Others may find themselves in quite as unfortunate a predicament.

A man may be the father of a large and thriving family and yet be as destitute patriarchally as if he had not a child to his name.

His offspring may be of the wrong sex; they may all be girls.

In this untoward event the father has something more on his hands than merely a houseful of daughters to dispose of.

In addition to securing sons-in-law, he must, unless he would have his ancestral line become extinct, provide himself with a son.