Much-Come-Lately

This is a stop on The Altiplano Express Line in between Hay-on-Ankh and Monks Deveril. The town is a centre of the bonnet and hat trade and is renowned for the Cabbagestalker Hat. In a world where Antipater Slack was a renowned cabbage breeder and varieties such as the Blue Bolter, the Burley Bolter and the Slack Snapper exist, stalking your stray cabbages might well be practical necessity. The Cabbagestalker promises comfort and protection from the elements whilst working in the fields; apparently in extremis it can also be boiled into a nourishing cabbage stew capable of keeping a lost traveller in nutrition for just long enough.

The Bonnet and Snood Fair is held in midsummer, and the village maidens dance on the green on the first May Day without rain - even if this has to be delayed till Grune. The maypole is of singular design, and the maidens compete with each other for fitness, flexibility, muscular dexterity and strength so as to impress the young men. A jelly and ice-cream tea follows.