It is not day, nor yet morning;
It is not day, nor yet day,
For the moon is shining brightly.”
Another marriage song was sung in Irish frequently, each verse ending with the lines—
“There is sweet enchanting music, and the golden harps are ringing;
And twelve comely maidens deck the bride-bed for the bride.”
A beautiful new dress was presented to the bride by her husband at the marriage feast; at which also the father paid down her dowry before the assembled guests; and all the place round the house was lit by torches when night came on, and the song and the dance continued till daylight, with much speech-making and drinking of poteen. All fighting was steadily avoided at a wedding; for a quarrel would be considered a most unlucky omen. A wet day was also held to be very unlucky, as the bride would assuredly weep for sorrow throughout the year. But the bright warm sunshine was hailed joyfully, according to the old saying—
“Happy is the bride that the sun shines on;
But blessed is the corpse that the rain rains on.”