From: "Marcus Smith"
> I said that in jest, but back when I had Telek spoken by elves, that was
an
> issue I dealt with. At first they were vegetarians, but then I realized
the
> hypocracy in having a people who spoke to plants as well as animals, then
only
> ate the former. Putting myself in their shoes, I decided that elves had
to
> either not eat natural substances at all or eat both plants and animals
*with
> profound respect and thanksgiving to their slain friends*. I went with
the
> latter one. That is - their prayers over the evening meal involved
thanking
> the souls of their meal for the sacrafice they made in dying so that
others
> could continue to live.
Reminds me of the Japanese concept of "itadakimasu" (I gratefully partake),
which, though often said perfunctorily at meal time, conveys the notion of
thanking the person(s) who prepared the meal as well as those who gave their
lives (i.e. those we're chowing down on, plant or animal) that we may be
nourished.
Kou