Disclaimer: The characters and most of the plot belong to the genius J.R.R. Tolkien. Some of the script belongs to New Line Cinema. However, the character Celandine Brandybuck and all situations involving her belong to me grin.
Chapter 1
A baby's first cry pierced the spring evening air. The sun's light was fading fast into dusk, but a crowd outside a glowing hobbit hole was unmistakable. When the cry was first heard, the crowd of hobbits gasped and one cheered. The whole Shire had waited, with baited breath, for Esmeralda Took-Brandybuck to give birth to her first hobbit child. And here it was.
"What do you think it will be? A hobbit lad or lass?" cried Hamson Gamgee.
"Lad, most definitely," said Ponto Baggins. "The Brandybucks always have such fine lads!" But Ponto's sister Peony objected.
"It's about time that another Brandybuck lass was born!" she said.
And these two statements set the crowd of Baggins, Boffins, Tooks. Brandybucks and at least someone from each clan in the Shire, into a frenzy of talk about the gender of the new child. Suddenly, another cry joined in with the other. The two cries were heard as one briefly, until they were in turn quieted.
"What was that?!" gasped Rorimac Brandybuck.
"What was what?" Ponto said easily.
"I swear that I heard two cries! The were unmistakably different and yet...in some way similar." Said Rorimac. "What is going on here?"
"Nothing Old Rory! You're just nervous about your new grand-child!" drawled Ponto.
Rorimac just narrowed his eyes at the nickname and turned away. The crowd of hobbits were still talking. After a few minutes had passed a figure was silhouetted against the soft yellow light coming from the hobbit hole.
"There he is! There's the father!" The hobbits yelled. "What is it, Scattergold?! Lad or lass?!"
Saradoc Brandybuck sighed. His face was weary. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath.
"The new members of the Brandybuck family is a lad..."Here Ponto shot a smug look and winked hautily at his sister. Some hobbits started to cheer. "...and a lass." Finished Saradoc.
A dead silence greeted the new father.
"Two? Lad and lass?" said Rorimac uncertainly. "But that would mean...twins?"
Saradoc only weakly nodded his head. An old hobbit pushed through the crowd to the front. It was Hildigrim Took.
"I do not remember a time in the Shire when twins were born. This is a special occasion indeed! Watch out Scattergold!"
At this Saradoc smiled.
"Esmeralda and I had two names picked out, one for a lad and one for a lass. Before the birth of our daughter and son, we were torn between the two names. In this way, we may have both of our desired names!"
Just then Esmeralda emerged from their hole with a bundled up baby in each arm. She handed one of them, the boy, to her husband.
"Behold!" she said tiredly, "Meriadoc and Celandine Brandybuck!"
"Welcome Meriadoc and Celandine!" cheered the hobbits. Meriadoc and Celandine opened their eyes and gazed at the crowd before them. Meriadoc yawned, as if bored with the crowd. There were some cooing from the older hobbit women.
"Thank-you, my friends, for being here today and helping Esmeralda and I celebrate this memorable evening," Saradoc said. "Now, we are all tired so good night!"
At this he nodded his head in dismisall and smiled. Saradoc ushered his wife and newborns into the warmth of their hole. They exited the cool spring air to clamours and cries of congratulations.
Once inside, Esmeralda lay Celandine beside Meriadoc. Her husband sidled up along side the babies' bed. Esmeralda looked at Saradoc and then at her children with a faint smile on her lips. Saradoc bent down to pull their blanket up.
"What does the future hold for you guys, eh?" he said.
"What indeed!" Esmeralda whipsered.
The crowd outside the Brandybuck's home slowly dispersed. They went back to their families and told them of the rare moment that they had witnessed.
"It's not everyday that hobbit twins are born. In fact, twins of any race are rare!" stated Rorimac to his wife, Menegilda Goold. "This is a rare day in the Shire's history!"
"Esmeralda and Saradoc chose such nice names too. I suppose they named Meriadoc after his fathers. Hobbit lasses are usually named after flowers. In my opinion, celandines are a beautiful spring flower. There are no better names for my grand children!" boasted Menegilda.
Bilbo Baggins had observed Meriadoc's and Celandine's birth quietly. He waas keen to record the day in his book. But first, he visited his 14 year old cousin, Frodo, in Brandy Hall.
"A fine set of hobbits they are Frodo my lad. The will take life by a storm, I'm sure. Elbereth save the Shire!"
Chapter 1
A baby's first cry pierced the spring evening air. The sun's light was fading fast into dusk, but a crowd outside a glowing hobbit hole was unmistakable. When the cry was first heard, the crowd of hobbits gasped and one cheered. The whole Shire had waited, with baited breath, for Esmeralda Took-Brandybuck to give birth to her first hobbit child. And here it was.
"What do you think it will be? A hobbit lad or lass?" cried Hamson Gamgee.
"Lad, most definitely," said Ponto Baggins. "The Brandybucks always have such fine lads!" But Ponto's sister Peony objected.
"It's about time that another Brandybuck lass was born!" she said.
And these two statements set the crowd of Baggins, Boffins, Tooks. Brandybucks and at least someone from each clan in the Shire, into a frenzy of talk about the gender of the new child. Suddenly, another cry joined in with the other. The two cries were heard as one briefly, until they were in turn quieted.
"What was that?!" gasped Rorimac Brandybuck.
"What was what?" Ponto said easily.
"I swear that I heard two cries! The were unmistakably different and yet...in some way similar." Said Rorimac. "What is going on here?"
"Nothing Old Rory! You're just nervous about your new grand-child!" drawled Ponto.
Rorimac just narrowed his eyes at the nickname and turned away. The crowd of hobbits were still talking. After a few minutes had passed a figure was silhouetted against the soft yellow light coming from the hobbit hole.
"There he is! There's the father!" The hobbits yelled. "What is it, Scattergold?! Lad or lass?!"
Saradoc Brandybuck sighed. His face was weary. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath.
"The new members of the Brandybuck family is a lad..."Here Ponto shot a smug look and winked hautily at his sister. Some hobbits started to cheer. "...and a lass." Finished Saradoc.
A dead silence greeted the new father.
"Two? Lad and lass?" said Rorimac uncertainly. "But that would mean...twins?"
Saradoc only weakly nodded his head. An old hobbit pushed through the crowd to the front. It was Hildigrim Took.
"I do not remember a time in the Shire when twins were born. This is a special occasion indeed! Watch out Scattergold!"
At this Saradoc smiled.
"Esmeralda and I had two names picked out, one for a lad and one for a lass. Before the birth of our daughter and son, we were torn between the two names. In this way, we may have both of our desired names!"
Just then Esmeralda emerged from their hole with a bundled up baby in each arm. She handed one of them, the boy, to her husband.
"Behold!" she said tiredly, "Meriadoc and Celandine Brandybuck!"
"Welcome Meriadoc and Celandine!" cheered the hobbits. Meriadoc and Celandine opened their eyes and gazed at the crowd before them. Meriadoc yawned, as if bored with the crowd. There were some cooing from the older hobbit women.
"Thank-you, my friends, for being here today and helping Esmeralda and I celebrate this memorable evening," Saradoc said. "Now, we are all tired so good night!"
At this he nodded his head in dismisall and smiled. Saradoc ushered his wife and newborns into the warmth of their hole. They exited the cool spring air to clamours and cries of congratulations.
Once inside, Esmeralda lay Celandine beside Meriadoc. Her husband sidled up along side the babies' bed. Esmeralda looked at Saradoc and then at her children with a faint smile on her lips. Saradoc bent down to pull their blanket up.
"What does the future hold for you guys, eh?" he said.
"What indeed!" Esmeralda whipsered.
The crowd outside the Brandybuck's home slowly dispersed. They went back to their families and told them of the rare moment that they had witnessed.
"It's not everyday that hobbit twins are born. In fact, twins of any race are rare!" stated Rorimac to his wife, Menegilda Goold. "This is a rare day in the Shire's history!"
"Esmeralda and Saradoc chose such nice names too. I suppose they named Meriadoc after his fathers. Hobbit lasses are usually named after flowers. In my opinion, celandines are a beautiful spring flower. There are no better names for my grand children!" boasted Menegilda.
Bilbo Baggins had observed Meriadoc's and Celandine's birth quietly. He waas keen to record the day in his book. But first, he visited his 14 year old cousin, Frodo, in Brandy Hall.
"A fine set of hobbits they are Frodo my lad. The will take life by a storm, I'm sure. Elbereth save the Shire!"
