>in nature, some species of ants farm aphids by herding and transporting them around to food sources and safe areas to protect them from predation
>in exchange, the ants "milk" the aphids
>by tapping and stroking their abdomens with their antenna so the aphids release drops of sweet honeydew
Now imagine that Tenna is the queen ant, his other workers are the ant workers, and the Pippinses are the aphids. This is why he really keeps the dice around, despite their propensity to gamble, cheat and misbehave. Their sweet lucky nectar.