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Gerdy roused himself about as much as he could do something other than lounge and addressed himself to the serious matter of the tall Man’s question about the ponies. “Well now,” he began, “the ponies you say? Hmmmm…..that’s a good question. They have been a-working very hard to get this here ale to the Inn, and that’s a fact, and it’s also just as true as they’ve not had a rest or a bite to eat or a sip of water nigh on….oh….well, let’s see, there was that well just outside of town where we stopped to get some water, but it was a bit dry and we didn’t feel it was right to take the last drops from a stranger’s lips. But there was that creek about an hour before then that they had a good drink from, but it was a bit muddy and I’m not sure as they had their fill…” It was Fatty who came to Tim’s rescue at this point.
“Ah, Gerdy” he said. “What’s this, eh? Chewing on the fat with people when there’s work to be done?”
“Ah, brother Fatty, I was just a-telling this here Man about the last time our ponies had some water. It was in that creek, but if you remember, it was right muddy…”
Fatty, who apparently had great experience with his brother’s manner, interrupted him before he could get started. “That’s right it was, brother Gerdy, that it was. But I believe I overheard the young master as asking if the ponies need some attention, and you were saying just as we came up as they were looking that tired, so why don’t you unharness them so as we can get them into some comfortable stalls.”
As Gerdy began unhitching the animals, Fatty quietly took Tim to one side and whispered in his ear, “You’ll have to excuse Gerdy, master. It’s not that he’s foolish or woolly between the ears – not a bit of it! He’ll stare his way through a brick wall in time, but it will take him a good amount of time. He’s rather methodical in the way he thinks and that can be a bit trying to those as don’t know him.” Tim politely assured the hobbit that he had found it no trial. “Well that’s quite capital of you, master. Capital indeed. Allow me to introduce myself: I am Fredegar Chubb, but you shall call me Fatty as does everyone else. I may not be much to look at yet, but I plan on becoming quite robust some day! My brother and I are in the employ of our cousin – our third cousin, once removed, to be precise – our cousin Fordogrim. And I’m very pleased to make your acquaintance, young master and would be greatly pleased to know your name.”
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