"Gandalf?" Pippin asked thoughtfully.
"Yes, Peregrin?"
"Where do babies come from?" Gandalf's eyes widened.
"Excuse me?!"
"I want to know," Pippin said bluntly.
"Well… I… er…" he began, not knowing how to put the subject in the Hobbit's young and fragile mind. "Um… when a mummy and daddy love each other very much… er…" he paused. Gandalf was not good with delicate situations. "They decide to… er… have a baby."
"That's it?" Pippin asked, disappointed. "I would have thought it was more than that. Everyone else just tells me I'll understand when I'm older."
"You will," Gandalf nodded.
"But I am older," Pippin continued, "And I am positive that it's more than just saying 'I want a little Hobbit today' and poof! it appears."
"It is more complicated than that, Peregrin," Gandalf nodded, "And your ears are far too young to hear such things." Pippin rolled his eyes.
"Surely it's not that bad?"
"Basically," said Merry, who went and sat next to Gandalf, "You stick your thing inside her thing."
Pippin looked at his cousin in horror.
"That is DISGUSTING!"