Always smile when I remember the tale on Radio2 years ago about the fiercely patriotic Scottish merchant sailor who put into some port in the far east, got very drunk and decided to get a thistle tattooed on his arm as a sign of his patriotism, he explained that a thistle was a spiky flower to the non English speaking artist, and then proceeded to pass out with the alcohol/pain of the process. When he awoke he had a pineapple on his arm