Finished Writing: Monday, September 03, 2001
Samwise's Childhood
Samwise's role model
By Argilwen Curudu
I realized that, thanks to one reviewer who reviewed my story called 'Cousins and Friends' that guns indeed weren't in the Middle Earth. Sorry about that mistake. This story is a prequel to Daisy Baggins and I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed my stories. They mean a lot to me. I'm pretty sure that in Middle Earth they had cutters and yarn so they could sew. R/R. characters here don't belong to me but belong to J.R.R. Tolkien. Any mistakes, please put them in the review.
Everyone could remember their childhood days clearly, but throughout their life, the memories, which were vivid years ago, began to dim, until they disappear, only to appear years later when you're thinking about a particular subject or are remembering things which become clear.
In Shire, the sun was shining and as usual, young Samwise, who was a son of the Gaffer, was helping to tend the roses in Bilbo Baggins' garden. He had a pair of scissors to cut roses with. It was mid-morning, when it wasn't hot as usually it was during the summer days.
"Well done Samwise, except could you cut it a little more neatly!" Samwise looked at his father. He was only ten years old.
"Sure thing dad, but could I go and relax?"
Gaffer signed. " You're incorrigible, but very well. Take ten minutes." Samwise signed and climbed over the fence. Gaffer signed and instantly his wife came over. She was a typical hobbit wife, plump with brown hair and brown eyes. Unknown to everyone, Samwise was hiding behind the fence.
"My poor sweet husband, whatever is wrong?"
"Bell, what's wrong with Samwise?"
"What do you mean?"
"He seems to tire easily. When I was his age, I never tire." Bell clicked her tongue.
"He's only a child Hamfast, don't you remember your life as a child?"
"At times I wish that Hamson and Halfred would be here."
"Don't you remember that Hamson and Halfred are old enough to take care of themselves?" Bell clicked her tongue as she looked at him sharply. "Hamson is happy living with his uncle and Halfred also loves living in North Farthing."
Samwise saw his father stand up. "You don't understand do you Bell? You're happy living with Daisy, Marigold and May. At least they aren't relocated."
"Oh dear. Hamfast, we have six children, two of whom have succeeded and one who'll remain with you. We also have three beautiful daughters that it's a wonder no one wants to marry them."
"Their name isn't Took, or Brandybuck or Baggins." Gaffer replied. "Gamgee is a terrible name and it means that…"
"Oh just stop it Hamfast. I married you, and I don't think it's a terrible name. You're just upset at your family, and that's normal, I guess."
"But my name's not Took or Baggins or even Brandybuck." Bell wrapped her hands around Gaffer's neck.
"I never wanted to marry any of these queer folk Gaffer. Brandybuck family is queer, so is the Took family and even Baggins. Even that old Mr. Baggins."
"Why is you here Bell?"
"I brought you some water from the old waterhole. Thought you might like it." She chuckled and gave him a pitcher where water was. "Where's Samwise?"
Gaffer shrugged. "Ran off somewhere. That reminds me, ten minutes are up. Samwise! Samwise! Get here right now!"
"Let me go and find him." Bell put on a bonnet that was the wedding gift from her husband and with her loose cotton dress; she stepped out of the Baggins' garden and found Samwise hiding behind the fence. "Samwise. Don't you hear your father calling you?"
Samwise looked at his mother with his large thin brown eyes. "Sorry mother. Can I go and swim near The Water?" Bell clicked her tongue.
"Samwise Gamgee! You have work to do! Why don't you go back and help your father with pruning those roses? I hear that the young Baggins wants to meet you."
"Who?" Samwise demanded.
Bell looked at him sternly. She wasn't as mean as she appeared to be, but their family was stern. She even kept her three daughters, Daisy, May and Marigold tight on a leash. "His name is Frodo Baggins, he's somewhat of a nephew to the old Baggins."
Samwise glanced at the hateful garden. He never liked waking up early morning and prune roses just because his family did the same thing for generations in the past. "Frodo, that half Brandybuck, right?" He asked his mother as he climbed over the fence. Although he never liked working in the garden, Samwise did out of a sense of duty rather than love for his family.
"Yes. I'm glad that at least your memory is still working Samwise. You better go inside. The girls and I will come here later to check on you and your father."
"All right," Samwise told her uncertainly as he climbed over the fence and hatefully began pruning the roses. Soon his mother left her husband and son alone together and went to help Samwise's sisters, two older one younger. Meanwhile, Samwise cut out a beautiful rose. It was mostly snow white with light peach tone in it. Within the peach tone was the pale red color and light pink. The colors seemed to be blended together.
"Samwise?" Gaffer called out. Instantly Samwise came out of his reverie and noticed a hobbit standing beside his father. He had brown hair, was taller than the gaffer and light blue eyes. "May I present to you Frodo Baggins, Bilbo's heir. And Frodo, this is my youngest son, Samwise Gamgee." Both of them shook their hands.
Meanwhile, back at Bagshot Row, Samwise's three sisters, Marigold, May and Daisy were sitting by each other and were sewing on the buttons on the shirts for everyone in their family. Marigold was the youngest member of the family. She was about seven years old. Daisy, aside from her two brothers, was the third oldest. She was eighteen years old, while May was fourteen years old. They weren't old enough to join the sewing circles.
"Can you believe how lousy it is that we can't start our own sewing circle?" Daisy asked her sisters the question. May nodded her head. Marigold, fairest sister of them all, with golden curly hair and light blue eyes, looked at them with puzzlement.
"It certainly does stink, but what can you do?" She replied. At times, Marigold's siblings called her Galadriel, rumored to be the fairest lady. She was also an elf.
"Start our own sewing circle without anyone's permission!" Daisy replied. May laughed and put on another button on the shirt.
"Fat chance sister. Remember, 'foolish rush in, wise wait patiently.'" May reminded her. Marigold chuckled and tossed her golden locks over her head. Both sisters, May and Daisy had dark brown hair with locks and dark brown eyes. Certainly they were fairer than those other plump ladies. All three of them were normal hobbit height, tall and willowy. None of them were going to inherit their parents' girth, now were they?
"You know, today I saw Frodo." Marigold told them. "He was very fair." May chuckled.
"Looks someone got a crush on him, like a thousand other hobbit ladies." May told her younger sister. Instantly she remembered Rose. "You know, Rose Cotton said she'll stop by to join our imaginary sewing circle."
"Not that plain witch," Marigold told in a snotty voice. All three sisters were somewhat conceited because they didn't seem to be built like hobbits, neither did Samwise. Their two older brothers were true hobbits. "Did you invite her Daisy? Please tell me."
"Who says that I did? She told me that she'd be coming later on in the evening. She wants to meet our family." Daisy insisted as she sewed another button on the shirt. She, unlike her two beautiful sisters, was a little bit conceited, but not enough to put someone down just because they aren't as pretty as themselves.
"You always seemed to be fond of ugly peasants," May reply as she brushed back her dark brown locks.
"May I remind you dear sister that you are also a peasant." Daisy reminded her sister. May's cheeks flamed in embarrassment.
"Says who?" She demanded. Daisy stopped sewing.
"You know, its almost evening. I should go and pick Samwise up."
"Why do you always pick him up?" May demanded. "He's with father you know, and besides mother isn't going to be very happy with you leaving the house."
Daisy stood up and brushed back her dark brown locks of hair. Somehow, despite Marigold's rare golden hair, and May's large dark brown eyes, Daisy seemed to be a lot more fairer than her sisters. "It doesn't matter. I'm just going to pick Samwise up. If Rose stops by, let her join our imaginary sewing circle." Aside from her family, Daisy wasn't even aware of her rare and somehow fitting beauty.
"Will do Daisy," May saluted her sister. Daisy smiled and left to the Bag End Row, where the Baggins family was rumored to live.
Soon, Daisy noticed that Bilbo's nephew, Frodo, was standing and talking to Samwise. They seemed to share a lot in common, Daisy decided as she smiled. Her father was pruning the roses, throwing angry glances once in a while at his youngest son. Her mother was probably at the market, getting more yarn for her three daughters. Somehow sternness worked on her five siblings, but not on Daisy. It just made her sense of adventure more sharper, and deeper.
"Daisy! Come on over!" Samwise shouted as his older sister shyly came up to him and Frodo. Frodo was twenty-two years old, four years older than Daisy. "Frodo, this is my older sister Daisy. Daisy, this is Mr. Frodo, my boss." Samwise introduced them to each other.
Daisy felt shy standing next to Frodo who was studying her critically. "Nice meeting you Daisy, are you by any chance like Samwise?" His tone wasn't shy at all, Daisy noticed
"Somewhat," Daisy replied shyly. "But he's a very unusual brother." Frodo laughed.
"I see," he told her.
"Samwise, its time to be going." Instantly Gaffer came out, panting and sweating.
"Daisy Gamgee! Does Bell know that you're here." Daisy, instead of cringing at his tone like Samwise did, she stood, tall and proud.
"No she doesn't know. And I don't want her knowing that I was here, picking my brother up. Samwise and I are going home." Samwise, who wasn't in a very good mood to be in the garden any longer, nodded his head eagerly. He only stayed here because his father forced him to do so.
"I'm going with Daisy," Samwise announced. Gaffer looked at his youngest son and oldest daughter.
"Fine go ahead and get in trouble." He sputtered. Somehow, his and Bell's stern discipline only worked on four of their children. It seemed as if Samwise had inherited Daisy's sense of adventure.
Daisy looked at Frodo straight into his blue eyes, and soon she and Samwise walked away.
Meanwhile they were gone, Rose Cotton came over and began sewing with two of the Gamgee sisters who were talking about their family. Unfortunately, to their chagrin, their mother returned and was patiently waiting for Daisy and Samwise to enter through the doorway.
Marigold, who had rare golden hair and light blue eyes, and was the most selfish of the sisters, although no one could tell that, didn't want her older brother to get into trouble. Unpleasantly, she was sitting next to Rose Cotton who had pale red hair and light green eyes. She looked into her sister's eyes to get attention. Five-year-old Rose wanted to know what they were up to. They stood up and huddled around.
"We need a diversion to make sure that Daisy and Samwise will sneak into the house so they won't get into trouble, if you know what I mean." May and Rose agreed with her.
"Need more yarn," Rose told them. May and Marigold smiled at each other in evil grins. Once the plan was set, Marigold came out and brushed back her golden curls.
"Oh mother, May and Rosie and I have run out of yarn and we need to go to the market immediately,"
"Very well daughter, but all stores are closed."
"Don't worry mother, we're going to leave the money by the register and pay for the yarn," May quickly answered, helping out her sister.
Instantly, once the four hobbits left, Daisy and Samwise sneaked in. "Hush," Daisy whispered to her youngest brother. They crouched inside their room and she could see the four shapes leaving the house. Once they were out of focus, Daisy exhaled with relief. She hadn't noticed that she was holding her breath. "Good. They're gone. How about we have some mashed some potatoes with gravy and I'll wash up a few tomatoes?" Daisy, unlike her stern mother, knew her siblings' likes and dislikes. The meal was Samwise's favorite.
"Okay. Should I help with anything?" He volunteered. Daisy appeared to be thinking.
"Yes. Go and get some tomatoes." Soon they made the dinner and both of them began talking and laughing about life. Soon, Bell came back and noticed that Daisy and Samwise were sitting next to each other and were laughing.
"Daisy Gamgee! Samwise Gamgee! What the heck are you two doing and when did you come in?" Daisy stared at her mother without any fear.
"We're eating supper mother," Daisy replied calmly as she began chewing her mouth full of food. Then she noticed Rose standing beside Bell. She swallowed her food delicately. "And we were here the entire time."
"But I saw your rooms empty!"
"We were playing hide and seek," Daisy told her calmly. Bell knew that secretly only her oldest daughter could make her that angry.
Samwise also looked at his mother calmly, so much like Daisy did. "Yeah."
Bell decided to leave them alone. Late at night, Rose left to go and be with her family. Soon, as a joke, Daisy and Samwise had decided to hide in their closet. Gaffer came in late. "Oh my darling Bell. You ask me how was my day? It was horrible! I did the whole work while Samwise just stood, talking to that queer young Baggins."
"Oh I'm afraid that Daisy doesn't know how to be intimidated." Bell complained. "Neither does Samwise. They'll always get into trouble."
"It will be their own fault my poor Bell." Gaffer swore.
Bell began crying, "What have I been doing wrong? Why the plan fail with two children?"
"We have six children and it succeeded with four at least."
"You're right husband." With that the two of them left for bed, while Daisy and Sam fell asleep.
The End