* Maybe He Should Just Stick to Water from Now On * (written for Kit5/Pippinswolf’s birthday)

“Your face is dirty, Gandalf,” Pippin said helpfully. “Or at least, what I can see of it.”

“Peregrin,” Gandalf sighed, “after all these weeks, none of us are are clean as we might be.”

“But you’re a wizard,” the young hobbit said, puzzled. “Can’t you just wave your staff or mutter some magic words, and ‘whoosh’ off all the dirt?”

“Magic is not to be used lightly,” Gandalf scowled.

“I don’t think you can do it!” Pippin chortled in delight.

The wizard’s eyes narrowed, and his hand tightened on his staff.

“Mer,” Frodo whispered worriedly, “I think Gandalf’s about to turn Pippin into something dreadful.”

Merry sighed. “Any time he has some of that miruvor, he seems to lose all common sense. Remember, when Glorfindel gave us some on the Road, and suddenly Pip was calling Asfaloth ‘nice horsie’ and trying to swing from his tail?”

Frodo stared at him. “I was in a pretty bad way by then -- I thought I had hallucinated that.”

Merry grinned suddenly. “On the other hand, I always have kind of wondered if wizards can turn folks into other things. Haven’t you?”

Frodo grinned back. “Yes.”

“I’ve been wonderin’ about that too,” Sam piped up, coming to join them. “For a long time, actually.”

The three hobbits watched, with interest, as Gandalf stood up slowly, towering over the slightly tipsy youngster -- but suddenly the wizard started to chuckle, and walked away.

“Too bad,” Merry said, disappointed. “Hey, do you think maybe he can’t do it? Like Pip said?”

“We’ll probably never find out,” Sam sighed.

“Pip, no!” Frodo whispered suddenly.

“He’s sharpening his axe,” Merry said, alarmed. “Maybe we should---”

“Your face is dirty, Gimli!” Pippin’s bright, cheerful voice echoed loudly throughout the camp. “Or at least, what I can see of it...”