CHAPTER 9
"Why must I go, mamma?" Pippin whined, sitting in the steaming bathtub.
As usual, he was trying to get out of doing something. "I won't know anyone there!"
"Gracious me, Pippin, you'll know your sisters!" Eglantine reached for a small pail nearby. "And Merry is going to be there, too!" She scooped some water and poured it over her son's head. "You said yourself that you met cousin Frodo already! What are you fearing, son?" Eglantine rubbed the bar of soap to the wash cloth and handed it to Pippin.
"I'm not fearing anything!", Pippin glanced at the washcloth as if it would attack him any moment. He took it and began to wash.
His mother busied herself washing clothes in another tub not too far away. "Pippin, you say you won't know anyone there; perhaps it's time to be more social. Tis true I'm a bit surprised cousin Frodo invited someone so young to his birthday party with a bunch of teens and tweens, but maybe he'll be inviting a nice little lass to keep you company all evening!" Pippin threw his mother a look of complete panic at the though of Frodo pairing him up with a--girl! When Pippin was done washing himself, Eglantine came over and sat down on a small stool to wash Pippin's hair. "Your sisters will be there to watch out for you!" She laughed, as she massaged the soap into his tangled locks.
There she goes on about those wretched sisters again! Pippin dipped himself into the water to rinse off and came up sputtering. He stood up in the tub dripping, and his mother was ready with a large towel to wrap him in. She helped him out of the tub, and left him to himself to finish drying off and get dressed.
Pippin sat miserably in a chair; he was wrapped in a large towel, letting his hair drip as he was lost in his thoughts. He didn't tell her of his and Merry's last conversation, and how Merry pretty much threw him out of the room. Merry wouldn't want to talk to him at the party--no one would, and his sisters would avoid him like a disease. I'm doomed, he thought as he slowly got dressed.
The sun was still high in the sky, though winding down towards the horizon. It was a long ride to Hobbiton from Tuckborough. Pippin jumped out the back and stretched his legs. He was dressed in fine dark blue trousers, crisp white shirt, and dark blue waistcoat to match with a black bow tie.
Merry slid out as well. He barely spoke the entire ride, and was in no mood to jest. Merry wore brown trousers and duck tailed coat, and a pale yellow shirt with a black bow tie. The girls wore tea length gowns in various colors of yellow, pink, and green.
Pearl was the first to walk up to the round green door, and she knocked. The wait wasn't long; the door opened up into a warm and well-lit hallway and Mr. Frodo himself met the guests.
"Pearl! All of you, welcome! Please come in!", bowed the gracious host. "We will begin the birthday supper shortly; please feel free to walk around inside or in the garden until then." Frodo took their cloaks. "I'm happy all of you made it--even you, Pippin!"
Pippin only smiled politely--as his mother instructed him. He wanted to bolt!
Frodo showed them to the parlor where all the other teens and tweens were gathering. Merry already made his way over to where the other lads were socializing. Pearl, Pim, and Perva sat with the other girls and soon all were cooing over each other's dresses and gossiping about the latest couples.
Pippin was observing it all with great disgust. Why couldn't mother let me stay home? I see no one else here that is my age! He settled himself in the chair next to the bookcase and glared at all the silliness. He chewed his fingernails for entertainment.
After what seemed forever to Pippin, Frodo came into the parlor and announced supper. Immediately everyone migrated into the dining area. Platters were laden full of meats, vegetables, and various breads and cheese. Several casks of ale sat on tables as well. It all appeared a feast to Pippin.
"Three cheers for Frodo and Bilbo!" Pippin heard someone yell. "Hip, hip, hooray! Hip, hip, hooray! Hip, hip, hooray! Happy birthday, Frodo! Happy birthday, Bilbo!" the crowd cheered. Looking around the table, Pippin noticed the older hobbit sitting at the far end. He reminded Pippin of his cousin Ferumbras III, the Thain; his own grandfather died before he was born, so Ferumbras III served as a grandfather type for him. Bilbo reminded Pippin of him. The elder hobbit caught Pippin's eye and smiled.
Pippin sat at the board with the tweens and teens. He ate his fill and then some, for a young hobbit. Mugs of ale were being passed around the table. Pippin kept passing them down until the guest on each side of him were not waiting for another mug, but were busy conversing with other guests. With no one else to pass it to, Pippin looked around to see if anyone was waiting for a mug. All the other guests were engaged in conversations of their own. He looked to see what his sisters might say. None of his sisters took notice of him. No one observed him holding a mug of ale. Pippin thought it a waste to let it sit, so without a second thought...bottoms up!
By the time Pippin finished eating and drinking, he began to feel that this little party wasn't so bad after all, and decided that another mug of ale might help cheer him even more.
After supper, Frodo's guests got up and retired to the outer room again. This time, someone called for a song. Pippin watched as a young hobbit got up--someone called Sam--and recited poetry. Pippin laughed to himself, watching Sam with his hands behind his back and reciting poetry with all the earnestness in the Shire. And his poetry was funny! After the recital, everyone laughed at his humorous rhyme; Sam was red faced and sat down. Pippin liked Sam!
Next, a young lass by the name of Laurel Goodbody got up and sang a song that reeked of star-crossed love. Pippin gagged.
For some reason unbeknownst to Pippin, he heard someone shout his name. "Hey, Pippin! Give us a song!" Pippin knew they were only picking him because being the youngest in the party, he stuck out like a sore thumb. "Yes, Pippin! Sing for us, little laddie!"
Little Laddie! He saw Merry looking at him and he felt his sisters eyes boring into his head. It was contempt...and ale...that made Pippin get up and sing a song. He wrote the words up not too long ago; the song was about a boy who had three overbearing sisters. He decided to enjoy this, so he threw in a bit of a jig for fun and laughs.
"There once was a boy
who had three sisters
all older, and bolder
and scared off the misters.
They took him to task
all day and all night
all screaming earsplitting
and scaring with fright.
Their hair was like ox tail
their ears like a pig,
their teeth were as rabbits',
as they jiggedy jigged!"
Towards the end, the lads all laughed at the lasses. Out of the corner of his eye, Pippin could see Merry smirking; Merry helped him with a bit of the rhyming. Pippin was pleased with himself; on and on he went until he saw Pearl's eyes! If looks were daggers!...he brought it to a quick end and sat down.
"It's a Good thing you're a little laddie--you've just scattered all the lasses in our direction!!", Pippin heard someone laugh. "We don't see them running in your direction either, Fredegar!", the rest laughed back.
Everyone returned to talking and prattle. Pippin got up and strolled about. He filled his mug....again. There was that older hobbit fellow, Bilbo, sitting at a desk. Pippin walked over to cure more possible boredom. The older hobbit looked down at Pippin from his stool, "What is your name, lad?"
"Peregrin Took, sir, or most everyone calls me Pippin." He sipped his ale.
"Ah...a Took! How old are you, young sir?"
Pippin looked around. "Twelve, sir."
"You may call me Bilbo, lad!", Bilbo did a double take and winked, "You don't look a day over thirteen!"
"I'm quite short for my age!"
"I'll wager you are!", laughed Bilbo.
Pippin smiled in spite of himself. Old Bilbo had him figured out.
"What are you writing...Bilbo?", Pippin was brought up to address his elders by a "mister" or "miss" title, but since he liked this old hobbit, he humored him.
"It's a book, though I haven't quite decided on a title yet, but right now, I call it 'There And Back Again' ."
"What's it about?", Pippin's curiosity piqued.
Bilbo, always ready to tell his tales, began with his 50th birthday party and his very bad cold...
CHAPTER 10
Pippin was still listening to Bilbo's account of Mirkwood and the Elves when one of the older lads called to him. He looked at Bilbo.
"Go on, lad!", Bilbo said, "My tales can wait; I'm needing to wet my dry throat, anyway!"
Pippin smiled and thanked Bilbo for his tales, and went after the tweenager. Pippin, still holding his mug of ale, turned up the smaller hallway that led to the back, but seemed to have lost track of his caller. Was it him, or did the hallway just sway a little bit? He caught his balance, and heard a sound coming from behind the double doors. "Pssst!" He saw the doors open a crack, and so went inside.
The room was foggy with candlelight, a fire in the fireplace, and smoke from five lit pipes. There were a several of the older boys in the room; he recognized a few of them. There was the teen Fredegar that jested earlier, he saw Frodo, Sam, and Merry, but the other one he didn't know. They were sitting in chairs around the room smoking pipes. Pippin still held his half-full mug in his hand. "What's this?", and Fredegar came up to Pippin and looked in his mug. Fredegar's face grew amazed. "Either you've got some cheek, laddie, or I'm a Troll's uncle! That's ale in there!"
"Troll's uncle? I should say! But you're looking even more like a Troll's backside!", replied Pippin. "Of course it's ale!" This garnered a roar of laughter from the other lads.
"I'd give you a pipe to smoke, Pippin," offered Frodo, "but the last I remember you had a few...shall we say, difficulties?" A few chuckles.
Pippin sat in the empty chair next to Sam. "Sam, would you mind if I borrowed your pipe?"
Sam looked at Frodo. "Are you up to it, lad?", asked Frodo.
Pippin looked Frodo square in the eye and said, "Hand me your pipe, Sam!"
Sam blew a few puffs, and then handed his pipe to Pippin. All eyes were on Pippin. He took the pipe and settled back into the huge chair. Pippin gave them all a glance before putting the pipe in his mouth and inhaled a long breath. He didn't even think about it. He exhaled and out came the smoke in a long trailing wisp. Silence. Merry's jaw dropped. Pippin held his up his mug and took a draught. "Cheers."
