"Fool of a Took! Must you make so much noise?"
"But Gandalf! I've found Narnia!"
"That is all well and good," replied Gandalf, paying the Halfling no mind. "Now run along while I think. I have no memory of this place."
Pippin hurried off to find the others, before Gandalf changed his mind. The Halfling then led the others cautiously to the cave, shivering against the cold air coming from it.
"Pippin! We shouldn't."
"I just want to look, Merry."
"I've heard stories of this place. Talking animals and such. I wonder if there are Oliphants?"
Frodo said nothing, thinking it would be nice to be out of Sauron's reach, if only for a short time, but feeling a sense of foreboding.
Pippin walked curiously into the cave, and the others followed. It simply wouldn't do to let him get himself into trouble.
They found themselves in the middle of a forest, where a light shone from atop a tall pole.
"What do you suppose this is?" Merry asked. "It certainly isn't a tree."
Just then, Pippin yelled, and the others turned to see what had happened. They saw a strange man staring at them. Or, it was almost a man. His legs were like those of a goat.
"And what might you be?" Frodo finally asked.
"Why, I'm a faun! What are you? Too short to be humans… Beardless dwarves?"
"Of course not!"
"We're hobbits!"
"Halflings."
They all answered at once, their voices jumbling together.
"Halfbits? Hoblings?"
"No, no," Sam answered in exasperation. "HALFLINGS. HOBBITS."
"Ah! Such things exist!" he exclaimed. "Where do you come from?"
"Our home is in the Shire," Pippin began. "But Frodo—"
"Is taking a much-needed journey," Frodo finished.
"That's nice. Would you care for tea?"
"Of course!" they all answered at once.