128 of his debt immediately and promise to pay them the rest in a short space of time, they go to another king who they think needs them, to whom they present themselves, by saying who they are and from where and why they have come. The king welcomes them and feeds them for up to three days, without attributing them a salary, and during these days he also gives them a small sum each day, so that they can find sustenance honestly. During this period, they send a messenger to the king who they left, to find out if he now wishes to pay them, and if there is no solution, then they join the ranks of the other, which for thefirst king is a source of great dishonour and damage to his reputation. When there is a war, the kings pay all the nairs whofight in it their daily wage, which is four taras each, (each tara is worthfive reais) even if they belong to other lords; whilst they are at war, they may touch anybody including those of low caste, and eat and drink in their houses without washing. The king is obliged to sustain the mother and nephews of any nair slain in battle and immediately awards them a stipend; should they be wounded, the king orders that their wounds be very well treated. He continues to ge paid his normal salary and some of them have their own property that they can live off and keep their sisters, whom they greatly respect, especially the older ones who they are very fond of; they never enter a chamber or a house alone with the younger ones, nor do they touch them, nor do they speak to them as this could incite them to sin with them because they are younger. They cannot do it with the older ones out of the great respect in which they hold them. When they are menstruating, these nair women shut themselves away in a house for three days, where they do not touch anyone. They make their food in separate pans and bowls. When the three days are over, they wash themselves in hot water and put on clean clothes. Then they leave the house and go to a tank where they wash again and leave those clean clothes and put on others. Thus, they can go to their house and talk to their mother
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