Why “Keebs?”

From the years 480 to 515, the elves  disappeared into the Feywild to avoid the plague known as the Scourging. In the spring of 480, the humans asked for medical and military aid from their allies, hoping for healers and soldiers. What they got were a six caravans and a long, heartfelt letter expressing sorrow for their plight. The caravan had seven half-elf healers, twelve potions, some blankets, one tenth of the requested supply of arrows, and that was the first wagon. The second wagon was filled with barrels of wine. On the other wagons were racks upon racks of a pastry the elves often exported to the humans meant as a comfort gift of goodwill; The humans called them keebs (the elves called them ceivs, which is a pun that means both soft and sweet in elven tongue). They were so delicate that they were liable to crumble under the lightest pressure, very sweet, and melted away in the mouth before one even had to swallow them. Centuries later, Archmage Dulacar would be fond of this story, telling anyone who would listen, “That’s when they started calling them Keebs. Pleasant smelling but useless, liable to crumble away at a stern gaze. It became the perfect metaphor for the humans’ fairweather friends. Fine to have around until you get hungry or the pressure mounts, then they’ll just go away.”