a
pistol over their heads； of course a pistol charged only with
powder。 The same custom is also in use in certain parts of the
Government of Archangel。 The wedding…song speaks of the
bridegroom's train in the following terms：
They will come to the maiden's father
With war。
They will rob him；
And imprison the mother。
They will take the young girl away
To a strange land。
But capture； as we have already seen； was not the only mode
of contracting marriage among the Slavs； even in the earliest
period。 According to the chronicle of Nestor； the Polians never
had recourse to it。 Instead of carrying off his bride by force；
the Polian bridegroom preferred to pay to her father； or her
family； a sort of pretium nuptiale； or bride…price。 This custom
of the Polians gradually became the general usage among all
Slavonic tribes。 In Servia； according to Vouk Karadjich； the sums
of money paid to the bride's father by the bridegroom's family
were so exorbitant that Georgius the Black issued a proclamation
declaring it to be illegal to ask from the bridegroom more than a
single ducat。 In our days； says Bogisic； wives； as a rule； cannot
be bought by their future husbands； but a reminiscence of this
old custom is still preserved in the fact that the bride's father
receives from the bridegroom a