Chapter 6-Of Time and Thoughtfulness
In the years to come, he was still thoughtful. His sisters had probably put the idea in his head, but he started to feel lonely. Like something was missing but he couldn't tell what. He tried to be normal and do all the things he used to, mucking about with all the other lads round Brandybuck hall, but felt more and more he didn't want their company. Either his own would suffice, and so he went for long, solitary walks in the surrounding woodlands, or he wanted somebody else's company, but whose?
It occurred to him one day, while round at his friend Sam's house, how lovely it would be to have a little child of his own, like Eleanor, who was a truly beautiful baby. He'd heard they were a lot of hard work...
He said about this to Sam, who just smiled and said that he'd know what that was like soon enough. Which, he had to admit, was a good answer, though not terribly helpful. He felt so confused. Merry noticed, but put it down to Frodo's leaving and left it at that. In his book, so long as his friend wasn't off his food, he was perfectly fine.
Years passed. It was winter, then spring again, and the beginning of summer came about. Pippin remained distant and not quite 'with it'. Life in Hobbiton went on, as uneventful as it ever was. Merry and Pippin held a joint birthday Party, as they always did, for although Merry was eight years older, their Birthdays were within a week of each other.
It was a very good party, he had to admit. Bilbo would have been proud, had he still been here, that he'd taught the younger ones how to party! And suddenly, as he was dancing with the umpteenth lassie (his feet were just about worn off, the girls were queuing up. Why????) it occurred to him exactly what was missing...
In the years to come, he was still thoughtful. His sisters had probably put the idea in his head, but he started to feel lonely. Like something was missing but he couldn't tell what. He tried to be normal and do all the things he used to, mucking about with all the other lads round Brandybuck hall, but felt more and more he didn't want their company. Either his own would suffice, and so he went for long, solitary walks in the surrounding woodlands, or he wanted somebody else's company, but whose?
It occurred to him one day, while round at his friend Sam's house, how lovely it would be to have a little child of his own, like Eleanor, who was a truly beautiful baby. He'd heard they were a lot of hard work...
He said about this to Sam, who just smiled and said that he'd know what that was like soon enough. Which, he had to admit, was a good answer, though not terribly helpful. He felt so confused. Merry noticed, but put it down to Frodo's leaving and left it at that. In his book, so long as his friend wasn't off his food, he was perfectly fine.
Years passed. It was winter, then spring again, and the beginning of summer came about. Pippin remained distant and not quite 'with it'. Life in Hobbiton went on, as uneventful as it ever was. Merry and Pippin held a joint birthday Party, as they always did, for although Merry was eight years older, their Birthdays were within a week of each other.
It was a very good party, he had to admit. Bilbo would have been proud, had he still been here, that he'd taught the younger ones how to party! And suddenly, as he was dancing with the umpteenth lassie (his feet were just about worn off, the girls were queuing up. Why????) it occurred to him exactly what was missing...