View Single Post
Old 03-07-2006, 10:20 PM   #101
littlemanpoet
Itinerant Songster
 
littlemanpoet's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: The Edge of Faerie
Posts: 7,072
littlemanpoet is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.littlemanpoet is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.
"Now I want to know," slobbered Garreth, "what became of Gob and Twiddle! That tale never got done, and I think it ought to get carried on!"

"Then say away," Eodwine retorted, "but swallow your food and wipe your mouth first so poor Æðelhild doesn't wear half your supper by the time you're done!"

Garreth grinned good naturedly. "I had that coming. And that scrumptious little morsel needs none of my food chunks to look the more winsome!" Garreth winked at the already blushing Æðelhild gamely, clearly thinking that he had laid a most cunning compliment upon her. Æðelhild giggled in embarrassment for the lout. Meanwhile his brother Harreld coughed loudly by way of stifling a mockish guffaw. "But about that tale. What say you, Master Falco Boffin?" With that, Garreth took another mustache soaking swig of ale.

In between puffs on his pipe and swallows of his ale, Falco eyed Garreth with a measuring glance. "You'd hear me tell the tale? Let's see then, the last we heard of them, they was-"

"Hold!" cried Eodwine. "It is not right that we should start in the middle of the tale with so many new folk who've never heard it. Are all who know somewhat of it sure it's worth the retelling?" Eodwine looked around and saw nods of heads from those who had had a part. "Good! Then let's spend this evening telling it over, as best we may from memory, and maybe better for having heard it once and adding somewhat to it! I'll begin."

"Do not forget," cried Saeryn, "the game we chose to play with the tale!"

"Indeed!" Eodwine replied with a smile. "The tale is passed from teller to teller as the whim takes us. Let us reckon for now that those who told the tale as far as we've heard it, say their part until we're caught up; and if part has been told by a guest who has traveled on, I will do my best to recall those words."

With that, Eodwine embarked on the tale of Gob and Twiddle, from the very beginning in which he told how they looked and acted. Then he told how old Bill Ferny had press ganged them into Sharkey's service. He continued with the tale of how Gob and Twiddle were marched right into Hobbiton where they smelled the awful mill of Ted Sandyman. At this point, Saeryn picked up the tale of Gob and Twiddle's plan which seemed to involve something called sherbet. She handed the tale back to Eodwine, who related that which had been told by one Brokhelm, about how there were whisperings of gold. Now Falco joined in, recounting how he had first met the two slackers.

Once Falco had finished his part, he called for more ale. Once Æðelhild had refilled his and others' cups from the ram's horn (which had required three refillings, so this gave everyone a bit of a break from tale-telling), Eodwine reminded her that it was her turn to have a pull at the yarn, for she had told the next part. She took a deep breath and related the incident of the shirriff's feather. Now Eodwine picked up the tale again, in which Gob and Twiddle told Falco their plan. Next, Falco demanded the right to tell old Ruthven's next thread of the yarn, in which Gob and Twiddle discussed the finer points of dressin' an' undressin'. Eodwine related Brokhelm's next bit, in which the prospect of baths entered into the plan. With some embarrassment, Eodwine came to the part of the tale in which he admitted not knowing what came next. Falco came to his rescue yet again with the an aside regarding Bill Ferny. Falco wrapped it up as far as it had got: "And them southern men were the worst."

"Now that's a dire way to stop!" Eodwine said ruefully, but then Bethberry's friend came and the next thing we knew, she was gone, then I was off to the King, and then I'm handed the whole of the Middle Emnet and this Mead Hall, and in all the muddle of it, the tale of Gob and Twiddle had been forgotten until now! And great thanks to Garreth for reminding us!" With that Eodwine stifled a large yawn. "All that tale telling has made me tired. It is late, for the sun's well past its setting, and there is much cleaning to do! Frodides will not be happy come morning with so many ale cups to wash first thing! Who will help me take the load off our cook?"

Last edited by littlemanpoet; 03-08-2006 at 02:51 PM.
littlemanpoet is offline