When_CS the_AT pie_NN1 was_VBDZ opened_VVN Letter_NN1 from_II Lakeland_NP1 ._. 
By_II David_NP1 Bean_NN1 NOVEMBER_NPM1 again_RT ._. 
The_AT shrinking_NN1 of_IO daylight_NN1 ,_, the_AT burgeoning_JJ triumph_NN1 of_IO black_JJ Chaos_NN1 and_CC night_NNT1 ._. 
And_CC hereabouts_RL ,_, of_RR21 course_RR22 ,_, time_NNT1 once_RR21 more_RR22 for_IF the_AT consumption_NN1 of_IO the_AT traditional_JJ Boggerthwaite_JJ November_NPM1 Owl_NN1 Pie_NN1 ._. 
No_AT one_PN1 any_RR21 longer_RR22 recalls_VVZ where_RRQ this_DD1 unusual_JJ dish_NN1 had_VHD its_APPGE origins_NN2 ;_; indeed_RR some_DD people_NN have_VH0 been_VBN unkind_JJ enough_RR to_TO suggest_VVI that_CST it_PPH1 was_VBDZ but_CCB recently_RR invented_VVN by_II Mr_NNB Rory_NP1 McGurk_NP1 at_II the_AT Dehydrated_JJ Rambler_NN1 ,_, on_II finding_VVG himself_PPX1 with_IW too_RG much_DA1 ageing_JJ shepherd_NN1 's_GE pie_NN1 left_VVN on_II his_APPGE hands_NN2 ._. 
It_PPH1 proved_VVD ,_, even_RR at_II the_AT insolent_JJ price_NN1 of_IO 5.95_MC a_AT1 slice_NN1 ,_, to_TO be_VBI even_RR more_RGR popular_JJ than_CSN McGurk_NP1 's_GE other_JJ stock-in-trade_NN1 ,_, the_AT Jumbo-Cumbo_NP1 Boggerburger_NP1 ,_, and_CC he_PPHS1 has_VHZ prepared_VVN a_AT1 batch_NN1 every_AT1 November_NPM1 since_RR ._. 
So_RR few_DA2 of_IO us_PPIO2 were_VBDR surprised_JJ when_CS the_AT other_JJ evening_NNT1 three_MC strangers_NN2 entered_VVD the_AT Saddle_NN1 Bar_NN1 and_CC ordered_VVD portions_NN2 of_IO the_AT stuff_NN1 ._. 
That_CST they_PPHS2 were_VBDR visiting_JJ shootists_NN2 seemed_VVD pretty_RG evident_JJ from_II the_AT way_NN1 they_PPHS2 left_VVD the_AT bar_NN1 door_NN1 open_JJ against_II the_AT howling_JJ night_NNT1 ,_, the_AT loudness_NN1 of_IO their_APPGE speech_NN1 ,_, and_CC the_AT muddy_JJ state_NN1 of_IO their_APPGE boots_NN2 ._. 
Hikers_NN2 are_VBR generally_RR timid_JJ enough_RR to_TO leave_VVI their_APPGE footwear_NN1 and_CC rucksacks_NN2 in_II the_AT porch_NN1 ;_; today_RT 's_GE sporting_JJ fraternity_NN1 always_RR brings_VVZ its_APPGE mud_NN1 with_IW it_PPH1 as_II31 well_II32 as_II33 milling_NN1 packs_NN2 of_IO steaming_JJ black_JJ labradors_NN2 ._. 
I_PPIS1 do_VD0 not_XX know_VVI where_RRQ they_PPHS2 get_VV0 these_DD2 dogs_NN2 ._. 
They_PPHS2 must_VM hire_VVI them_PPHO2 ,_, for_CS they_PPHS2 are_VBR clearly_RR not_XX countrymen_NN2 these_DD2 days_NNT2 ._. 
They_PPHS2 talk_VV0 not_XX of_IO rural_JJ matters_NN2 (_( except_CS of_IO the_AT possibilities_NN2 of_IO old_JJ barn_NN1 conversions_NN2 )_) ,_, but_CCB of_IO stocks_NN2 ,_, shares_NN2 ,_, investments_NN2 ,_, and_CC insurance_NN1 ._. 
They_PPHS2 fail_VV0 entirely_RR to_TO distribute_VVI largesse_NN1 to_II the_AT locals_NN2 and_CC leave_VVI the_AT door_NN1 open_JJ again_RT on_II their_APPGE loud_JJ departures_NN2 ._. 
I_PPIS1 have_VH0 gone_VVN into_II this_DD1 rather_RG lengthy_JJ description_NN1 for_IF two_MC reasons_NN2 :_: one_MC1 ,_, because_CS it_PPH1 leads_VVZ back_RP into_II the_AT folklore_NN1 of_IO the_AT November_NPM1 Owl_NN1 Pie_NN1 ,_, and_CC two_MC ,_, because_CS I_PPIS1 ca_VM n't_XX stand_VVI the_AT blighters_NN2 at_II any_DD price_NN1 ._. 
The_AT Pie_NN1 then_RT ._. 
'_" What_DDQ 's_VBZ this_DD1 ,_, landlord_NN1 ?_? 
'_GE The_AT leader_NN1 of_IO the_AT trio_NN1 ,_, an_AT1 ample-bellied_JJ type_NN1 with_IW a_AT1 tweed_NN1 cap_NN1 and_CC one_MC1 of_IO those_DD2 quilted_JJ waistcoats_NN2 which_DDQ look_VV0 like_II half-inflated_JJ life_NN1 jackets_NN2 ,_, sniffed_VVD the_AT air_NN1 as_CSA he_PPHS1 studied_VVD the_AT blackboard_NN1 which_DDQ serves_VVZ the_AT Rambler_NN1 as_II a_AT1 menu_NN1 ._. 
'_" November_NPM1 Oil_NN1 Pie_NN1 ?_? 
'_" '_GE Owl_NN1 ,_, '_GE corrected_JJ McGurk_NP1 ._. 
'_GE Sir_NN1 ._. 
'_GE The_AT stranger_NN1 turned_VVD and_CC raised_VVD an_AT1 inquiring_JJ brow_NN1 at_II his_APPGE brethren_NN2 ,_, who_PNQS nodded_VVD ._. 
'_" Brace-and-a-half_MF of_IO that_DD1 ,_, then_RT ,_, landlord_NN1 ._. 
'_GE And_CC when_RRQ McGurk_NP1 appeared_VVD to_TO hesitate_VVI ,_, '_" That_DD1 's_VBZ three_MC ._. 
'_" '_GE A_AT1 quarter-of-a-dozen_NNO owl_NN1 pies_NN2 coming_VVG up_RP ,_, '_GE returned_VVD McGurk_NP1 ._. 
'_" That_DD1 's_VBZ three_MC as_CSA well_RR ._. 
'_GE The_AT dishes_NN2 he_PPHS1 filled_VVD seemed_VVD indistinguishable_JJ to_II my_APPGE eye_NN1 from_II run-of-the-mill_JJ cottage_NN1 pie_NN1 except_CS they_PPHS2 were_VBDR rather_RG blacker_JJR round_II the_AT edges_NN2 than_CSN is_VBZ normal_JJ ,_, and_CC they_PPHS2 were_VBDR accompanied_VVN by_II the_AT garnish_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 quarter_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 raw_JJ tomato_NN1 ,_, two_MC cucumber_NN1 slices_NN2 ,_, a_AT1 sprinkling_NN1 of_IO cress_NN1 (_( or_CC maybe_RR lawn_NN1 clippings_NN2 )_) ,_, and_CC a_AT1 tired_JJ ,_, pre-chewed_JJ lettuce_NN1 leaf_NN1 without_IW which_DDQ no_AT British_JJ pub_NN1 meal_NN1 is_VBZ complete_JJ these_DD2 days_NNT2 ._. 
My_APPGE first_MD suspicion_NN1 that_CST these_DD2 chaps_NN2 were_VBDR not_XX what_DDQ they_PPHS2 seemed_VVD was_VBDZ aroused_VVN as_CSA I_PPIS1 listened_VVD ._. 
Their_APPGE chat_NN1 was_VBDZ not_XX of_IO high_JJ finance_NN1 or_CC property_NN1 ._. 
It_PPH1 was_VBDZ in_II fact_NN1 non-existent_JJ ._. 
They_PPHS2 just_RR chomped_VVD ,_, and_CC when_CS they_PPHS2 had_VHD finished_VVN ,_, the_AT podgy_JJ leader_NN1 rose_NN1 and_CC quietly_RR asked_VVD McGurk_NP1 if_CS there_EX was_VBDZ somewhere_RL they_PPHS2 could_VM talk_VVI to_II him_PPHO1 in_RR21 private_RR22 ._. 
We_PPIS2 would_VM have_VHI only_JJ McGurk_NP1 's_GE word_NN1 for_IF what_DDQ happened_VVD subsequently_RR if_CS I_PPIS1 had_VHD not_XX positioned_VVN my_APPGE ear_NN1 by_II the_AT keyhole_NN1 of_IO his_APPGE office_NN1 ._. 
There_EX was_VBDZ a_AT1 little_JJ humming_NN1 and_CC hah-ing_JJ and_CC '_" Now_RT ,_, gentlemen-ing_NN1 '_GE from_II McGurk_NP1 ._. 
Then_RT the_AT leader_NN1 introduced_VVD himself_PPX1 as_II an_AT1 inspector_NN1 from_II the_AT Department_NN1 of_IO Health_NN1 ,_, and_CC his_APPGE colleague_NN1 as_II21 from_II22 Trade_NN1 and_CC Industry_NN1 ._. 
The_AT third_MD ,_, in_II a_AT1 voice_NN1 like_II a_AT1 cross_NN1 buzzard_NN1 's_GE ,_, said_VVD he_PPHS1 was_VBDZ from_II the_AT Royal_JJ Society_NN1 for_IF the_AT Protection_NN1 of_IO Birds_NN2 ._. 
It_PPH1 was_VBDZ not_XX easy_JJ to_TO hear_VVI all_DB that_CST followed_VVD ,_, but_CCB a_AT1 right_JJ old_JJ tangle_NN1 developed_VVD ._. 
Inspector_NN1 :_: Was_VBDZ that_DD1 really_RR owl_NN1 ?_? 
McGurk_NP1 :_: In_II a_AT1 manner_NN1 of_IO speaking_VVG ,_, sir_NN1 ,_, no_UH ._. 
Inspector_NN1 :_: I_PPIS1 must_VM warn_VVI that_CST you_PPY may_VM be_VBI liable_JJ under_II the_AT Trades_NN2 Descriptions_NN2 Act_NN1 ._. 
RSPB_NP1 man_NN1 :_: It_PPH1 tasted_VVD like_II owl_NN1 ._. 
Second_MD Inspector_NN1 :_: If_CS it_PPH1 was_VBDZ described_VVN as_II '_GE November_NPM1 ,_, '_" what_DDQ did_VDD that_DD1 mean_VVI cooked_VVN in_II November_NPM1 ,_, frozen_VVN in_II November_NPM1 ,_, re-heated_VVN in_II November_NPM1 ,_, to_TO be_VBI eaten_VVN in_II November_NPM1 ,_, or_CC what_DDQ ?_? 
Whichever_DDQV ,_, I_PPIS1 have_VH0 to_TO warn_VVI that_CST the_AT use_NN1 of_IO the_AT names_NN2 of_IO the_AT months_NNT2 in_II describing_VVG food_NN1 is_VBZ no_RR21 longer_RR22 permitted_VVN by_II EEC_NP1 regulations_NN2 ._. 
McGurk_NP1 :_: What_DDQ about_II Christmas_NNT1 pudding_NN1 ,_, then_RT ?_? 
Inspector_NN1 :_: Sarcasm_NN1 will_VM get_VVI you_PPY nowhere_RL ._. 
We_PPIS2 are_VBR working_VVG on_II that_DD1 one_PN1 ._. 
