Pippin Musing 8: Generations The Shire late spring 1472 (Shire reckoning)

As Pippin looked at his age-spotted hands, he reflected on the new and boisterous generation of Tooks he and Diamond spent the day with. It was much more fun to be a grandfather than a father, even to as excellent a child as Faramir had been. He could spoil his four grandchildren and the only consequence to himself would be a mild lecture from Goldilocks. He smiled at the thought and at the antics of the children. It was wonderful that he and Diamond, who had only one single child, were blessed with a quartet of lively youngsters who were intelligent and had distinct personalities.

Lila, the oldest, would turn nine at mid-winter and reminded Peregrin of stories he had heard about his great-great aunt Belladonna. The lass had the longest, straightest, blackest hair in the Shire and eyes so dark they were almost black. She was also fearless and would confront dogs, larger children, or anyone else she felt was doing wrong.

Blossom, the second child, just turned seven was a motherly little thing and a Gamgee to the core of her being. She followed Goldilocks and Diamond around the gardens and always insisted on helping them tend the roses. Her greatest joy was to line up her two younger siblings and her dolls and tell them stories. She had brown curls and eyes to match.

The third child and only boy, Berilac, did not really look like either of his parents. Pippin thought the lad resembled his aunt Esmerelda in coloring. Beri had gray eyes and dark blond hair that, like Lila's, was straighter than any hobbit had a right to. The lad, although only five, had an uncanny ability to be the center of any group and led older as well as younger children in play.

Little Peony, who was only three, was the favorite of everyone, including her siblings. She had wavy, golden-brown curls and Diamond's golden eyes. The lass started speaking in complete sentences very early and loved being read to. She was a dreamy, introspective child and could sometimes startle with the profound things she said.

That day, Pippin and Diamond took the children on a walk through the sun- dappled woods of Tuckborough to give Faramir and Goldilocks a day of rest. They walked through the deep green woods under a sky that was an intense shade of cobalt. He and Diamond answered the children's questions about the plants and animals they saw. Lila begged Pippin for a swordplay lesson. He laughed and said he would teach her if her parents agreed when he felt a tug on his sleeve and looked down to see Peony.

"Grandpa Pip, Grandpa Pip," she said, "I dreamed about the talking trees last night. Will you tell me their story again?"

He laughed and said, "Ents, dear. They like to be called Ents. There are none in these woods but I will tell you the story again as soon as we stop for lunch."

He picked up the lass and put her on his shoulders. They stopped for lunch in a clearing by a stream that had blue and lavender irises blooming on the banks and pink wild roses on the edge of the woods. After lunch, Peony climbed in his lap and he told her the story of Treebeard again while Lila and Berilac mock-fought with sticks and Diamond showed Blossom how to make a daisy chain.