were too many boys, a surplus of men, and not nearly enough girls to
go round. When any young fellow, moping out his life alone and anxious
for a wife, went a-courting in the next tribe, or in their vale, or on
their hill top, he was usually driven off with stones. Then there was
a quarrel between the two tribes.

Any young girl, who sneaked out at night to meet her young man of
another clan, was, when caught, instantly and severely spanked. Then,
with her best clothes taken off, she had to stand tied to a post in
the market place a whole day. Her hair was pulled down in disorder,
and all the dogs were allowed to bark at her. The girls made fun of
the poor thing, while they all rubbed one forefinger over the other,
pointed at her and cried, "Fie, for shame!" while the boys called her
hard names.

If it were known that the young man who wanted a wife had visited a
girl in the other tribe, his spear and bow and arrows were taken away
from him till the moon was full. The other boys and the girls treated
him roughly and called him hard names, but he dare not defend himself
and had to suffer patiently. This was all because of the feud between
the two tribes.

This went on until the maidens in the valley, who were very many,
while yet lovely and attractive, became very lonely and miserable;
while the young men, all splendid hunters and warriors, multiplied in
the hill country. They were wretched in mind, because not one could
get a wife, for all the maidens in their own tribe were already
engaged, or had been mated.

One day news came to the young men on the hill top, that the valley