Peoplebecomequiteillogicalwhentheytrytodecidewhatcanbeeatenandwhatcannotbeeaten.IfyoulivedintheMediterranean,forinstance,youwouldconsideroctopusagreatdelicacy.Youwouldnotbeabletounderstandwhysomepeoplefinditrepulsive.Ontheotherhand,yourstomachwouldturnattheideaoffryingpotatoesinanimalfat--thenormallyacceptedpracticeinmanynortherncountries.Thesadtruthisthatmostofushavebeenbroughtuptoeatcertainfoodsandwesticktothemallourlives.
Nocreaturehasreceivedmorepraiseandabusethanthecommongardensnail.Cookedinwine,snailsareagreatluxuryinvariouspartsoftheworld.Therearecountlesspeoplewho,eversincetheirearlyyears,havelearnedtoassociatesnailswithfood.Myfriend,Robert,livesinacountrywheresnailsaredespised.Ashisflatisinalargetown,hehasnogardenofhisown.Foryearshehasbeenaskingmetocollectsnailsfrommygardenandtakethemtohim.Theideaneverappealedtomeverymuch,butoneday,afterheavyshower,IhappenedtobewalkinginmygardenwhenInoticedahugenumberofsnailstakingastrollonsomeofmyprizeplants.Actingonasuddenimpulse,Icollectedseveraldozen,puttheminapaperbag,andtookthemtoRobert.Robertwasdelightedtoseemeandequallypleasedwithmylittlegift.IleftthebaginthehallandRobertandIwentintothelivingroomwherewetalkedforacoupleofhours.IhadforgottenallaboutthesnailswhenRobertsuddenlysaidthatImuststaytodinner.Snailswould,ofcourse,bethemaindish.IdidnotfancytheideaandIreluctantlyfollowedRobertoutoftheroom.Toourdismay,wesawthatthereweresnailseverywhere:theyhadescapedfromthepaperbagandhadtakencompletepossessionofthehall!Ihaveneverbeenabletolookatasnailsincethen.