While Ruby conversed with Uncle Knotwise, Fredgert struggled with the
squirming dog in his arms, carrying it down the hall and into the bathing
room. Plopping the dog down on the floor, Freddy closed the door behind
him and stepped outside to fetch water from the pump. At the absence of
his new master, the lonely dog began to bark, and Freddy returned to the
knoll at a brisk pace carrying a large bucket of water that sloshed from
side to side as he ran. As soon as he returned to the bathing room, he
closed the door quickly.
"Stop that racket or Uncle is likely to hear you and turn you out!" Freddy reprimanded. The furry beast cocked its head at Freddy and stared up at him with big eyes, its nub of a tail wagging back and forth slowly, as if unsure if the hobbit was truly mad or just wanted to play.
"Come, let's at least get you clean. You smell as if you've been roaming the woods for several weeks. And that foul breath! I've half a mind to scrub your mouth out with soap if I weren't so afraid of getting near your teeth," Freddy said while pouring the bucket of lukewarm water into a wooden bathing tub. He set the empty bucket down with a faint thump and unbuttoned his cuffs, pushing his sleeves up to his elbows.
"All right now, let's get you into the tub." Freddy pointed at the desired destination, but the little dog looked at him. Its tongue hung out of the left side of its mouth as it panted.
"In, in," Freddy urged, tapping the side of the tub. "Well, don't you understand? It's bath time, come along. Get in." The creature cocked its head at him.
"Very well, if you want to do this the hard way!" Freddy wrapped his arms around the dog and heaved it into the air, leaning over the tub to set it in the water. The dog wriggled wildly and Freddy slowly teetered forward, dog and hobbit falling into the water with a great splash.
"Bath time for both of us it is, then," Freddy laughed, amusement replacing his anger. He reached for the bar of soap lying on the floor and dipped it into the water, lathering the dog's coat with rich suds as it sat in the water. The dog nudged forward and attempted to lick the peculiar object in Freddy's hand, as if curious as to what this hobbit was rubbing all over its body.
"No no!" Freddy laughed once more, "Soap isn't for eating! I'll show you what's for eating as soon as this bath is over with."
Freddy scrubbed and dipped and rinsed the dog until he supposed it was clean enough, then stood in his dripping clothes in the middle of the washtub and lifted the dog to the floor, where it promptly shook innumerable added droplets onto the walls, floor, and ceiling, and Freddy himself. After tending to the water and soap, and tidying as best he could, he opened the door a crack and peeked out. The smell of cooking vegetables reached his nose, and he inhaled deeply.
"That's an encouraging smell. It means Ruby has decided to cook for us! If she's half as good as Aunt Knotwise, we're in for a real treat, you and I," Freddy spoke to the dog. "Stay here while I change."
In half a moment, Freddy snatched his satchel where he had left it lying in the hallway and raced to his room where he promptly changed his wet clothing. A few minutes later, he returned wearing a set of warm, dry trousers and a cotton shirt, pulling a jacket onto his shoulders. "After all," he thought to himself, "we have company."
Freddy knelt down in the hallway and opened the door to the bathing room slightly. The dog poked its black nose through, sniffed at Freddy's hand and proceeded to lick him.
"I'll leave the door open a bit for you to breathe. I'm going to the kitchen, but I'll be back with scraps, if there are any left over," he whispered, giving the dog a last pat. Climbing to his feet, he walked down the hallway to the kitchen, and as he neared, the smell of bread grew stronger, and he heard the animated conversation of his Uncle and Ruby. They turned to look at him as he entered.
"Well, well, there you are, Fredgert. Where have you been?" his Uncle inquired, holding a mug of tea in both of his hands. The steam writhed and twisted upwards from the cup in white clouds before dissipating.
"I was…changing," Freddy replied quickly.
"For an hour and a half?" his Uncle returned.
"Uncle and I have had the most delightful conversation while you busied yourself, Freddy! He's told me of so many things I never knew even happened in the Shire, and to hobbits, no less. You ought to hear the story of Frodo Baggins," she said without turning around. She was slicing something on the table.
"I've heard it many times," Freddy answered, seating himself at the table.
"It is too grand a story to be told only once," his Uncle stated proudly, taking a sip from his mug.
"Well, here it is, all done! Eat up, and tell me what you think." Ruby handed plates to the hobbits, old and young, and served them two slices of squash pie and two slices of bread each. She placed a dish of butter on the table and removed her apron, sitting down at the table and serving herself. Uncle Knotwise placed a forkful of the vegetable casserole in his mouth, as did Freddy and Ruby. The hobbits' eyes glanced from one to the other, the forks still stuck in their mouths. With much labor, Freddy swallowed.
"Why, Ruby, it's…" Freddy began.
"I've never tasted something so…" Uncle Knotwise commented slowly.
Ruby glanced at both of the hobbits, then burst into laughter, dropping her fork onto the plate.
"It's horrible, absolutely disgusting!" she laughed.
"Oh, it's…it's not so bad," said Freddy, but the look on his face was rather green.
"I suppose I forgot an ingredient," Ruby said quietly, biting her lip.
"Well, let's try the bread!" Uncle Knotwise declared, and he took a large bite of the bread after smearing on some butter with his knife. "Absolutely delicious," he said after swallowing. He looked at his niece and nephew, who hadn't budged.
"Go on, we'll have our feast of bread tonight," Uncle laughed. The hobbits buttered their bread and polished off the rest of the loaf, leaving the ruined squash pie on their plates. They spoke of many things, of their families, of their friends, upcoming birthday parties and weddings, and things only restricted to the Shire. Their minds did not stray past the Shire often. Eventually, the conversation rolled around to Fredgert's discovery.
"What was it you said you found?" Uncle asked Freddy, draining the rest of the tea from his mug. Ruby promptly rose and refilled it for him.
"A rock, strange and flat, with a carved figure, or rune in it. Though who would take the time to carve something into a rock is curious. I've never seen anything like it."
"Will you let me see it?" Uncle Knotwise asked. Freddy nodded.
"Yes, let me fetch it. I'll meet you in the library." Freddy pushed his chair away from the table and went to his room, fishing for the rock in his satchel. Retrieving it, he returned to the library where his uncle and Ruby were seated by the fireplace.
"Here it is," he said, and surrendered the rock to his uncle.
"Interesting," Uncle Knotwise pondered aloud, squinting to get a closer look. "I'm not familiar with this writing, but it is peculiar, very peculiar indeed. By the looks alone, it seems very old. It has been worn smooth and the carving is not deep." He showed the rock to the two hobbits at his side and turned it over in his hands.
"Ah!" he cried. The two hobbits leaned forward.
"What is it, Uncle?" Freddy asked.
"There is writing here. Fetch me a—a—nevermind." He pulled out the end of his shirt and carefully brushed the surface of the rock. "I recognize this. Yes, it is in our Common language. I can make it out! Fredgert, fetch a quill!"
Freddy leaped to his feet and dashed to his uncle's desk, grabbing a feather quill and dipping it in the ink with a shaking hand.
"Write this: E…"
Ruby leaned over Freddy's shoulder as he wrote.
"N…"
Freddy wrote.
"T…S." Uncle Knotwise concluded.
"Is that all?" Freddy asked.
"Yes, that is all. Now what have you written?" The rocking chair creaked as the old hobbit leaned forward, and Ruby's breathing stopped. Freddy set down the quill and lifted the paper.
"Ents," he read. "Ents? What does 'ents' mean? Are you sure you're not missing a letter or two, Uncle?"
"I—"
He was cut off by a loud crash from the kitchen.
The three hobbits raced to the kitchen, Uncle Knotwise limping along with his cane as best he could, and they arrived in the kitchen to a dismal sight. A small tan dog was standing atop the table, licking the plates clean that had formerly had slices of squash pie on them. The cousins awaited the rebuke that would follow, but none came. Freddy ventured a glance at Uncle Knotwise's face, and he was laughing and smiling so widely, there were tears in the corner of his eyes.
"At least someone enjoyed your squash pie, dear Ruby," Uncle Knotwise said through tears of laughter.
"Stop that racket or Uncle is likely to hear you and turn you out!" Freddy reprimanded. The furry beast cocked its head at Freddy and stared up at him with big eyes, its nub of a tail wagging back and forth slowly, as if unsure if the hobbit was truly mad or just wanted to play.
"Come, let's at least get you clean. You smell as if you've been roaming the woods for several weeks. And that foul breath! I've half a mind to scrub your mouth out with soap if I weren't so afraid of getting near your teeth," Freddy said while pouring the bucket of lukewarm water into a wooden bathing tub. He set the empty bucket down with a faint thump and unbuttoned his cuffs, pushing his sleeves up to his elbows.
"All right now, let's get you into the tub." Freddy pointed at the desired destination, but the little dog looked at him. Its tongue hung out of the left side of its mouth as it panted.
"In, in," Freddy urged, tapping the side of the tub. "Well, don't you understand? It's bath time, come along. Get in." The creature cocked its head at him.
"Very well, if you want to do this the hard way!" Freddy wrapped his arms around the dog and heaved it into the air, leaning over the tub to set it in the water. The dog wriggled wildly and Freddy slowly teetered forward, dog and hobbit falling into the water with a great splash.
"Bath time for both of us it is, then," Freddy laughed, amusement replacing his anger. He reached for the bar of soap lying on the floor and dipped it into the water, lathering the dog's coat with rich suds as it sat in the water. The dog nudged forward and attempted to lick the peculiar object in Freddy's hand, as if curious as to what this hobbit was rubbing all over its body.
"No no!" Freddy laughed once more, "Soap isn't for eating! I'll show you what's for eating as soon as this bath is over with."
Freddy scrubbed and dipped and rinsed the dog until he supposed it was clean enough, then stood in his dripping clothes in the middle of the washtub and lifted the dog to the floor, where it promptly shook innumerable added droplets onto the walls, floor, and ceiling, and Freddy himself. After tending to the water and soap, and tidying as best he could, he opened the door a crack and peeked out. The smell of cooking vegetables reached his nose, and he inhaled deeply.
"That's an encouraging smell. It means Ruby has decided to cook for us! If she's half as good as Aunt Knotwise, we're in for a real treat, you and I," Freddy spoke to the dog. "Stay here while I change."
In half a moment, Freddy snatched his satchel where he had left it lying in the hallway and raced to his room where he promptly changed his wet clothing. A few minutes later, he returned wearing a set of warm, dry trousers and a cotton shirt, pulling a jacket onto his shoulders. "After all," he thought to himself, "we have company."
Freddy knelt down in the hallway and opened the door to the bathing room slightly. The dog poked its black nose through, sniffed at Freddy's hand and proceeded to lick him.
"I'll leave the door open a bit for you to breathe. I'm going to the kitchen, but I'll be back with scraps, if there are any left over," he whispered, giving the dog a last pat. Climbing to his feet, he walked down the hallway to the kitchen, and as he neared, the smell of bread grew stronger, and he heard the animated conversation of his Uncle and Ruby. They turned to look at him as he entered.
"Well, well, there you are, Fredgert. Where have you been?" his Uncle inquired, holding a mug of tea in both of his hands. The steam writhed and twisted upwards from the cup in white clouds before dissipating.
"I was…changing," Freddy replied quickly.
"For an hour and a half?" his Uncle returned.
"Uncle and I have had the most delightful conversation while you busied yourself, Freddy! He's told me of so many things I never knew even happened in the Shire, and to hobbits, no less. You ought to hear the story of Frodo Baggins," she said without turning around. She was slicing something on the table.
"I've heard it many times," Freddy answered, seating himself at the table.
"It is too grand a story to be told only once," his Uncle stated proudly, taking a sip from his mug.
"Well, here it is, all done! Eat up, and tell me what you think." Ruby handed plates to the hobbits, old and young, and served them two slices of squash pie and two slices of bread each. She placed a dish of butter on the table and removed her apron, sitting down at the table and serving herself. Uncle Knotwise placed a forkful of the vegetable casserole in his mouth, as did Freddy and Ruby. The hobbits' eyes glanced from one to the other, the forks still stuck in their mouths. With much labor, Freddy swallowed.
"Why, Ruby, it's…" Freddy began.
"I've never tasted something so…" Uncle Knotwise commented slowly.
Ruby glanced at both of the hobbits, then burst into laughter, dropping her fork onto the plate.
"It's horrible, absolutely disgusting!" she laughed.
"Oh, it's…it's not so bad," said Freddy, but the look on his face was rather green.
"I suppose I forgot an ingredient," Ruby said quietly, biting her lip.
"Well, let's try the bread!" Uncle Knotwise declared, and he took a large bite of the bread after smearing on some butter with his knife. "Absolutely delicious," he said after swallowing. He looked at his niece and nephew, who hadn't budged.
"Go on, we'll have our feast of bread tonight," Uncle laughed. The hobbits buttered their bread and polished off the rest of the loaf, leaving the ruined squash pie on their plates. They spoke of many things, of their families, of their friends, upcoming birthday parties and weddings, and things only restricted to the Shire. Their minds did not stray past the Shire often. Eventually, the conversation rolled around to Fredgert's discovery.
"What was it you said you found?" Uncle asked Freddy, draining the rest of the tea from his mug. Ruby promptly rose and refilled it for him.
"A rock, strange and flat, with a carved figure, or rune in it. Though who would take the time to carve something into a rock is curious. I've never seen anything like it."
"Will you let me see it?" Uncle Knotwise asked. Freddy nodded.
"Yes, let me fetch it. I'll meet you in the library." Freddy pushed his chair away from the table and went to his room, fishing for the rock in his satchel. Retrieving it, he returned to the library where his uncle and Ruby were seated by the fireplace.
"Here it is," he said, and surrendered the rock to his uncle.
"Interesting," Uncle Knotwise pondered aloud, squinting to get a closer look. "I'm not familiar with this writing, but it is peculiar, very peculiar indeed. By the looks alone, it seems very old. It has been worn smooth and the carving is not deep." He showed the rock to the two hobbits at his side and turned it over in his hands.
"Ah!" he cried. The two hobbits leaned forward.
"What is it, Uncle?" Freddy asked.
"There is writing here. Fetch me a—a—nevermind." He pulled out the end of his shirt and carefully brushed the surface of the rock. "I recognize this. Yes, it is in our Common language. I can make it out! Fredgert, fetch a quill!"
Freddy leaped to his feet and dashed to his uncle's desk, grabbing a feather quill and dipping it in the ink with a shaking hand.
"Write this: E…"
Ruby leaned over Freddy's shoulder as he wrote.
"N…"
Freddy wrote.
"T…S." Uncle Knotwise concluded.
"Is that all?" Freddy asked.
"Yes, that is all. Now what have you written?" The rocking chair creaked as the old hobbit leaned forward, and Ruby's breathing stopped. Freddy set down the quill and lifted the paper.
"Ents," he read. "Ents? What does 'ents' mean? Are you sure you're not missing a letter or two, Uncle?"
"I—"
He was cut off by a loud crash from the kitchen.
The three hobbits raced to the kitchen, Uncle Knotwise limping along with his cane as best he could, and they arrived in the kitchen to a dismal sight. A small tan dog was standing atop the table, licking the plates clean that had formerly had slices of squash pie on them. The cousins awaited the rebuke that would follow, but none came. Freddy ventured a glance at Uncle Knotwise's face, and he was laughing and smiling so widely, there were tears in the corner of his eyes.
"At least someone enjoyed your squash pie, dear Ruby," Uncle Knotwise said through tears of laughter.