They got back to Bag End still upset about the rumours going around. Supper
was just starting to be prepared by Bilbo and Frodo, while Gandalf was
sitting reading a newly completed part of Bilbo's book. When the two boys
entered Gandalf looked up to see who it was and then went back to the book.
Frodo came into the room to greet them.
"There you are! If you haven't eaten, supper is almost ready, until then find something to keep yourselves occupied." Merry nodded to the older hobbit and Frodo went back into the kitchen. Merry then went and sat down dejected on the couch. Pippin moved over behind Gandalf to see what he was reading. Unfortunately Gandalf's shoulder was too high to reach over, so Pippin had to stand on tiptoes. Gandalf grunted.
"I'll not have you reading over my shoulder, thank you very much Peregrin Took. If you would like to read with me you could just ask, you know." Pippin sighed and looked up at the wizard.
"Could I read with you Gandalf?" He asked innocently. Gandalf rolled his eyes and put the book down on the table. He adjusted his robes and looked down at the hobbit.
"Come on then," He said while he picked up Pippin under the boy's arms and set Pip upon his knee. Gandalf then picked up the book again and held it down in their laps. Pippin liked being this close to Gandalf; it made him feel very safe. To be so close to someone of such power and esteem was mind boggling to think about. Slowly, Pippin relaxed against Gandalf's chest. If the wizard noticed he didn't seem to mind. They both were reading quietly when Pippin felt a hard object digging into his back. Confused, he turned to look up to the wizard.
"What's that?" Pip asked when he felt it again. Gandalf looked at him curiously until he figured out what the hobbit was speaking about. He reached inside his robes and fished out the oddly shaped stones. Pippin gasped when he saw them.
"How did you…?" He stopped in mid-sentence when Gandalf smiled down at him.
"My dear hobbit, did you not wonder how I knew you and Meriadoc were up to mischief?" Pippin shook his head no, and Gandalf smiled again. "These stones are very special stones. They create a bond with the first person to find them; that was I. The bond connects them to me. If anyone tries to steal them, they take in the essence of that person, or hobbit in this case, and magically return to me. When the perpetrator comes near they glow the pinkish colour it is glowing right now, effectively telling me that trouble is near. So when you two came close and the stones turned pink, I knew, Pippin, that you had tried to take these stones without my permission," Gandalf explained clearly enjoying the look of amazement on Pippin's face.
After a minute Pippin regained his wits and made a face. "So how did you know that we had taken more than just the stones when we returned?"
"Simple, my dear Took. I know you two well enough by now to assume that one thing is not nearly enough to keep you interested. Which was proven true when you emptied out your pockets and gave me the firecrackers," Gandalf explained and Pippin scowled.
"So that solves that. Now why did you spank us so? We meant no harm…"
"Of course you meant no harm, but a Wizard's cart is not a toy box. There are things in there that are strong enough to turn a dog into a cat. You could have been injured or worse, and I don't want to have to make a visit to your father, the Thain, explaining why his only son is now a mouse. I learned long ago, Peregrin Took, that the only way to get through to your head is through your bottom," Gandalf said smiling. Just then Frodo entered the room to say that supper was ready. Gandalf let the hobbit-lad off of his lap and watched Pippin and Merry hurry into the kitchen. When Gandalf himself went into the kitchen, Bilbo smiled.
"Gandalf, my friend, you never cease to amaze me with your explanations," the old hobbit said amiably.
"There you are! If you haven't eaten, supper is almost ready, until then find something to keep yourselves occupied." Merry nodded to the older hobbit and Frodo went back into the kitchen. Merry then went and sat down dejected on the couch. Pippin moved over behind Gandalf to see what he was reading. Unfortunately Gandalf's shoulder was too high to reach over, so Pippin had to stand on tiptoes. Gandalf grunted.
"I'll not have you reading over my shoulder, thank you very much Peregrin Took. If you would like to read with me you could just ask, you know." Pippin sighed and looked up at the wizard.
"Could I read with you Gandalf?" He asked innocently. Gandalf rolled his eyes and put the book down on the table. He adjusted his robes and looked down at the hobbit.
"Come on then," He said while he picked up Pippin under the boy's arms and set Pip upon his knee. Gandalf then picked up the book again and held it down in their laps. Pippin liked being this close to Gandalf; it made him feel very safe. To be so close to someone of such power and esteem was mind boggling to think about. Slowly, Pippin relaxed against Gandalf's chest. If the wizard noticed he didn't seem to mind. They both were reading quietly when Pippin felt a hard object digging into his back. Confused, he turned to look up to the wizard.
"What's that?" Pip asked when he felt it again. Gandalf looked at him curiously until he figured out what the hobbit was speaking about. He reached inside his robes and fished out the oddly shaped stones. Pippin gasped when he saw them.
"How did you…?" He stopped in mid-sentence when Gandalf smiled down at him.
"My dear hobbit, did you not wonder how I knew you and Meriadoc were up to mischief?" Pippin shook his head no, and Gandalf smiled again. "These stones are very special stones. They create a bond with the first person to find them; that was I. The bond connects them to me. If anyone tries to steal them, they take in the essence of that person, or hobbit in this case, and magically return to me. When the perpetrator comes near they glow the pinkish colour it is glowing right now, effectively telling me that trouble is near. So when you two came close and the stones turned pink, I knew, Pippin, that you had tried to take these stones without my permission," Gandalf explained clearly enjoying the look of amazement on Pippin's face.
After a minute Pippin regained his wits and made a face. "So how did you know that we had taken more than just the stones when we returned?"
"Simple, my dear Took. I know you two well enough by now to assume that one thing is not nearly enough to keep you interested. Which was proven true when you emptied out your pockets and gave me the firecrackers," Gandalf explained and Pippin scowled.
"So that solves that. Now why did you spank us so? We meant no harm…"
"Of course you meant no harm, but a Wizard's cart is not a toy box. There are things in there that are strong enough to turn a dog into a cat. You could have been injured or worse, and I don't want to have to make a visit to your father, the Thain, explaining why his only son is now a mouse. I learned long ago, Peregrin Took, that the only way to get through to your head is through your bottom," Gandalf said smiling. Just then Frodo entered the room to say that supper was ready. Gandalf let the hobbit-lad off of his lap and watched Pippin and Merry hurry into the kitchen. When Gandalf himself went into the kitchen, Bilbo smiled.
"Gandalf, my friend, you never cease to amaze me with your explanations," the old hobbit said amiably.