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"Look how hard they're working," said the golden-haired girl, skipping back and forth. "Look how beautiful they're making everything. I think it would be fun to help them, don't you? Except... maybe... it's very nice to watch. Perhaps I would ruin something, and if I were helping, you know, I couldn't watch as easily."
"If you want to help," said Falco Headstrong, "go ask. You'll have plenty of work piled atop your young shoulders, no doubt. No doubt!"
The girl gazed dubiously, and then she tripped off to find someone to ask. She didn't know who would help her, but she supposed somebody would... and then she would help them.
Falco Headstrong put his back to the wall and folded his arms as he watched the activity about him. They wouldn't ask her to help, she was so little. She'd have to ask herself. But no doubt someone would ask him. No doubt! Grudgingly he admitted to himself that he wouldn't mind very much, but in all the hustle and bustle he hadn't been able to find the Innkeeper and get himself a room. He was still in his wet clothes, which were now drying stiff and dirty, to his disgust. Perhaps the work wouldn't matter too much, as he was already dirty, but he still didn't want to.
He wondered who was to be married. He'd been to a few weddings before. He liked to see the happy people, the crying parents, the joyous and nervous groom, and the sweet, rosy-cheeked hobbit bride. He'd been invited to quite a few weddings, he reflected with some smug pride. He was popular in his little home amongst the young people, for he would always upon up his full purse to help the couples just starting out, and floundering, and finding poverty stealing upon them. Yes, he would help them, and others, if they weren't too proud to accept his generosity. Can't a hobbit have the pleasure of helping a friend without being told coolly: "No, please don't trouble yourself, I couldn't possibly, and I'll manage," when it was as plain as daylight that they couldn't manage? Hobbits nowadays! And hobbits from the past. When had any of his neighbours been willing to accept help?
But when they did it would get around fast that he, Falco Headstrong, had helped, and it would make him well-liked, so he was invited to funerals and weddings... especially the weddings of friends of a young married couple he had helped. He looked forward to this wedding. He wondered if the young lad would be one of those easy, self-confident hobbits, or one of the blushing, shy hobbits, or one of the hobbits not at all shy but nervous that something would go wrong. In any case, the hobbit bride would be happy and blushing, sweet-faced and full of love for her own dear one. And maybe if they were poor they wouldn't be so object to taking from him in the bright rays of their happiness that blinded them to all else. After all, hobbits had to stick close together and help each other out.
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