[Bêthberry]

With Guinevere's help Bêthberry had been able to unload her mathoms on the Wight's table. Growing perennials in the dark of his barrow would be a trick but Bêthberry was sure he could fix up his eerie green glow to work some kind of perilous magic. As luck would have it, though, they had missed the spectacular theft by turning their backs upon the table to pull the wheel up.

"Now isn't it just like a hobbit to do that!' exclaimed the healer, who reached into her pocket for some betony chewing gum and handed it to SaucepanMan to cure what appeared to be a hangover, the result most likely of Lush's careful ministrations.

"Why, they claim to be the truest sort of people most resistant to the dark powers but mark my word. There are those who tell of Bilbo's stealing and still other who tell of the terrible attack on the trees in the Bonfire Glade. Truly, these hole builders should not be left to interpret stories themselves. Just ask Kransha here for the orcs' side of the story. I am sure if we all dig hard enough we will uncover truths as to their treachery and thievery and other nefarious deeds."

Nova and Oro overheard this speech with a mixture of sarcasm and misbelief and offense. "Hobbits thieves?" they said. "Might as well expect elven children to run off and get taken by orcs or tied up by spiders in Mirkwood."

Bêthberry laughed at this and then thanked Guinevere for her help. "Shall I bring my potluck dish to the food table? Barbequed Balrog's Wings."

In the distance she heard Fordim Hedgethistle snort with disgust and not a little firey expostulation. She was sure that MeriSue would enjoy them, though, for the fair damsel had oft displayed a keen delight in the sort of wrong interpretations called Páhrôdie in the Fáirie tongue.

By then Bêthberry had caught up with Lush herself in time to hear her described as 'naughty Bethberry.'

"No, no, my dear Lushious. I am simply dirty Bethberry. It is all this weeding you see in the garden of perilous delight. I have been trying to determine if the Party Tree is actually the Tree of the Knowledge of Primary and Secondary Worlds but I think thought has floundered on who has an innie or an outie vision."

With that remark, Bêthberry overheard Piosenniel say something about Old Tom's son, Iadarion. "Boy," she thought to herself, "have I ever been away from home for a long time. I didn't know I had a brother. This longevity certainly makes it hard for siblings to stay in touch."