Larry Marder’s
Tales of the Beanworld
Publication date: 1986
Mr. Spook doesn't trust the Mystery Pods. He tries to persuade Professor Garbanzo to stop experimenting with the Float Factor.
While the Chow Sol'jer Army is off on a chow raid, Beanish makes a circular sketch with the Float Factor. Stepping inside it, he finds himself transported somewhere unfamiliar. There he meets someone who invites him back the next day. He's overwhelmed and perhaps a little in love.
Before he can tell Professor Garbanzo about his mysterious encounter, Proffy reveals her discovery about the Float Factor: you can jump on them all day and they won't budge. They don't know if that's important or not.
The next day Proffy and Mr. Spook argue again, with Proffy making an analogy between the Float Factor and Mr. Spook's Fork that makes Mr. Spook think twice.
Proffy has been caught spying on the Hoi-Polloi. She tries to talk her way out, saying she justs wants to ask a question. The Hoi-Polloi she's been talking to wants her to leave, convinced she's going to ask stupid question. Another Hoi-Polloi disagrees, and they make a bet. Soon the Hoi-Polloi are engulfed in betting fever, with a competition for judges of the original bet, side bets on that competition, etc. It all takes so long to resolve that Proffy falls asleep.
Finally everything's set up. They wake Proffy up and she asks her question: why is the exchange of a Sprout-Butt for chow so violent? Wouldn't it be better to trade peacefully?
The Hoi-Polloi answer that the reason they adore Sprout-Butts is that they heal their wounds after a chow raid. Without the pain of the chow raid they wouldn't experience the pleasure of ringing a Sprout-Butt. So trading wouldn't help the Hoi-Polloi.
The judges rule that since the answer wasn't stupid, neither was the question. Some Hoi-Polloi lose, some gain. Proffy leaves, somewhat enlightened.