Feast of Good Children

From Tolkien Gateway

The Feast of Good Children was a bit of merrymaking held on the last day of the one festival that occurred in winter in the village Wootton Major. It was also called the "Twenty-four Feast" because it was only held once every twenty-four years and only twenty-four children were invited. At this feast the Master Cook was expected to provide an array of good food, with the highlight being the Great Cake. The degree of excellence of this Cake was what made a Master Cook's reputation, since it was rare for anyone to last in office long enough to make a second Great Cake.

It was at the Feast when the pompous Nokes was the Master Cook that nine year old Smith unknowingly swallowed the Fay-star put in the Great Cake by Alf, the apprentice cook. Other children that attended this Feast were Harry, Lily, and Molly, all of whom Nokes thought might have eaten the Fay-star.

After his Feast Nokes retired and Alf became the Master Cook for the next two events. At the second Feast of Good Children when Alf was the Master Cook he again baked the Fay-star, which Smith had returned to him, into the Cake. This time it was ingested by Tim of Townsend, Smith's nephew and the one that Smith had chosen to be his "heir".[1]

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