Meanwhile, Merry and Pippin were eating their way through the marketplace of Minas Tirith. Merchants were all too happy to let the great halfling heroes sample their wares, and when the food sellers learned that the two hobbits were buying for the King of Gondor, their hospitality knew no bounds. Pippin had tried eleven varieties of sausages and still was at a loss as to which ones to serve at Aragorn's party. For his part, Merry was still browsing in the general area of the sweetmeat-sellers. At the rate they were going, Merry and Pippin would be big from a lot more than Ent-draughts by the time they got back to the Shire.
"Eh, Merry!" called Pippin, sausage running from the corners of his ample mouth. "Why dontcha try these little ones over here. They're quite nice with grape jelly."
Merry did not answer right away, since he was in the middle of eating six large sweetmeats at once and licking sugar from his fingers. It took three more hours for them to actually order any food. They did not make it back to the palace until Sam, having rounded up a slightly tipsy band of bagpipe players, found them in the marketplace and literally dragged them away from the food stalls.
By the time Merry and Pippin made it back to the palace, the party was about to begin. Gimli had found a very nice unused room and had also managed to procure some pipeweed. He and Legolas moved some tables around, rolled in the wine barrels, and helped the tipsy bagpipers to their places. Gimli was rather pleased with himself. He had done a good day's work, and no especial thanks to Legolas. Of course, it wasn't as if the Elf had had a free arm anyway—his "friends" were still hanging all over him and simpering over his "sexy looking bow." Gimli was just a little bit worried. He had no idea how to get the dancers off Legolas and onto the tables. The dwarf shrugged, thinking Elven Moonshine might do the trick. Little did he know then of the dangerous effects of Elven Moonshine!