Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings trilogy, or any of the related characters.
Author's Note: This is based on The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey movie. It might contain a few spoilers if you have not read the book nor seen the movie. Enjoy!
What a Little Hobbit Saw
Sar was a little hobbit, not even old enough to stay up more than a few minutes after dinner. However, she was smart, and she knew that the tall old human with a white beard and a big staff was not a usual visitor at Mr. Bilbo's house. Sar was a usual visitor though, so she had no qualms about running to Mr. Bilbo's door as soon as the tall old man was gone. Sar ran up the hill, stood on her tip-toes to open the garden fence, and skipped to Mr. Bilbo's front door. Then she knocked very loudly.
"Gandalf! If it is you I have things to do and would prefer not to spend the day 'good morning-ing!'"
"It's Sar, Mr. Bilbo!"
"Oh…I'm coming, my dear!"
Mr. Bilbo opened the door and smiled down at his favorite neighbor; "Here to listen to my stories, my little elf?"
Sar smiled at Mr. Bilbo. It was true, almost every day she ran up the path to the Baggins' respectable home and listened to Mr. Bilbo tell stories about elves and magic. He was the only hobbit in the shire that had maps, and he had rooms filled with books. Sar loved it so much that Mr. Bilbo called her little elf, much to the worry of her mother. But Mr. Bilbo was a respectable hobbit, so she was allowed to visit as much as she liked.
"Actually, Mr. Bilbo," Sar asked, smiling up at him, "I was wondering who the old man was."
"Oh," said Mr. Bilbo, frowning, "Just an old friend of my mothers. He's a wizard."
"A wizard!" Sar's eyes were so big that Bilbo thought they might pop out of her small face. He had to laugh.
"Yes, little elf, a wizard. He used to make a large fireworks display every year at Old Took's parties."
"Has he fought dragons? Does he know elves? Where did he come from and why did he talk to you? And…"
"Slow down," Mr. Bilbo said, putting up his hands. "I don't know that much about Gandalf…actually, I don't know anything about Gandalf…" Mr. Bilbo frowned again, but Sar was still there, bouncing on the balls of her feet with excitement. So he opened the door wider and said, "Will you come in, Sar? We can make cookies…"
Much later, Sar was sitting on Mr. Bilbo's lap. There were cookie crumbs on both their faces and they were both staring intently at a map of Middle Earth.
"…and that," Mr. Bilbo finished, "Is the kingdom of the dwarves."
"Mr. Bilbo," Sar asked, looking up at his face, "Why have you never gone on an adventure?"
"I am a respectable hobbit, Sar," Mr. Bilbo sighed, "I can't just go running off on an adventure."
"Why not?" Sar asked, "You told me that adventures are always unexpected. Maybe you should be…I don't know…unrespectable in order to have one of your own."
Mr. Bilbo frowned as a knock filled the house.
"Mr. Bilbo?" a familiar voice called, "Is my daughter with you?"
"Yes," Bilbo called back, "Her she comes." He gently picked Sar up from his lap and carried her to the door. He opened the door and handed Sar to her mother. Sar waved at Mr. Bilbo from her mother's arms.
"Bye, bye, Mr. Bilbo," she called. "Have a good evening!"
It was dinnertime and Sar was helping her mother set the table when someone knocked at the door.
"I'll get it!" Sar ran to the door, stood on her tip-toes, and opened it.
There, to her surprise, stood a dwarf. Sar looked at the dwarf and the dwarf looked at Sar.
"Daddy!" Sar called. Her dad came running;
"Sar, what is it!" Her father caught sight of the dwarf and pulled up short, "Who are you?"
"Forgive me, good sir," the dwarf said, bowing deeply. "I am looking for a house of a Mr. Baggins."
"Mr. Baggins lives just up the road," her father said, surprised, "Look for the big round door."
The dwarf bowed and left. Sar looked up at her father with shining eyes;
"Daddy, it's an adventure!"
"Of course, Sar," her dad said, a bit distracted. "Let's go have dinner, shall we?"
A few minutes later, Sar happened to look out a window. Then, much to the surprise of her family, she jumped off her seat and ran outside.
"Sar?" her mother called.
"I forgot something! Be right back!"
Sar ran outside and leaned over the garden fence; "Hello! Are you looking for a Mr. Baggins' house?"
The white haired dwarf traveling down the road looked at her with a kind smile;
"As a matter a fact, I am."
Sar pointed and said, "Look for the big door. Mr. Bilbo's house is the biggest in the Shire." The old dwarf bowed and said, "You have my thanks, little hobbit." Then, he walked away and Sar ran back inside.
A few minutes after dinner ended, Sar opened the window wide and called to two dwarves traveling the wrong way down the road; "Are you also looking for Mr. Bilbo's house?"
One of them, the dwarf with the blonde hair and lots of braids, looked at her.
"A Mr. Bilbo Baggins?" he asked.
"Yes," Sar said, "You're going the wrong way. His house is that way, look for the big door!" Sar pointed and both dwarves bowed; "Thank you, little hobbit!" they chorused.
When she was almost ready for bed she saw a long line of dwarves followed by the tall Mr. Gandalf. Sar giggled to herself, "With Mr. Wizard helping them they're actually going to the right house."
The next morning, Sar was awakened by the sound of ponies. She ran outside in her night-dress and climbed onto the fence. Then her mouth dropped open. It was a long line of dwarves riding and leading ponies. There was also wizard. However, what caught her attention was a dwarf she had not seen before. He carried himself like a king, and she could not help staring. As if sensing her gaze, the kingly dwarf looked straight at her.
Her bright gaze reminded him of a young dwarf long, long, long ago who had watched his grandfather welcome dignitaries to their mountain. He smiled at her, and Sar smiled back.
"Good luck!" Sar called, "Have a great adventure!"
Sar stayed on the fence for so long that her mother and father came to get her for breakfast. It was then that they heard a commotion up the road. Mr. Bilbo came running the road with a long paper dangling from one hand.
"Mr. Bilbo!" called her father, "Where are you going?"
"I'm going on an adventure!" Mr. Bilbo called back.
Her father and mother exchanged looks of shock, and Sar started to giggle.
"Good luck, Mr. Bilbo!" she called, then she looked down and exclaimed, "Oh, no!"
"What is it, darling?" her mother asked.
Sar jumped off the fence and showed her parents something small and white; "Mr. Bilbo dropped his handkerchief!"