Historical ritual humiliation of Old Maids
Re: Historical ritual humiliation of Old Maids
She is nothing but a mule and fit only for plowing the field.
Re: Historical ritual humiliation of Old Maids
On the first of May the unmarried men bid for the right to court unmarried young women. The young maids stand proudly on the platform as the bids go higher and higher. When this ritual is completed a team of young men go through the village gathering up any old maids who have not appeared to be bid on. They force their way in the door and drag them out into the street.
They are brought in a wagon to the middle of the town and placed high on a platform in the middle of the throng. Here they are offered as Schnäppchen alte Jungfern or Bargain Old Maids, to any man who will take them for a penny. With no takers the reverse auction begins. A bounty is offered to any man who will take them. They only need to step up on the platform and kiss the unchosen one on the lips in front of the entire town. The rejected woman stands there cringing as the bounty goes higher and higher and the jeers of the entire village reach a crescendo pitch.
Re: Historical ritual humiliation of Old Maids
The young women of the village prepare for the May dance. Dressed in their finest they kneel in the town square. The young men begin a circle dance around the gathered young women. One by one the men enter the circle and chose a woman to join them in the dance, giving them a garland of flowers. The circle of dancing couples grows and the remaining group of women shrinks. Finally, there remains one unchosen woman, Das übrig gebliebene Mädchen. The ring of dancers closes in on her and tears the clothing from her body. For her there are no flowers. Rather she is garlanded and pelted with rotting fish. The circling dancers wrap ropes around her cringing body, pinning her in place as the joyous village circles around her.
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