THE POPPY. 387 



The same writer also tells us that " once upon a 

 time " a somewhat exacting king of Bithynia being 

 on an expedition against the Scythians, and there- 

 fore far away from the sea, and being, moreover, 

 frozen up in the winter time, demanded for his din- 

 ner a certain small and unattainable fish called aphy. 

 Now kings of Bithynia were not to be trifled with ; 

 aphys were not to be obtained ; and, therefore, his 

 cook, cutting out mock fish from the root of a turnip, 

 and duly frying and salting them, powdered them 

 well with the "grains of a dozen black poppies/' and 

 so completely deceived his Bithynic majesty, that he 

 declared the " fish " to be unusually good. 



Lord Bacon derives from the poppy a different 

 use, when he recommends the introduction of the 

 poppy-head into the food of little babies ; and he 

 certainly appears to have more consideration for his 

 own peace and quiet on this occasion than for the 

 health of the poor children. If, too, he gives it the 

 complimentary name of " benedictum," it is rather 

 for his own benefit ; and nurses have not been behind- 

 hand in making the same discovery, when they 

 have recourse to Daffy's Elixir, syrup of poppies, 

 and other preparations of a similar nature. 



Poppies were not always used in a furtive manner 

 for food ; as Zuinger informs us that the white-poppy 

 (P. somniferuw) meaning probably their heads 

 was toasted, and eaten with honey ;* an accompani- 

 ment which modern opium-eaters have probably 

 not attempted. The Persians mix poppy-heads with 

 their wine ; and Ronsard talks of eating poppies in 

 * " Theatrum Humanse Vitee." 



s 2 



