This vegetable, which the wise _gourmet_ is too discreet to despise, and to which the whimsical fancy of Roman gardeners gave the most grotesque forms,[IX-56] appears to be the very image of those soft and easy dispositions who yield to and obey every one, and whose unintelligent mildness is only repaid with sarcasm or disdain. Observe this creeping vegetable, left free to grow to its full size, which would sometimes attain the length of nine feet,[IX-57] and which the will of man was able to reduce to the slender and tortuous shape of a hideous dragon.[IX-58] When hardly ripe, it was cut and served on the tables of the most dainty, where it was eaten with vinegar and mustard, or seasoned with fine herbs:[IX-59] and whilst the ungrateful guests savoured the stomachic and nourishing flesh of the gourd,[IX-60] they did not cease to amuse themselves at the expense of its round and almost empty body[IX-61]--the proverbial image of a head not over well-provided with brains.[IX-62] To the present day even, more than one popular joke continues to pursue this plant, although its culinary qualities are appreciated as formerly. We are indebted to India for the seed of the gourd,[IX-63] which the Greeks designated, according to the species, by the names of Indian and common gourd. The latter kind was either boiled or roasted; the former was generally boiled in water.[IX-64] Antioch furnished the finest specimens to the markets of Athens.[IX-65] The ancients were acquainted with the manner of preserving this vegetable in such a state of freshness as to enable them to eat it with pleasure in the month of January:[IX-66] the method is as follows,--the gourds were cut in pieces of a moderate size; these pieces, strung like beads, where first dried in the open air, and then smoked; when winter arrived, each piece was well washed before putting it into the stewpan, with the various culinary herbs which the season produced; to this was added endive, curled cabbage, and dried mushrooms.[IX-67] The rest of the operation is easily understood. The Romans prepared this vegetable in different ways: a few of the principal ones will suffice. 1st. Boil the gourd in water, squeeze it out carefully, place it in a saucepan, and mix some pepper, a little cummin seed, rue, gravy, vinegar, and a small quantity of wine, reduced to one-half by boiling. Let the whole stew, and then sprinkle it lightly with pepper, and serve.[IX-68] 2nd. Boil and carefully squeeze them to extract the water, then put the gourds into a saucepan with vinegar and gravy; when it begins to simmer, thicken with fine flour, sprinkle lightly with pepper, and serve.[IX-69]