06. Marriage Proposal and Betrothal Ah, Mother’s dear daughter, When you reached an age of seventeen, You started to have a good taste for dressing-up, And you became more keen-witted and eloquent. You always wore smile on your face when you entered the room, And looked dignified when you went out. You had good manners when you played the role of bridesmaid. You had a good reputation among the relatives. Father’s and Brother’s speech and behavior became different, Daugter became skeptical about that. Nine families proposed marriage, And that big number made people calculate. Father was calculating, That he’d like to have the betrothal gifts. Brother was contemplating, That he would marry her sister to others as early as possible. Oh, my deloved daughter, The autumn had arrived, And the blossoming flowers on the mountains withered. The merry skylark stopped singing. The golden pheasants in bamboos departed. Wolves attacked the sheep, And plunged into them. Daughter felt so frightened, That she cried to her father for help, but father can’t hear it Nor could her mother hear it. Daughter tried to drive away wolves by throwing stones at them. Sheep was bitten by wolves. Daughter became disturbed from then on. Daughter came back home, But Father and Brother were not in. She looked everywhere through the woods for them. She found them at the back of the village Three groups of relatives were discussing, Speaking aloud, but discussing quietly. Father and Brother were among them, Talking with relatives, And discussing with the match-makers. They would marry Daughter to others, So that they could live on the betrothal money. Ah, Mother’s beloved daughter. Daughter was shocked, And she became tearful. Mother’s dear daughter, The relative match-maker has arrived. Daughter was unwilling, So Father and Mother instructed, And Brother reproached. All Sisters coaxed. The match-maker behaved like an owl, And its wings caused wind blowing into daughter. Parents’ home was like a hurricane, And its strong wind swept away Daughter. Everyone agreed unanimously. Father had the final say, And Mother’s word was black-and-white decision. If you didn’t follow your father’s advice, you would became lost. And So was your Mother’s suggestions. The grasses owed something to the cattles, Although they survived the cattles’graze They would be finally frozen and destroyed by wind and frost. The hens owed something to the owls, So they couldn’t even conceal themselves in the wall corners. Sheep owed something to wolves, So they couldn’t hide themselves on the grassland. Girls owed something to her future husband’s family, So they could never stay at their parents’s homes. Daughter would marry someone from a wealthy relative’s family. Father and brother had the final say. And it’s not up to Daughter to decide. Mother’s dear daughter, When garlics sprouted, It’s in vain to air them on the upstairs. When hemps sprouted It’s useless to heat them on the Kang. When it’s time for girls to get married, It’s in vain to stay in their bedrooms. In all properties of the family, Daughter had no share. They would be inherited by brothers. Daughter couldn’t inherit anything. Parents’home was not your shelter. Mother’s dear daughter, Daughter felt sad. Three Bimo calculated Eight Characters, And concluded that birthpets didn’t conflict. Not to mention talents and appearance. The match-maker betrothed. Wedding feast was arranged by killing pigs. Daughter’s value was discussed, And her marriage was thus decided. Father, Brother, and relative enjoy the happy feast, But Daughter shed tears. Her complaint was unheard, And what should she do? Daughter’s blood, Was drunk in the form of wine. Daughter’s grease, Was eaten in form of meat. Daughter’s bones, Were consumed in form of money. Stone-hearted Father and Brother should know, Greedy mouth consumed betrothal money. Betrothal money cannot be saved to be a part of the family property. The heart-broken Daughter, Was full of melancholy and complaint. Foals and calves are raised together in the same stable, But foals are eternal wealth, And calves are pocket money. Sheep and goats were raised together, But sheep are eternal wealth, Goats are sold for money. Girls and Boys live in the same family, But boys are chosen to stay at home, Girls are sold for money.
06. Marriage Proposal and Betrothal Ah, Mother’s dear daughter, When you reached an age of seventeen, You started to have a good taste for dressing-up, And you became more keen-witted and eloquent. You always wore smile on your face when you entered the room, And looked dignified when you went out. You had good manners when you played the role of bridesmaid. You had a good reputation among the relatives. Father’s and Brother’s speech and behavior became different, Daugter became skeptical about that. Nine families proposed marriage, And that big number made people calculate. Father was calculating, That he’d like to have the betrothal gifts. Brother was contemplating, That he would marry her sister to others as early as possible. Oh, my deloved daughter, The autumn had arrived, And the blossoming flowers on the mountains withered. The merry skylark stopped singing. The golden pheasants in bamboos departed. Wolves attacked the sheep, And plunged into them. Daughter felt so frightened, That she cried to her father for help, but father can’t hear it Nor could her mother hear it. Daughter tried to drive away wolves by throwing stones at them. Sheep was bitten by wolves. Daughter became disturbed from then on. Daughter came back home, But Father and Brother were not in. She looked everywhere through the woods for them. She found them at the back of the village Three groups of relatives were discussing, Speaking aloud, but discussing quietly. Father and Brother were among them, Talking with relatives, And discussing with the match-makers. They would marry Daughter to others, So that they could live on the betrothal money. Ah, Mother’s beloved daughter. Daughter was shocked, And she became tearful. Mother’s dear daughter, The relative match-maker has arrived. Daughter was unwilling, So Father and Mother instructed, And Brother reproached. All Sisters coaxed. The match-maker behaved like an owl, And its wings caused wind blowing into daughter. Parents’ home was like a hurricane, And its strong wind swept away Daughter. Everyone agreed unanimously. Father had the final say, And Mother’s word was black-and-white decision. If you didn’t follow your father’s advice, you would became lost. And So was your Mother’s suggestions. The grasses owed something to the cattles, Although they survived the cattles’graze They would be finally frozen and destroyed by wind and frost. The hens owed something to the owls, So they couldn’t even conceal themselves in the wall corners. Sheep owed something to wolves, So they couldn’t hide themselves on the grassland. Girls owed something to her future husband’s family, So they could never stay at their parents’s homes. Daughter would marry someone from a wealthy relative’s family. Father and brother had the final say. And it’s not up to Daughter to decide. Mother’s dear daughter, When garlics sprouted, It’s in vain to air them on the upstairs. When hemps sprouted It’s useless to heat them on the Kang. When it’s time for girls to get married, It’s in vain to stay in their bedrooms. In all properties of the family, Daughter had no share. They would be inherited by brothers. Daughter couldn’t inherit anything. Parents’home was not your shelter. Mother’s dear daughter, Daughter felt sad. Three Bimo calculated Eight Characters, And concluded that birthpets didn’t conflict. Not to mention talents and appearance. The match-maker betrothed. Wedding feast was arranged by killing pigs. Daughter’s value was discussed, And her marriage was thus decided. Father, Brother, and relative enjoy the happy feast, But Daughter shed tears. Her complaint was unheard, And what should she do? Daughter’s blood, Was drunk in the form of wine. Daughter’s grease, Was eaten in form of meat. Daughter’s bones, Were consumed in form of money. Stone-hearted Father and Brother should know, Greedy mouth consumed betrothal money. Betrothal money cannot be saved to be a part of the family property. The heart-broken Daughter, Was full of melancholy and complaint. Foals and calves are raised together in the same stable, But foals are eternal wealth, And calves are pocket money. Sheep and goats were raised together, But sheep are eternal wealth, Goats are sold for money. Girls and Boys live in the same family, But boys are chosen to stay at home, Girls are sold for money.
