The Young Tom’s Trouble quest in Tales of the Shire involves you helping Tom Cotton find a missing cow. This has been troubling Tom for some time, but it gives you the opportunity to be a hero and get some rewards.
This quest is designed to help you get used to traveling and using the game mechanics to get through quests. However, I think that learning to listen to NPCs is the most important lesson. Either way, it’s pretty simple to help Young Tom Cotton once you know what to do.
Young Tom’s Trouble Quest Guide in Tales of the Shire
How to Start the Tom’s Trouble Quest
To begin the Young Tom’s Trouble quest in Tales of the Shire, you should first make sure you have advanced far enough in the game to access this quest. Pay attention to your Tales Log and wait for it to pop up. As you explore and talk to the locals, the quest “Young Tom’s Trouble” will eventually appear on the ‘Things to Do’ section of your Tales Log, letting you know it’s time to assist young Tom Cotton.
Once the quest is active in your log, your next task is to head to Bywater’s Town Circle, which is the center of the community. There, you’ll find young Tom at his stall, clearly distressed. He’ll have the vegetables and potions for sale. Walk up to him and start a conversation.
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Since he seems upset, ask him how he’s doing. After some encouragement, he’ll open up and admit he hasn’t been feeling like himself lately, suggesting something is bothering him. This is where your role in his problem begins.
Understanding the need for privacy, Tom will propose moving to a quieter spot where you can talk without being overheard by others. Agree to his suggestion, and you’ll be taken to a more isolated area where he can explain what’s troubling him. Here, Tom will tell you that Lady Buttercup, his father Farmer Cotton’s valuable cow, has disappeared, causing distress for his family.
Tom explains that his father doesn’t know the cow is missing yet. He points out that the trail at the base of Lookout Hill would be a good place to start searching, and he mentions that vegetables could be useful for coaxing the large cow back home. This is a good time to grab two rhubarbs for the quest.
Where to Find Lady Buttercup
To find the hard-to-locate Lady Buttercup in Tales of the Shire, you need to pay attention to Tom’s initial clues. Tom will give you a useful hint, pointing you to a path at the bottom of Lookout Hill. He mentions that this path goes toward Orlo’s house. Remember his description of Lady Buttercup, she’s big and unmistakably a cow. He also suggests a way to lure her back to the farm: using fresh vegetables.
This means carrying vegetables like rhubarb in your inventory will be very useful for this quest. When you’re ready to start searching, follow the blue birds that serve as guides in the game. They will take you straight to Lady Buttercup.
You’ll know you’ve found the right spot when you see a bird flying in circles over a particular area. This hovering bird is a clear sign that Lady Buttercup is nearby. You’ll soon see a large cow that’s easy to spot in the scenery. Once you reach her, walk up and interact with her.
How to Tame the Cow
Getting Lady Buttercup to come with you takes a bit of bribery. Walk up to the cow and inspect her. This will give you the option to give her a vegetable, but only give her rhubarb. You’ll have the choice to give her rhubarb as a gift, but one piece won’t be enough to convince her to return.
You’ll need to offer her vegetables, specifically rhubarb, two times before she finally agrees to go back home. With a bit of patience, she will start heading back to the farm. The next scene takes place at the Cotton farm, where Young Tom thanks you for bringing Lady Buttercup back.
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All Rewards for Young Tom’s Trouble Quest in TotS
You don’t get many rewards for completing the Young Tom’s Trouble quest in Tales of the Shire. Young Tom Cotton will give you One Stone Loach and twenty pennies. This is an easier quest, so it is understandable.
The main point of the quest is to teach you a few important game mechanics: following guide birds, managing your inventory, and talking to NPCs. Once you’re done, you can move on to other quests you have waiting in Tales of the Shire.
