A TRANSLATION OF THE KEDDAII ANNALS. 263 
accidentally cut her {finger, but in tying the slight wound 
quickly up, she did not perceive any blood. So she put all 
the condiments into the pot with the greens, and set the latter 
on the fire. While stirring the curry it happened that a 
single drop of blood fell unintentionally from her finger into 
the pot. Even had she desired to cook another dish, she had 
no time for it, because the Raja was ready to eat his break¬ 
fast. So she hurriedly put the dish of greens into the bicha- 
na or tray and sent it up to Raja Bisiyong, who partook of 
the rice and the curried or stewed greens ; and mixed his 
rice with the liquid portion of the curry. His highness 
relished this dish exceedingly, as it was sweeter and more sa¬ 
vory than any that had previously been prepared for him. So 
after he had finished the whole, washed his hands, and eaten 
betel, he drew his sword and exclaimed, “where is the cook who 
dressed the curry” ? When the cook came before him, he 
enjoined her to faithfully tell him with what condiments she 
had seasoned the curry he had just eaten, so as to make it so 
superior to all her previous culinary performances, for added 
his highness, “if you do not fully acquaint me, you die instantly 
by the edge of this sword.” The cook who was a woman, 
reflected in her mind, that death would be certain whether she 
told the truth or not, and that it would be best to speak the 
truth at once ; which she accordingly did, throwing herself 
on the Raja s mercy. His highness thereupon sheathed his 
sabre, and said to the cook—“Well if this be the case, it is all 
right.” He then rose and proceeded to the audience hall, and 
called aloud, “where is the captain (panghulu) of the life¬ 
guards ? When the captain arrived, his highness said to him— 
“ Is the person under my sentence for empalement for this day 
still unexecuted.” The other replied in the affirmative. Then 
said the Raj£, “take this cup, and after filling it with his blood, 
bring it back quickly to me.” The guards-man did as com¬ 
manded, the man was executed by him, and the cup of blood 
was delivered to his highness. No sooner had he got the 
cup into his hand than he went to the kitchen, and ordered 
the cook to dress a dish of curried greens or spinach without 
delay. When the whole had been about half prepared on the 
fire, the Raja came close up himself, and asked the cook 
what quantity of blood she had dropped from her finger into 
the former dish. She replied about a drop. ^ So he increased 
the quantity to three drops which he put into the pot, and 
then returned to his dining room. He enjoyed this second 
dish far more than the preceding one. Accordingly on the 
morrow he had another person executed, and got a curry 
