Mud Soaked Pippin
Chapter 2
It was a long journey for Pippin to make it to the river and well past noon luncheon. His stomach ached but the thought of giving his mother a flowerpot during the Spring festival was more important then the emptiness of his stomach.
Just as Pippin anticipated, it was turning out to be a very beautiful day. The sky was bright blue with huge fluffy white and gray clouds that almost dwarfed the ground. The trees were started to bud and blew gently in the early afternoon breeze. The birds were singing merrily as they gathered twigs and dried grasses for their nest.
Pippin followed the river's bank looking for the best way to get down to the water edge to begin gathering the clay that he needed. The river's bank rose and fell in many spots, but Pippin could see a small flat landing a few feet away. In the far distance he could see Buckland and he thought perhaps this was the spot Mrs. Brandybuck would gather her clay to make her pots she always sold at the Spring festivals. He longed to see Merry, but he knew if Merry were there, he would not get his work done in making this pot. Merry would have other ideas in how to fill the day.
Pippin waded into the muddy clay on the flat landing. The clay sucked in his feet almost to his ankle and he struggled pulling each foot out as he searched for the right spot to gather his clay. Bending down to his knees, he began digging handfuls of clay and putting it into his linen bag. After four or five handfuls, he squeezed the water from the clay, straining his small hands against the ruff bag. Water oozed from the bag from the pressure of his small hands as he worked the clay. Pippin's trouser and shirt were dripping with red watery clay. He climbed out of the flat landing and headed for an open area where the sun would dry the clay.
Opening his bag and seeing the clay was thick. Pippin began to take small handfuls out and began rubbing the clay between his fingers in making a long rope. He remembered the countless times he had watched Mrs. Brandybuck in making her pot from clay and began imitating her actions. He coiled the ropes of clay until he had the size he wanted. Pippin returned to the water's edge and began to soak his linen bag until it was as wet as it could possibly be. He returned to his clay pot and would ring out enough water to make his hands wet so he could smooth down the edges. His fingers ached as he worked the clay, rubbing the sides of it until it was completely smooth. When he thought he had gotten the pot smooth enough, he looked at his handy work. There was a ruff stop here and there and a small thin area, but all in all it was not too bad. It did not look quite like Mrs. Brandybuck's flowerpot, but it was the best that he could do.
Now it was up to the sun to make the clay hard and stiff. Pippin looked up into sky and saw the clouds were slowly drifting away to an open clear blue sky. This was exactly what he needed to dry his pot.
Pippin suddenly heard approaching voices and jerked his head around to see his father and Milo heading in his direction with their fishing poles in their hands. Pippin's heart beat rapidly in fear of being discovered away from home without permission. He had totally forgotten his father's announcement of going fishing this afternoon with Milo Burrows. It did not seem important at the time for him to pay much attention to it. Pippin got to his feet and made a mad dash to the riverbank to hide. His foot caught the thick mud, while the other slide from under him and Pippin was hurled forward face down in the thick watery clay. He quickly pulled himself from the mud and ducked behind the nearest edge of the riverbank, holding in breath.
Paladine and Milo walked pass a clay pot drying in the sun, and Paladine commented, "Mrs. Brandybuck must be making her flowerpots again, but I must say this is certainly not her one of best." Paladine laughed with Milo as they continued walking down the river's bank to find the best spot for fishing.
Pippin took a deep sigh of relief that he was not discovered. He peeked from his hiding spot to see Paladine and Milo off in a distance beginning to prepare their poles for catching their fish. He could not take the chance of washing himself off in the river in fear of making the slightest noise. He inched his way out from the riverbank and made a mad dash running almost all the way home.
By the time he got near his home, the clay began to stiffen around his legs, hands and arms. Pippin began to pick chunks of clay from his clothing and body. He made a plan of sneaking in through his bedroom window and get Pimpernel to bring him a basin of water to clean himself up with. After all she owned him a favor for doing her chores the other night as Estella Bolger came by to play. She had begged him so nicely.
Pippin choose his footsteps carefully as he tried to round the corner of his home. He took a breath to ease his rapidly beating heart when he saw his bedroom window.
"Peregrin Took!" screamed his mother who was now standing behind him.
Pippin jumped at least 3 inches in the air from being so startled by his mother scream. His heart was in his throat as he cringed like a puppy with his tail between his legs when he turned around to face his mother.
Eglantine was horrified as her eyes widened seeing her son standing before her completely covered in dried mud from head to toe. "So that is were you gotten yourself off too. You were with Merry again playing by the riverbanks. Pippin, you know you are not supposed to go that far away from home without asking for permission. You missed elevence and noon luncheon and now look at you! What in the world were you thinking or not thinking, I should say! You wait until your father gets home!" Eglantine screamed at her son as she grabbed his ear and led him into the house.
Hilda Bracegirdle was sitting in the kitchen and looked disapproving towards the two who stood before her. Eglantine's face turned a scarlet red from being so mad and as well a embarrassed.
"Pippin you go to your room and take those filthy clothes off and I will be there in a few minutes." Eglantine said while trying to compose herself to return to speak to Hilda Bracegirdle.
"I am sorry for that Hilda, that boy finds more things to get into and it is never a dull moment around here. Anyway, I will be happy to help with making pies for the festival. Please give Gertie my sympathy and I hope she is feeling better very soon. Everyone will be greatly disappointed by not having her famous pies for the spring festival. However, I will do my best in making them as equally tasteful."
"I knew I could count on you, Eglantine and I greatly thank you on such a short notice. Poor Gertie was taken so fast by her illness. We just did not know what to do next? Paladine was going to judge the fastest eating pie contest, and not having any pies for this, I thought for sure we would have to cancel. Everyone who entered starved themselves so in hopes of wining this year's prize. Farmer Maggot is giving away one of his finest pigs to the winner. Are you sure you will be able to make twenty pies for this event?" Hilda Bracegirdle asked her.
"Why yes of course, my two girls are wonderful helpers around the kitchen and we will have fun making all those pies together and maybe Esmeralda will help also if I ask her?" Eglantine said.
Hilda gave Eglantine a big hug when she said her good-byes and went on her way. Eglantine took out the big bag of flour and placed it next to the table and suddenly remembered who was waiting for her in his bedroom.
"Pearl get the wash tub and place it by the fireplace, it seems we have an extra bath day for one naughty little boy." Eglantine said to her daughter as she passed her heading towards Pippin's bedroom.
Pearl and Pimpernel pushed and pulled the heavy metal washtub and placed it next to the fireplace. Pearl dipped a small bucket into the huge pot that was constantly boiling with water and began filling the washtub. Pimpernel got a larger bucket and added cool water to make the temperature of the water warm. Pearl got the soap and placed it next to the tub.
Pevinca wandered into the kitchen and seeing the big bag of flour leaning against the kitchen table, opened it and began sprinkling flour all over the floor and herself. She laughed with delight while she played in the flour.
The door of Pippin's bedroom open and the feeling of doom pounded in his heart. He was wrapped in a large towel sitting on his bed waiting for his mother to come in.
"Pippin the bath water is almost ready. You take those filthy clothes and place them by the tub. I will wash them for you when you have finished. I can not leave you home during the spring festival, but after completing a list of extra chores. I believe you will think twice before you go wandering off with out permission again. I think your father will have a few more words for you when he gets home later this afternoon. " Eglantine knew who was going to be gathering all the fresh berries for her pies and rolling all the pie dough.
Pippin gathered his clothes in his arms and leaving a big pile of dust covered clay all over his bedroom floor. He opened his bedroom door and headed towards the washtub.
Eglantine began sweeping the pile of dried clay from his bedroom floor and headed into the kitchen to wash Pippin's hair. She screeched in shock seeing Pevinca covered in flour from head to toe and all she could see is two tiny brown eyes in a big pile of flour on her once cleaned floors. She dusted her daughter off and knew who was going next into the tub. Eglantine handed her daughter to Pearl and told her to take her clothes off while she swept the flour from the floor. The bag of flour was now less than half full and she would need to purchase more.
Pippin finished washing himself and hurried to wrap the towel around himself and he ran back into his bedroom, leaving water prints that now mixed with the clay dust and flour spattered all over the floor. Eglantine turned around in shock seeing the horrifying scene of her floor covered in a filthy muddy paste. A wisp of hair fell to her brow and beads of sweat began to fall from her forehead as she struggle to finish sweeping the floor. She grabbed a bucket and filled it with some of the bath water. Finding a scrub brush, she handed it to Pippin as he came out of his bedroom.
Pearl was trying to hold on the towel that was wrapped around Pevinca as she giggled and wiggles trying to get free and run naked through out the house. Elgantine picked her daughter up and placed her in the tub. Pevinca screamed and cried as her mother tried to wash her hair. In her struggles to keep Pevinca in the wash tub, Pevinca slapped the water with her small hands sending water splashing everywhere, especially on her mother. Pearl dumped a bucket of water on top of Pevinca's head as her mother held to up to a standing position and quickly wrapped a towel around her. Eglantine's back ached with all the effort in trying to bath her 12 year old daughter and lifting her from the tub. She took her daughter into her bedroom to dress her and brush her hair.
"My gosh Pippin, look what you have caused our poor mother with all your mischief!" Pearl screamed at her brother.
Pippin hung his head in shame from Pearls sharp tongue. He worked all the harder to clean the floor until not a trace of dust or dirt could be found. It wasn't long before the floor looked as nice as it could possibly be.
Eglantine finished with Pevinca and turned to wash out the filthy clothes in the tub. Pippin was happy to grab the pins and place them on the clothesline.
Eglantine cleaned the wash tub and put it away. She cleaned herself up and told Pippin to take care of Pevinca, while her and her daughters went to the miller's to purchase some more flour. She told Pippin to start picking bags full of berries with Pevinca.
Pippin thought how in the world he was ever going to get his flowerpot home.
Chapter 2
It was a long journey for Pippin to make it to the river and well past noon luncheon. His stomach ached but the thought of giving his mother a flowerpot during the Spring festival was more important then the emptiness of his stomach.
Just as Pippin anticipated, it was turning out to be a very beautiful day. The sky was bright blue with huge fluffy white and gray clouds that almost dwarfed the ground. The trees were started to bud and blew gently in the early afternoon breeze. The birds were singing merrily as they gathered twigs and dried grasses for their nest.
Pippin followed the river's bank looking for the best way to get down to the water edge to begin gathering the clay that he needed. The river's bank rose and fell in many spots, but Pippin could see a small flat landing a few feet away. In the far distance he could see Buckland and he thought perhaps this was the spot Mrs. Brandybuck would gather her clay to make her pots she always sold at the Spring festivals. He longed to see Merry, but he knew if Merry were there, he would not get his work done in making this pot. Merry would have other ideas in how to fill the day.
Pippin waded into the muddy clay on the flat landing. The clay sucked in his feet almost to his ankle and he struggled pulling each foot out as he searched for the right spot to gather his clay. Bending down to his knees, he began digging handfuls of clay and putting it into his linen bag. After four or five handfuls, he squeezed the water from the clay, straining his small hands against the ruff bag. Water oozed from the bag from the pressure of his small hands as he worked the clay. Pippin's trouser and shirt were dripping with red watery clay. He climbed out of the flat landing and headed for an open area where the sun would dry the clay.
Opening his bag and seeing the clay was thick. Pippin began to take small handfuls out and began rubbing the clay between his fingers in making a long rope. He remembered the countless times he had watched Mrs. Brandybuck in making her pot from clay and began imitating her actions. He coiled the ropes of clay until he had the size he wanted. Pippin returned to the water's edge and began to soak his linen bag until it was as wet as it could possibly be. He returned to his clay pot and would ring out enough water to make his hands wet so he could smooth down the edges. His fingers ached as he worked the clay, rubbing the sides of it until it was completely smooth. When he thought he had gotten the pot smooth enough, he looked at his handy work. There was a ruff stop here and there and a small thin area, but all in all it was not too bad. It did not look quite like Mrs. Brandybuck's flowerpot, but it was the best that he could do.
Now it was up to the sun to make the clay hard and stiff. Pippin looked up into sky and saw the clouds were slowly drifting away to an open clear blue sky. This was exactly what he needed to dry his pot.
Pippin suddenly heard approaching voices and jerked his head around to see his father and Milo heading in his direction with their fishing poles in their hands. Pippin's heart beat rapidly in fear of being discovered away from home without permission. He had totally forgotten his father's announcement of going fishing this afternoon with Milo Burrows. It did not seem important at the time for him to pay much attention to it. Pippin got to his feet and made a mad dash to the riverbank to hide. His foot caught the thick mud, while the other slide from under him and Pippin was hurled forward face down in the thick watery clay. He quickly pulled himself from the mud and ducked behind the nearest edge of the riverbank, holding in breath.
Paladine and Milo walked pass a clay pot drying in the sun, and Paladine commented, "Mrs. Brandybuck must be making her flowerpots again, but I must say this is certainly not her one of best." Paladine laughed with Milo as they continued walking down the river's bank to find the best spot for fishing.
Pippin took a deep sigh of relief that he was not discovered. He peeked from his hiding spot to see Paladine and Milo off in a distance beginning to prepare their poles for catching their fish. He could not take the chance of washing himself off in the river in fear of making the slightest noise. He inched his way out from the riverbank and made a mad dash running almost all the way home.
By the time he got near his home, the clay began to stiffen around his legs, hands and arms. Pippin began to pick chunks of clay from his clothing and body. He made a plan of sneaking in through his bedroom window and get Pimpernel to bring him a basin of water to clean himself up with. After all she owned him a favor for doing her chores the other night as Estella Bolger came by to play. She had begged him so nicely.
Pippin choose his footsteps carefully as he tried to round the corner of his home. He took a breath to ease his rapidly beating heart when he saw his bedroom window.
"Peregrin Took!" screamed his mother who was now standing behind him.
Pippin jumped at least 3 inches in the air from being so startled by his mother scream. His heart was in his throat as he cringed like a puppy with his tail between his legs when he turned around to face his mother.
Eglantine was horrified as her eyes widened seeing her son standing before her completely covered in dried mud from head to toe. "So that is were you gotten yourself off too. You were with Merry again playing by the riverbanks. Pippin, you know you are not supposed to go that far away from home without asking for permission. You missed elevence and noon luncheon and now look at you! What in the world were you thinking or not thinking, I should say! You wait until your father gets home!" Eglantine screamed at her son as she grabbed his ear and led him into the house.
Hilda Bracegirdle was sitting in the kitchen and looked disapproving towards the two who stood before her. Eglantine's face turned a scarlet red from being so mad and as well a embarrassed.
"Pippin you go to your room and take those filthy clothes off and I will be there in a few minutes." Eglantine said while trying to compose herself to return to speak to Hilda Bracegirdle.
"I am sorry for that Hilda, that boy finds more things to get into and it is never a dull moment around here. Anyway, I will be happy to help with making pies for the festival. Please give Gertie my sympathy and I hope she is feeling better very soon. Everyone will be greatly disappointed by not having her famous pies for the spring festival. However, I will do my best in making them as equally tasteful."
"I knew I could count on you, Eglantine and I greatly thank you on such a short notice. Poor Gertie was taken so fast by her illness. We just did not know what to do next? Paladine was going to judge the fastest eating pie contest, and not having any pies for this, I thought for sure we would have to cancel. Everyone who entered starved themselves so in hopes of wining this year's prize. Farmer Maggot is giving away one of his finest pigs to the winner. Are you sure you will be able to make twenty pies for this event?" Hilda Bracegirdle asked her.
"Why yes of course, my two girls are wonderful helpers around the kitchen and we will have fun making all those pies together and maybe Esmeralda will help also if I ask her?" Eglantine said.
Hilda gave Eglantine a big hug when she said her good-byes and went on her way. Eglantine took out the big bag of flour and placed it next to the table and suddenly remembered who was waiting for her in his bedroom.
"Pearl get the wash tub and place it by the fireplace, it seems we have an extra bath day for one naughty little boy." Eglantine said to her daughter as she passed her heading towards Pippin's bedroom.
Pearl and Pimpernel pushed and pulled the heavy metal washtub and placed it next to the fireplace. Pearl dipped a small bucket into the huge pot that was constantly boiling with water and began filling the washtub. Pimpernel got a larger bucket and added cool water to make the temperature of the water warm. Pearl got the soap and placed it next to the tub.
Pevinca wandered into the kitchen and seeing the big bag of flour leaning against the kitchen table, opened it and began sprinkling flour all over the floor and herself. She laughed with delight while she played in the flour.
The door of Pippin's bedroom open and the feeling of doom pounded in his heart. He was wrapped in a large towel sitting on his bed waiting for his mother to come in.
"Pippin the bath water is almost ready. You take those filthy clothes and place them by the tub. I will wash them for you when you have finished. I can not leave you home during the spring festival, but after completing a list of extra chores. I believe you will think twice before you go wandering off with out permission again. I think your father will have a few more words for you when he gets home later this afternoon. " Eglantine knew who was going to be gathering all the fresh berries for her pies and rolling all the pie dough.
Pippin gathered his clothes in his arms and leaving a big pile of dust covered clay all over his bedroom floor. He opened his bedroom door and headed towards the washtub.
Eglantine began sweeping the pile of dried clay from his bedroom floor and headed into the kitchen to wash Pippin's hair. She screeched in shock seeing Pevinca covered in flour from head to toe and all she could see is two tiny brown eyes in a big pile of flour on her once cleaned floors. She dusted her daughter off and knew who was going next into the tub. Eglantine handed her daughter to Pearl and told her to take her clothes off while she swept the flour from the floor. The bag of flour was now less than half full and she would need to purchase more.
Pippin finished washing himself and hurried to wrap the towel around himself and he ran back into his bedroom, leaving water prints that now mixed with the clay dust and flour spattered all over the floor. Eglantine turned around in shock seeing the horrifying scene of her floor covered in a filthy muddy paste. A wisp of hair fell to her brow and beads of sweat began to fall from her forehead as she struggle to finish sweeping the floor. She grabbed a bucket and filled it with some of the bath water. Finding a scrub brush, she handed it to Pippin as he came out of his bedroom.
Pearl was trying to hold on the towel that was wrapped around Pevinca as she giggled and wiggles trying to get free and run naked through out the house. Elgantine picked her daughter up and placed her in the tub. Pevinca screamed and cried as her mother tried to wash her hair. In her struggles to keep Pevinca in the wash tub, Pevinca slapped the water with her small hands sending water splashing everywhere, especially on her mother. Pearl dumped a bucket of water on top of Pevinca's head as her mother held to up to a standing position and quickly wrapped a towel around her. Eglantine's back ached with all the effort in trying to bath her 12 year old daughter and lifting her from the tub. She took her daughter into her bedroom to dress her and brush her hair.
"My gosh Pippin, look what you have caused our poor mother with all your mischief!" Pearl screamed at her brother.
Pippin hung his head in shame from Pearls sharp tongue. He worked all the harder to clean the floor until not a trace of dust or dirt could be found. It wasn't long before the floor looked as nice as it could possibly be.
Eglantine finished with Pevinca and turned to wash out the filthy clothes in the tub. Pippin was happy to grab the pins and place them on the clothesline.
Eglantine cleaned the wash tub and put it away. She cleaned herself up and told Pippin to take care of Pevinca, while her and her daughters went to the miller's to purchase some more flour. She told Pippin to start picking bags full of berries with Pevinca.
Pippin thought how in the world he was ever going to get his flowerpot home.