Pippin started crying. It was horrible and unfair. First his friends laugh at him, and now he had to wear the Middle Earth's ugliest swimming suit.

"Pip, its me. Your mother said I could come in . are you mad? I saw Mr. Frodo and Mr. Merry leave a second ago," came a voice through the door.

Good, Pippin thought. They left! "Who are you?" Pippin asked angrily, though he had a hunch who it was.

"Sam, Mr. Pippin! Samwise Gamgee," Sam said through the locked door.

"Awww gee, Sam. You haven't laughed at me yet. Let me change and I'll let you in," Pippin said tearfully. He wiped his nose and dressed in the clothes he had left in the room.

Pippin creaked the door open and sniffed. "Your mum told me what ye have to do, Mr. Pippin. It's darn horrible if you ask me. Ah well," Samwise said.

"Not 'ah well,' I'm afraid .. Look!" Pippin pointed to the ugly piece of cloth on the bed. Sam cringed, and another tear dripped down Pippin's face.

"It's okay, Mr. Pippin, but your mum's calling," Sam said pointing to Pip's mother.

"Yes, Peregrin, it is time to meet with Mr. Goodbody for lessons. It's raining, so you will not be doing anything today," Mrs. Took said from the hall. Pippin looked out the window. It WAS raining. He was lucky for that, at least.

"Well, Sam, as you see I must leave," said Pippin sadly.

"Yes, Mr. Pippin," Sam said, and his head drooped.

"Sam, you don't have to call me 'mister!' I'm younger than you," said Pippin.

"Ok, Mr. Pippin," Sam said, and with that left out into the hall. Pip heard Sam say goodbye to his mother, and noted that he said "Mrs." Took, not "Pippin's mother."

"Come on Pippin, let's go," Pip's mother said, and left the bedroom. Pippin shuddered and felt cold. He hated this, all of it.

Pippin put his cloak on, and followed his mother onto the muddy path leading to the Swimming Teacher's home. Pip tried to hold back tears.

By the time they reached Mr. Goodbody's hobbit-hole, (which took quite a while) Pippin was soaked. The Mother and Son walked up the cold steps and knocked upon a yellow door. In the lawn, there was a great swimming hole, with a dock. The sky was gray and thunder rolled in the distance.

They stood outside the door for a good few minutes, sitting in the rain until they heard footsteps. The door swung open, and a short hobbit stepped in the doorway. "Ah," he said, "Mrs. Took! And is this ... Peregrin? My how little you are." Pippin scowled.

"Yes, come in! Come in! I have some tea prepared," said Mr. Goodbody. They stepped inside, and the hobbit took their gangly and wet coats.

"Yes, Mr. Goodbody. We would like to talk about .. swimming lessons."
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