A Swan Among Geese
*****
" We Bagginses were much respected among the other hobbit families of the Shire. We never did anything unexpected and were happy to stay in our warm hobbit homes and read books by the fire, thank you very much.
" That is, until my uncle Bilbo was given a helpful nudge out the door, by Gandalf the Gray. After that, things in the Shire were never the same."
~
My uncle Frodo used to tell me that tale all the time - of how he, and my other hobbit uncles were thrown into the path of adventure. I would sit up at night near the foot of his chair, while the others slept, and enjoy the stories of Moria, and Lothlorien. I especially loved to hear about his travels through Rivendell, and of the elves he met. I could almost hear their soft bell-like voices, and when he described the lament they sang for Gandalf in his honor, I cried.
None of the other hobbit children could understand why I loved the world outside so much. I say 'hobbit children', because I am not like them.I am of the Elves.
My uncle found me, left in the snow at his door. He said that Gandalf the Gray had put me there, perhaps to save me from a fate worst than death. Suffice it to say, my uncle, and his friends: Meriadoc Brandybuck, Peregrin Took, and Samwise Gamgee, adopted me as their own. They raised me up with other hobbit children, teaching me the ways of the Shire. But, they also instilled something else in me that other hobbit children never learned...
They sowed in my small mind, a keen sense of adventure...
******
Frodo was very surprised to see his old friend Gandalf, waiting at the door to Bag-End, one early Wednesday morning. Pippin and Merry had come over for breakfast, and were just finishing a spot of cheese, when there was a sharp rap at the door.
" Gandalf!" Frodo embraced the wizard as best he could, smiling into a face that seemed forever caught between wise solemness, and impish humor.
" My dear hobbit. It's been so long. Ah, and I see a Took and a Brandybuck have joined your company as well."
Merry and Pippin acknowledged the wizard with their cups, raised in a salute.
" Might I fix you a cup of tea, Gandalf?"
" Yes, thank you."
Gandalf ducked his head beneath the iron chandalier above him, and took a seat beside the fireplace, of which had not been rekindled since the night before. He looked around, before turning to a busying Frodo.
" Where is young Lashriel? I would have thought she'd be excited to see me."
" She's outside, tending her garden with Sam."
" Ah."
An appreciative smile crossed Gandalf's face, and he found it growing bigger, as the young elf child ran into the parlor with a handful of flowers. She gave it to Gandalf, who nodded his head, tucking them securely into the brim of his pointed hat. It looked a bit silly, but Lashriel seemed well pleased with the addition.
After a short brunching, Gandalf cleared his throat.
" I apologize for the abruptness of my visit. Had I myself been given more warning, I would have made myself known sooner. But, this is of the utmost importance. An old friend of ours, is requesting your aid, Frodo. I believe you knew him as Strider."
Lashriel bunched up a corner of her dress in excitement. Strider was the Ranger her uncle had met in the woods.
" Aragorn? What about him?"
Gandalf looked at the others, before speaking.
" He didn't supply further details, only that I was to find you, and bid you come to Rivendell with haste."
" Rivendell? Why?"
Gandalf shook his head. Frodo sighed for a moment, looking around at Sam, Merry, Pippin, and finally at Lashriel.
" But, I have so much to do here. Who's going to take care of Bag-End?"
Sam stepped up, putting his hand up.
" We'll do it, Mr. Frodo. Merry, Pippin, Lashriel and I."
" I could never lay such a burden on you, Sam."
" It is no trouble. We're glad to do it. Aren't we, Lashriel?"
The little elf-child, though sad at the thought of her uncle's departure, smiled winningly.
" Of course."
Frodo smiled, then turned to Gandalf.
" I suppose we leave immediately, then."
" Of course."
*****
" We Bagginses were much respected among the other hobbit families of the Shire. We never did anything unexpected and were happy to stay in our warm hobbit homes and read books by the fire, thank you very much.
" That is, until my uncle Bilbo was given a helpful nudge out the door, by Gandalf the Gray. After that, things in the Shire were never the same."
~
My uncle Frodo used to tell me that tale all the time - of how he, and my other hobbit uncles were thrown into the path of adventure. I would sit up at night near the foot of his chair, while the others slept, and enjoy the stories of Moria, and Lothlorien. I especially loved to hear about his travels through Rivendell, and of the elves he met. I could almost hear their soft bell-like voices, and when he described the lament they sang for Gandalf in his honor, I cried.
None of the other hobbit children could understand why I loved the world outside so much. I say 'hobbit children', because I am not like them.I am of the Elves.
My uncle found me, left in the snow at his door. He said that Gandalf the Gray had put me there, perhaps to save me from a fate worst than death. Suffice it to say, my uncle, and his friends: Meriadoc Brandybuck, Peregrin Took, and Samwise Gamgee, adopted me as their own. They raised me up with other hobbit children, teaching me the ways of the Shire. But, they also instilled something else in me that other hobbit children never learned...
They sowed in my small mind, a keen sense of adventure...
******
Frodo was very surprised to see his old friend Gandalf, waiting at the door to Bag-End, one early Wednesday morning. Pippin and Merry had come over for breakfast, and were just finishing a spot of cheese, when there was a sharp rap at the door.
" Gandalf!" Frodo embraced the wizard as best he could, smiling into a face that seemed forever caught between wise solemness, and impish humor.
" My dear hobbit. It's been so long. Ah, and I see a Took and a Brandybuck have joined your company as well."
Merry and Pippin acknowledged the wizard with their cups, raised in a salute.
" Might I fix you a cup of tea, Gandalf?"
" Yes, thank you."
Gandalf ducked his head beneath the iron chandalier above him, and took a seat beside the fireplace, of which had not been rekindled since the night before. He looked around, before turning to a busying Frodo.
" Where is young Lashriel? I would have thought she'd be excited to see me."
" She's outside, tending her garden with Sam."
" Ah."
An appreciative smile crossed Gandalf's face, and he found it growing bigger, as the young elf child ran into the parlor with a handful of flowers. She gave it to Gandalf, who nodded his head, tucking them securely into the brim of his pointed hat. It looked a bit silly, but Lashriel seemed well pleased with the addition.
After a short brunching, Gandalf cleared his throat.
" I apologize for the abruptness of my visit. Had I myself been given more warning, I would have made myself known sooner. But, this is of the utmost importance. An old friend of ours, is requesting your aid, Frodo. I believe you knew him as Strider."
Lashriel bunched up a corner of her dress in excitement. Strider was the Ranger her uncle had met in the woods.
" Aragorn? What about him?"
Gandalf looked at the others, before speaking.
" He didn't supply further details, only that I was to find you, and bid you come to Rivendell with haste."
" Rivendell? Why?"
Gandalf shook his head. Frodo sighed for a moment, looking around at Sam, Merry, Pippin, and finally at Lashriel.
" But, I have so much to do here. Who's going to take care of Bag-End?"
Sam stepped up, putting his hand up.
" We'll do it, Mr. Frodo. Merry, Pippin, Lashriel and I."
" I could never lay such a burden on you, Sam."
" It is no trouble. We're glad to do it. Aren't we, Lashriel?"
The little elf-child, though sad at the thought of her uncle's departure, smiled winningly.
" Of course."
Frodo smiled, then turned to Gandalf.
" I suppose we leave immediately, then."
" Of course."