Page 183 - (DK) Danger! Open with Extreme Caution!

Lady in waiting Royal food taster
In medieval India, a princess’s You may have “royal” in your title,
lady in waiting had a comfortable but accepting the job of royal food
life. Until her mistress’s husband taster is nothing but a royal
died, that is. Then, his wife blunder. Employed throughout
and all of their servants were history by monarchs, the job
Whipping boy thrown onto the funeral pyre entailed sampling food in case
to keep him company in it had been laced with poison by
Back in Tudor England, royal the afterlife. No need to worry a would-be assassin. Take this job,
children could be punished only
about references… and each meal could be your last.
by the king. Tutors who needed
to discipline their charges
had to punish the royal child’s
companion instead, whose job
it was to take all of the beatings
to save the royal backside. It
was a real pain in the bum.

Petardier’s assistant

During the English Civil War, small
bombs called petards were used to
blow open walls and fortifications.
But first, someone had to attach
them to the walls and fortifications.
Step up the plucky petardier’s
assistant, ready to dodge flying
bullets to get the job done… if
the bombs didn’t blow him up first.

DANGEROUS JOBS IN HISTORY 183
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