Mehta isn't interested in anything besides the dough. Koly says goodbye to her bros and heads to the Mehtas' place with her parents.As if that's not enough, the Mehtas also ask about jewelry, so Koly brings along her mom's heavy silver earrings.For her dowry, Koly's parents sell some of their own wedding presents from back in the day, as well as their cow.His name is Hari Mehta, and he has a sister, which makes Koly happy since it means she'll have help with the chores.

He's a Brahman (translation: the highest Hindu caste), just like her. Pretty soon, Koly's parents have found her a match.When she asks to go to school, too, her Maa tells her it'd be a waste-girls don't need to go to school, she says, because they do work at home. Her brothers go off to school each morning, but she has to stay home and help her mom.They're just joking, of course, but Koly wonders how much she's worth. As the family starts hunting for a suitable husband who will agree to marry Koly, her brothers tease her that no one will ever want to marry her.Here's the catch, though: Finding a hubby will also be tricky since Koly's family doesn't have much to give for her dowry.It's clear that Koly's family doesn't have much money, so Koly finding a husband will mean there's more food to go around for Maa, Baap, and Koly's two brothers.She cooks, cleans, and embroiders linens with fancy designs to make some extra money for the fam. Maa does what all the other women do in their town: She keeps the home in order.

Her baap is a scribe in the local market square, which basically means he writes letters for illiterate people. We get some backstory about Koly's baap (a.k.a.Koly lives in India, and everyone gets married young plus it will really help her family out.

One day, Koly's mom tells her she has to find a husband now that she's an old maid of thirteen.

Homeless bird book