CHILDLESS WOMAN — CUTTING OF THE NOSE. 65 Without kindling wood the fire won't light. And without a backbit, r no village can be established. ^'^'^] {tutakiyd) a backbiter. 192. Childless Woman. Jar nfii kechuwa burdke nachhuwd. She who has not a baby to danlla, should make her old man dance. 193. Cutting of the nose, Nijar nak kati satinir jatra bhanga kare. She cut off her own nose, so as to prevent her husband's second wife from starting on a journey. One wife, out of jealousy, because her husband's second vnfe is going out for the day, slits her own nose, so as to prevent her starting. The Assamese have a superstition that, if anything mutilated or deformed is seen when setting out on a journey, the journey will be unlucky. ^f«^ (satini) or ifst?r (satiyai) = one of the several wives of one husband. Polygamy brings many evils ; not the least of these evils is the jealousy that nearly always exists between the wives which results in continual squab- bles, c.f — the following translations of Eastern sayings : Malay — *' Tw^o wives under one roof: two tigers in one cage." Telegu — " Two swords cannot be contained in one scabbard." Afghan — "Who likes sauabbles at home, contracts two marriages." Tamul. — "Why fire the house of a man who has two wives ?" i.e-i the fire of anger and jealousy is enough. 194. Cutting of the nose. y Nak katile ahiba dale pale, Chu'i katile ahiba kon kale ? If the nose is cut off, it will regain its old size by treatment, But if the hair is cut off, when will it come again ?
