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280
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(SEPTEMBER, 1907.
went to plough the field, while the other began to plough the lowest floor of his house, but the place was too narrow to be ploughed. At last, being annoyed, he cut off otte of the feet of his bullock. His brother, seeing this, turned him ont of his home, for acting against religion. The Kôlis, the shepherds, the shoemakers, the weavers and the boatmen are his descendants.
XXIII. - Widow Marriage. 80. The widows of all tribes, except those of the Brahmans, Rajputs, Süds, Banias and Bohras, can re-marry. This custom prevails even among Rajpûts, who do not follow the rules which are observed by the high castes.
81. Widow marriage is not allowed by the Scriptures, for the marriage ceremonies can be performed but once. As the proverb goes: the lion produces a whelp by a single intercourse with the lioness, so the true man acts upon what he says. The banana tree, if once planted, always yields fruit; a woman, once married, cannot be re-married : and rich meu do not give up their prejudices.
82. The younger brother can marry the widow of the elder brother, but not vice versd, except among Kanaite.
83. The widows of low costes can re-warry either a man of their own caste or one of another caste.
XXIV. - Inheritance after re-marriage of widows. 84. If a widow re-marries, her children by the first husband are to be supported by the husband's brother, whether the children be male or female.
88. If the widow marries a man of caste different from hers, her husband's properiy is inherited in the following way :
(a) The widow is entitled to no share of her hasband's property if she re-marries.
(b) The children by the first basband are entitled to inherit the property of their father and their shares are determined by custom.
(c) The husband's brother cannot inherit any portion of the property of the deceased. He is entitled only to his father's property.
86. If the widow marries her husband's brother, then the following rules about inheritance are observed :
(a) The widow cannot claim the property of her first husband. (6) A person by marrying his brother's widow becomes disentitled to his brother's property.
(c) The children by the first husband inherit the property of their father, and their shares are determined by custom.
(d) The children by the second husband have no right to claim the property of the first husband. They inherit their father's property.
87. The sons of # widow by her husband's brother are not called the song of her first husband, but those of the second. The children born in the lifetime of the first husband, or within ten months of his death, are considered his sons.
XXV. - Household Customs,
Pregnancy and Childbirth. 88. No ceremonies are performed during pregnancy. 89. The woman assumes one of two postures at child-birth :
(a) She kneels on the ground. The midwife remains behind ber, and, fixing her knees in the back of the lying-in woman, holds both of her shoulders by her hands.
(6) The woman prostrates herself on the ground. The midwife keeps to her left side. Other women take hold of the head, hands and legs of the lying-in woman.
90. The midwife serves in the room of the lying-in woman. After child-birth, persons who are rich, or belong to high families, employ nurses. The wife of a poor man is attended by his parents only.
(No answer was apparently given to Question 79. -ED.]
