When Merry an' me were just kids, he decided to teach me to swim. I
worshipped every word he said – if I hadn't, lookin' back, I'm not half so
sure I ever would've learned. But Merry was like a big brother to me then,
an' my hero besides, so I went along wi' him.
I was a terrible swimmer, an' that's puttin' it gentle. "Peregrin Took!" I can hear his voice now, he said it so many times – "Peregrin Took, I'd like t'swear ye were eatin' bricks when I weren't lookin'!" I did sink more'n I floated, an' that's the truth! But he was determined to teach me, so I tried m'best to learn.
I hated it, though I never told him – somethin' about th' water's always scared me, an' not just cos it's "unnatural fer hobbits," neither. I just never could get a good hang o' it. Merry taught me to float, an' paddle around some, but I were never fond o' water. Still, summer after summer, Merry'd take me splashing in th' Brandywine, an' I never said a word about bein' afraid -- I'd just follow him right into th' river.
Now, I believe wi' all m'heart tha' *It* needs to be taken' care o', tha' we're doin' the right thing. An' I'll support Frodo any way I know, an' then some; it's been wearin' hard on him, even this "fool of a Took" can see it. But if it weren't fer Merry, I don' think I could've made it this far. He watches out fer me; I'd ha' to be blind to've missed it. An' I'm watchin' fer him, too, no mistake!
Ela told me about this Very Important Council tomorrow mornin', an' where it'd be an' all. I'll tell Merry about it – I bet Frodo an' Sam'll be there, an' tha' means Merry'll be bent on goin' right along. An' me as well, though fer all my high talk about adventure an' seein' th' world, I don't know as I'd be goin' along wi'out Merry there.
He's teachin' me to float all over again.
--Peregrin Took
I was a terrible swimmer, an' that's puttin' it gentle. "Peregrin Took!" I can hear his voice now, he said it so many times – "Peregrin Took, I'd like t'swear ye were eatin' bricks when I weren't lookin'!" I did sink more'n I floated, an' that's the truth! But he was determined to teach me, so I tried m'best to learn.
I hated it, though I never told him – somethin' about th' water's always scared me, an' not just cos it's "unnatural fer hobbits," neither. I just never could get a good hang o' it. Merry taught me to float, an' paddle around some, but I were never fond o' water. Still, summer after summer, Merry'd take me splashing in th' Brandywine, an' I never said a word about bein' afraid -- I'd just follow him right into th' river.
Now, I believe wi' all m'heart tha' *It* needs to be taken' care o', tha' we're doin' the right thing. An' I'll support Frodo any way I know, an' then some; it's been wearin' hard on him, even this "fool of a Took" can see it. But if it weren't fer Merry, I don' think I could've made it this far. He watches out fer me; I'd ha' to be blind to've missed it. An' I'm watchin' fer him, too, no mistake!
Ela told me about this Very Important Council tomorrow mornin', an' where it'd be an' all. I'll tell Merry about it – I bet Frodo an' Sam'll be there, an' tha' means Merry'll be bent on goin' right along. An' me as well, though fer all my high talk about adventure an' seein' th' world, I don't know as I'd be goin' along wi'out Merry there.
He's teachin' me to float all over again.
--Peregrin Took