60

I remember having read (at least I think I've been reading, it might have been a series but I'm almost positive it was in prose) a book or story where an animal, maybe genetically engineered? basically advertised itself to be eaten.

Something along the lines:

"Have you considered this piece of me? Very tasty, I insist you try it."

Now it's a washed out memory so the strongest associations to it are the obvious ridicule of the situation and the protagonist being, as far as I remember it, weirded out / confused / speechless at the situation.

I realize this might be a long-shot but I can't get it out of my head.

Improve this question
5
  • 67
    Sounds like a line from Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, specifically The Restaurant at the End of the Universe.
    – KenM
    Commented Dec 1, 2016 at 15:11
  • 1
    See also Monty Python's Restaurant Abuse sketch.
    – Rand al'Thor ♦
    Commented Dec 1, 2016 at 16:59
  • I wonder if the Lion King scene drew inspiration from here. "Come and have a dine on this tasty swine".
    – svavil
    Commented Dec 2, 2016 at 0:10
  • 3
    The animal in question is the Ameglian Major Cow, which was bred to want to be eaten.
    – Tony
    Commented Dec 2, 2016 at 5:10
  • 5
    This just made me think of the Simpson's episode featuring 'The Pig of Eden'
    – Robotnik
    Commented Dec 2, 2016 at 6:09

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
159

The Restaurant at the end of the Universe, by Douglas Adams. The scene is recounted here: http://www.sci.fi/~huuhilo/dna2.html

A large dairy animal approached Zaphod Beeblebrox's table, a large fat meaty quadruped of the bovine type with large watery eyes, small horns and what might almost have been an ingratiating smile on its lips.

'Good evening', it lowed and sat back heavily on its haunches, 'I am the main Dish of the Day. May I interest you in the parts of my body?'

Improve this answer
2
  • So it actually was Douglas Adams after all; I couldn't find the scene so I dismissed the book :/
    – dot_Sp0T
    Commented Dec 1, 2016 at 15:11
  • 20
    @dot_Sp0T dismissing HHGTTG, for any reason, is generally a huge mistake. :P
    – BruceWayne
    Commented Dec 3, 2016 at 16:30
54

It sounds like it's from The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams, part for his Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy novels, which were originally radio shows for BBC Radio 4.

In the TV show the animal was played by Peter Davison, who was married to the actress that played Trillian in that version. He was at the time best known for playing a vet in the show 'All Creatures Great and Small' and would later play the Doctor in Dr Who.

This is a YouTube link to the scene in the show:

Improve this answer
2
  • 1
    I've heard that he had already accepted the part of The Doctor before being in HHGTTG. He was only allowed to be in it because he was completely unrecognisable in both appearance and voice, so as to not "tarnish" the image of Doctor Who.
    – CJ Dennis
    Commented Dec 5, 2016 at 5:55
  • @CJDennis: That's strange, considering that the character he played in "All Creatures" was indistinguishable from the Fifth Doctor in appearance and voice (and very similar in costume, IIRC!), and was a feckless nitwit.
    – Beta
    Commented Dec 5, 2016 at 18:21
11

Sounds like "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe" by Douglas Adams

Improve this answer
1
  • Can you please add some explanation of why this is what the OP is looking for?
    – Mithical
    Commented May 24, 2017 at 13:16

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.