- "Merry"
- "Mhmm..."
- "You know Bilbo's story..?"
- "Which one of them?"
- "The one about the dragon. With all the dwarves and elves, and the trolls."
- "Yes, what about it?"
- "Do you believe the story is true?"
Merry looked up from the book he was reading, and looked at his cousin next to him. The young Took was seated in front of the fire, staring at the flames while eating an apple.
- "Why are you asking?"
- "Well," Pippin began. – "Bilbo tells that story so different than the other stories. He has this look on his face, a dreamy kind of look, if you understand what I mean. And it's like you can almost feel the excitement, and all the wonderful things. Everything seems so real."
- "Well, that's because it is real," Merry said. – "Well, at least that's what I think." And then he went back to his book.
Pippin seemed pleased. There were many of the hobbits who didn't believe the story, and especially the older hobbits used to mention Bilbo as an old and crazy hobbit. But Pippin had always hold on to what he believed was true. And now that Merry said he believed the same, Pippin knew the story had to be true.
- "Merry?"
- "Yes?" This time Merry put down his book. He knew that when Pippin first started on his questions, it would never end.
- "Do you think we will go on a journey once?"
- "Well, I don't know," Merry answered a little puzzled. – "Would you like too?"
- "Maybe. Well, yes, I kind of hope we will. I'd love to go and see the dwarves and the elves, even the Big People."
- "Of course you'd like that," Merry laughed. – "You're no Took for nothing."
- "But it has to be a fun journey," Pippin said a matter-of-factly. – "Not one of those filled with danger and darkness. They are so scary, and I hate to feel scared."
Merry couldn't help but smile.
- "I don't think anyone likes to feel scared, Pip," he said.
- "Would you like to go with me, Merry?" Pippin asked suddenly. – "If I had to go on one of these journeys. Even if I had to go on one of the dangerous ones, would you go with me?"
Merry, still a little taken aback at this question, stared at his young cousin before he finally answered.
- "If you asked me to, Pip, I would go to the end of the world with you."
(Fin)