Siobhan Perricone wrote:
> On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 01:46:29 GMT, Scott >
> wrote:
>
>> In article >,
>> "jmcquown" > wrote:
>>
>>> But what made that first brave soul pluck a mushroom from the
>>> ground and eat it? So many nightshades are deadly. What wild
>>> critters were they watching to determine this one was okay and that
>>> one wasn't?
>>
>> I think it's hard for people in industrialized countries to realize
>> just
>> what hunger is--and what a person might do to avoid starving. If
>> you're hungry enough, you might try to eat anything--especially if
>> you don't
>> have culturally indoctrinated ideas of what is yucky.
>
> Not to mention that there are non lethal ways of testing new foods.
> Try reading Clan of the Cave Bear for an interesting take on the
> process (or is
> it the second in the series where she's testing things to see if
> they're safe?)

Ah, great series! She was "taught" by Iza to recognize herbs and such but
once on her own, Ayla did have to figure things out on her own. Thanks for
reminding me I need to re-read the series

Jill