[Taako has Barry's rapt attention, the human boy watching the elf intently as the routine is laid out for him. His eyes widen progressively with every escalation of the scam, with every new thing added to the pot, his not-apple completely forgotten as the elf talks with his whole body, telling the story so vividly.

The elf is a very good storyteller. And Barry is a fantastic listener, watching closely, nodding when appropriate, encouraging him to keep going. And then, when Taako ends with making off with the free soup, Barry gasps a little, gaping at him. He had not seen that coming!]

You can do that? [Isn't that the same as lying? Lying isn't very nice, and neither is stealing, but... it's such a smart scheme, Barry's just impressed someone's able to pull it off at all.]

That's amazing! A-And it really works? Y'really get people t'throw all that in the pot? Nobody argues about usin' stones in soups or nothin'?