Eat, Bray, Love, Episode 7

The ranger Amlan tried to persuade me to stay in Staddle, Rusty and I told him Piper had cousins there, but I was having none of it. There'd be no separating me from my husband.

Keeping up with the long-legged Amlan was difficult. Strangely, Piper didn't seem to mind the exertion of scurrying along the road in the least. Even more strange, he'd occasionally stop to nibble on the grass alongside the road. Whenever this happened a concerned look came upon Amlan's face. After a short graze the ranger would quicken the pace even more. When I became weary I began to have second thoughts about having not stayed in Staddle, but quickly brushed them aside when I thought of poor Piper. 

After three days of travel over rough, desolate country along the crumbling East Road we at last reached the ruined Man fort. The wizard lived in the decaying tower. He was old, although he did not appear quite as old as Gandalf, but he behaved very strangely even for one of the Big Folk. 

Radagast had many animal friends which he had tamed, or at least they were tame to his touch. I wouldn't dare attempt to pet any of them but Rusty did so seemingly without a second thought. There's very little that Rusty is afraid of. Whether that's bravery or foolishness I'm uncertain. More likely, it's a little of both.

Radagast was glad to receive Piper, which was very grand indeed, but he was very concerned about Piper's condition. The wizard laid his hands on Piper's donkey head and recited many strange words that none of us, even Amlan, understood. Afterwards Radagast gave Piper a drink that, based on his reaction, must have tasted very bad. I thought that we would make it up to him with mugs of Old Withywindle at the Golden Perch if, I mean, when he recovered.

We asked Radagast about the tincture that Polly Leafcutter had given us, inquiring whether it would aid my husband's recovery. (We had given the liquid to Piper at mealtime even as we travelled along the road.) Radagast wrinkled his nose as he sniffed it. "This tincture will keep your husband's coat glossy for certain, but will not cure him," he said with surprising seriousness. I was tempted to pour the contents out, but Rusty said we could give it to our dog Shep when we returned home to Goosevale.

Radagast instructed us to to sing songs to cheer Piper on our return trip home, songs that Piper liked best, and to tell him tales of his childhood, his friends, and his family. The wizard assured us that with proper encouragement Piper would return to his normal hobbit-self by the time we reached the Shire.

We asked the wizard if he could tell who or what had placed the hex, Radagast called it an "enchantment", on Piper. Radagast thought for a moment before replying. 

"I believe the enchantment was placed on this hobbit by a mischievous sprite, likely the one known as Robin Goodfellow, or Puck as some call him. It looks like his work."

"Why would he do such a thing?" I asked. 

"To amuse himself," replied Radagast. "Quite possibly your husband trod on some ground that he should not have."

"How very odd!" I exclaimed. "Piper and his brothers had been fishing at their secret spot for years. Their father has fished there, too. Piper had returned from holiday only the night before, well, this happened."

"If they heed my suggestion," the old wizard replied, "They will find a new place for their sport."

"Indeed they should!" I said, somewhat angrily.