Eat, Bray, Love, Episode 4

As we began our eastward journey I began to consider that we might never find a cure for Piper's condition. His family, talented musicians all, know as much about healing hobbit-donkeys as they do about raising sheep, in other words, nothing. I cried all the way to Newbury.

When Piper's brothers saw him they laughed even harder than Mayor Whitfoot had, if that's possible. They were clearly no help at all! Unlike his three younger sons, however, Mister Engilbert Goold, senior, showed sincere concern and did his best to help poor Piper. 

Mr. Goold pulled a few dusty books from their shelves, humming to himself as he thumbed through the pages looking for a possible cure. After an exhaustive search, Mister Goold said that we ought to see a Big Folk healer in Bree-town, one who had some skill in removing hexes. "Hexes?!" I gasped. I surely would have fainted if Rusty had not been there to hold me up. We left for Bree early the next morning. It probably goes without saying that I hadn't slept a wink.