Sir James George Frazer (18541941). The Golden Bough. 1922. If
these are the ordinary precautions taken by common people, the
precautions taken by kings are extraordinary. The king of Loango
may not be seen eating or drinking by man or beast under pain of
death. A favourite dog having broken into the room where the
king was dining, the king ordered it to be killed on the spot.
Once the kings own son, a boy of twelve years old, inadvertently
saw the king drink. Immediately the king ordered him to be
finely apparelled and feasted, after which he commanded him to
be cut in quarters, and carried about the city with a
proclamation that he had seen the king drink. When the king has
a mind to drink, he has a cup of wine brought; he that brings it
has a bell in his hand, and as soon as he has delivered the cup
to the king, he turns his face from him and rings the bell, on
which all present fall down with their faces to the ground, and
continue so till the king has drank . His eating is much in the
same style, for whi