by two or more legitimate wives, each child received the inheritance and dowry of his mother, with its increase, and that share of his father’s estate which fell to him out of the whole.  If a man had a child by one of his slaves, as well as legitimate children, the former had no share in the inheritance; but the legitimate children were bound to free the mother, and to give him something—­a tael or a slave, if the father were a chief; or if, finally, anything else were given it was by the unanimous consent of all.  If besides his legitimate children, he had also some son by a free unmarried woman, to whom a dowry was given but who was not considered as a real wife, all these were classed as natural children, although the child by the unmarried woman should have been begotten after his marriage.  Such children did not inherit equally with the legitimate children, but only the third part.  For example, if there were two children, the legitimate one had two parts, and the one of the inaasava one part.  When there were no children by a legitimate wife, but only children by an unmarried woman, or inaasava, the latter inherited all.  If he had a child by a slave woman, that child received his share as above stated.  If there were no legitimate or natural child, or a child by an inaasava, whether there was a son of a slave woman or not, the inheritance went only to the father or grandparents, brothers, or nearest relatives of the deceased, who gave to the slave-child as above stated.

In the case of a child by a free married woman, born while she was married, if the husband punished the adulterer this was considered a dowry; and the child entered with the others into partition in the inheritance.  His share equaled the part left by the father, nothing more.  If there were no other sons than he, the children and the nearest relatives inherited equally with him.  But if the adulterer were not punished by the husband of the woman who had the child, the latter was not considered as his child, nor did he inherit anything.  It should be noticed that the offender was not considered dishonored by the punishment inflicted, nor did the husband leave the woman.  By the punishment of the father the child was fittingly made legitimate.

Adopted children, of whom there are many among them, inherit the double of what was paid for their adoption.  For example, if one gold tael was given that he might be adopted when the first father died, the child was given [in inheritance] two taels.  But if this child should die first, his children do not inherit from the second father, for the arrangement stops at that point.

This is the danger to which his money is exposed, as well as his being protected as a child.  On this account this manner of adoption common among them is considered lawful.