[GreatWarg]

The fox moved forward cautiously, pausing every once in a while to sit. The Master had told him to watch Old Man Willow, and keep him from causing any trouble to travellers, but simply the reason why he had posted a beast to watch the cranky old willow was a wonder to the fox. Lady Goldberry and the Master were gathering many plants and honey and fruits in the past day, and that aroused curiousity of any good beast living in the lands. After all, it seemed like a feast was going on, if the fox knew anything! And as any wayfarer knows, foxes are quick to curiousity and excitement.

Coming to the hedge, the fox could hear a raucous. There was a clammering of hungry Dwarves complaning, a collection of hobbits from Bree and the Shire laughing and merrymaking, a Ringwraith (How strange indeed! the fox had thought) Men from Rohan and Gondor, an odd Man constantly staring around and then quickly writing in a book eventually tearing out many pages, and even old Gandalf! Gandalf! Now this is a surprise! What would a wizard be doing in such merrymaking! the fox wondered again. But he was becoming impatient, and wanted to go take a closer inspection at the horses prancing and dancing around the field. Several deer were also gathered there, and many birds in the trees.

It seems I have not come too late for the merrymaking! the fox thought, sitting down and watching the growing excitement with keen eyes.

Many hobbit children were now dancing around the Ringwraith, singing merry songs, and the poor Ringwraith looked very embaressed indeed, in a ring of hobbit children, all laughing and singing and merrymaking. Several of the hobbit grown-ups were now joining in, mouths wide with laughter. A good collection of Men from Bree were also watching with interest, occasionally bursting in laughter and applause when some jest was made.

The mostly kept to themselves, watching everything happening around them. The odd Man which the fox had noticed before was now watching the hobbit children and scribbling something down into his peculiar book. A few moments later he was again ripping the page out, letting it fall to the ground, where an inquisitive hobbit lass or lad would pick it up and read it aloud to his or her friends, all of them giggling.

A strange little white dog barked, dancing with his mistress, a tall maiden. The fox's red plume-like tail swayed in time to the music of a pipe. The very odd Man, whom the fox seemed to think was quite likeable really, was again scribbling in his large book. The fox raised a mud-brown paw, licked it, then fidgeted with his whiskers. All this merrymaking was making the fox in a mood to dance.