"Is it true that you love this man? We have an ancient warning from our ancestors: Do not give your daughter forcibly to a man in marriage. If she is badly treated she might die with a curse upon her lips against her brothers. But if she goes to the man of her own free will the curse will do no harm" (89).

The more prosperous Chagga carry on a business of putting out cows with the poorer families, who use the milk and turn over the calves to the owner of the cow. When the cow is old she is returned also. It sometimes happens, however, that the owner dies without informing his heirs about a certain cow. The borrower will seldom return the cow, but he is in a difficult situation, because the dead man knows everything and may curse and destroy him and his house. In this case he may either make blood brotherhood with the son of the dead man or arrange a marriage of his son to the dead man’s daughter. The cow is then returned to the house of the owner as part of the bride gifts.