Hah, I just got off playing on my latest fortress when I saw this topic.
I've bought a Tigerman and a Hippo off the Elves today. I'm hoping I can train the Hippo in the art of war with the latest update regarding training animals.
If not, I'll begin breeding a horde of puppies to later become the meatshields of my military. I've begun to receive Goblin 'Nappers (They kidnap children) and Kobold thieves recently, which means I'll have to get some traps set up, or else I'll be completely unprepared for any ambushes that might come in a year or so.
Other than that, not bad. I've only had one death. A dwarf was struck with a mood. He demanded glass, which I didn't have, so he slowly began to go crazy.
After walling him in and placing a heap of guard dogs, in case he goes berserk and started punching people, I sat and waited. Fortunately, he went stark raving mad instead. Which means he stripped down naked and ran around the fortress until he fell over dead by starvation.
"My husband went insane and died! Oooh, shiny Legendary dining room."
Oh, and what did I trade for the mighty fine animals and food from the elves? Mugs. Mass-produced, identical, low-quality mugs.
You bring fine treasure, you say? Here, have a thousand stone mugs in return.