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"Was I a shirriff?" Falco responded between puffs from his pipe. "That I was, and still am once I'm back within the borders of my beloved Shire. As for what a shirriff is, well that's all about what he does. What we do is deliver the morning and evening posts, mostly, and keep order when it needs keeping. Which it don't, mostly, as Hobbits are law abiding and peaceful folk by and large."
"I suppose," said Eodwine as he approached the table, "that you don't know how you got to be called 'shirriff', do you?" Heads turned to watch Eodwine, who having sat down by his daughter Gudryn, allowed her to rest her head against his shoulder.
"That I do!" Falco replied. I told ol' Will Whitfoot I wanted the job, and he had some of the senior shirriffs set me to doing tasks by which they could tell what kind of shirriff I'd make. Well, I fit the job better'n most, and once an opening- .... - now Eodwine, what're you shaking your head for like that, as if I don't know what I'm talking about?"
"I meant how the word came to be, not how you became a shirriff," Eodwine replied with great patience.
"Well why didn't you say so! Here's how the word-" Falco stopped, looking suddenly very confused. "I guess I'm daft on this one, 'cause I don't know."
"Hah!" Ruthven cackled. "Finally caught out! Well done, Master Eodwine!"
"Now see here, you old bag," Falco began.
Eodwine cleared his throat loudly. "Ladies and gentlehobbits, please calm down! The word, my friends. Shirriff. Shire-reeve. We have no Shires here in Rohan, but we have reeves. But the title has taken two different directions amongst two different folks, for Hobbits have reduced their reeves to mail carriers, while the Rohirrim have turned theirs into March wardens, second only to the King in power.
"Of course, none of this mattered to Falco, Gob, or Twiddle. They were much more interested in a different aspect of the word; at least, once they got it out of Falco. See, when Falco told him he was shirriff, Gob heard the word alright, but it passed through his wax filled ears, and came out sherbet. So he stands there looking at Falco, wondering why the hobbit is calling himself 'sherbet'.
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