Mr. & Mrs. Bracegirdle’s hearts were pounding as the smoke cleared from the falling plaster. They hurried to find a safe place for the rabbit before another chunk from the now structurally unsound roof demolished it and even worse it contents.
“Oh Mr. Bracegirdle we can’t let down all those good folk counting on us. What are we to do?”
“Well Barrow-Wight or no, I think we had better not wait any longer.” He replied with determination.
Enlisting the help of some nearby hobbits they pushed the rabbit back into the hallway and into the Grand Hall. Draft horses (unlike hippos, dragon, flies and rabbits) were not permitted indoors, thank you very much.
The hobbits pushed the wooden rabbit over to the end of the dance floor blocking the bar and thereby attracting quite a bit of attention. Mr. Bracegirdle knocked on the rabbit several times before a door in its side opened and a bevy of hobbits emerged shouting “Life, Dignity and the Pursuit of Morals!” and carrying banners that read ”Hobbiton Garden Club” and “Southfarthing Chamber of Commerce”.
“Excuse me, a rather large hobbit said loudly, “we’ve come here today to promote an ideal, to let you know that if you want to live a decadent life that is your call, but don’t be accusing folks of political intrigues and such like if they want to foster a civilized life, as some lately have.” He directed this to a young and petite shield-maiden in horn rimmed glasses. “Some of us have too much time on their hands it would seem.”
The partygoers gathered around the spectacle hadn’t the vaguest notion what was going on and were aghast when the hobbits started in singing R_E_S_P_E_C_T (albeit not as well as Aretha Franklin). A sigh of relief came over the crowd when the hobbits launched into a round of the Springle-ring (definitely more hobbit-like behavior) before melting away into the crowd.
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