A wonderful story comes from 19th Century England. According to the
account,Queen Victoria was once at a diplomatic reception in London. The
guest of honor was an African chieftain. All went well during the meal
until, at the end, finger bowls were served. The guest of honor had never
seen a British finger bowl, and no one had thought to brief him beforehand
about its purpose. So he took the bowl in his two hands, lifted it to his
mouth, and drank its contents down!

For an instant there was breathless silence among the British privileged
guests, and then they began to whisper to one another. All that stopped,
however, when Queen Victoria silently took her finger bowl in her two hands,
lifted it, and drank its contents! A moment later, 500 surprised British
ladies and gentlemen simultaneously drank the contents of their own finger
bowls.

It was the queen’s uncommon courtesy that guarded her guest from certain
embarrassment.

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