A/N: Sam finds Wee Billy and to his horror the poor pony is very ill. His
older brother reminds everyone that it is Sam fault again, and Sam believes
that Rosie will hate him forever.
Special thanks to Amelia Rose for getting the cobwebs of writers block gone and for her wonderful writing of her stories that inspired me to write this story about Sam. Got to love that hobbit! Although I wish I could write as well as she can...MC
Chapter 3
Endless Night Walk
The sun slowly sank in the western sky and the thick clouds began to roll in from the horizon that cooled the warmth of the day. The chestnut trees began to leave a long casting shadow that seemed to point back towards Bagshot Row.
Mrs. Gamgee straightened her aching back from being bent over for hours picking the fresh ripen strawberries. Her basket was completely full and she looked around to see how her girls faired in their efforts. The girls laughed and giggled as they told each other little secrets of who they thought had the biggest crush on Rosie. They thought their brothers were silly in how much attention and compliments they gave her. May thought it was romantic and she wondered if boys would lavish such outrageous actions towards her someday.
"Don't be silly, May. Their words were empty praises. They were just out doing each other to see who could win Rosie's heart. I just hope she is smart enough to see through all of that. I want only the hobbit of my dreams to tell those kinds of words. The kind of words that would make you fall madly in love with each other." Daisy told her.
Mrs. Gamgee noticed Halfred racing her way. Her heart skipped a beat thinking something has gone wrong. She waited as her son breathlessly told her what had just occurred.
"Girls, time to be heading home," their mother called out to them.
By the time the four hobbits reached Bagshot Row, The Gaffer was waiting in the kitchen. "I was wondering where everyone has gone off too," said the Gaffer.
"Rosie Cotton stopped by for a bit o' a visit and seems her pony had taken off. Hamson took your pony to search for it and I guess Sam has done the same. I'll get supper started as they should be back soon. A pony should not get too far." Mrs. Gamgee stated as she busied herself in the kitchen preparing their evening meal.
~*~
Sam did not have to travel too far from Bagshot Row until he came upon what use to be the finest trimmed cornfield in the county to a field of rubble. Sam knew where he could find Wee Billy. He hastened his steps quickly trying to catch up to the wayward pony. But he still could not get a glimpse of him anywhere. Corn stalks lay in disarray and the fine tilled soil was torn up. "Oh, the Gaffer is going to have a few words to say about this, that is for sure," Sam said to himself as he ran following the path of destruction.
At the end of the row of fallen corn, Sam saw a dark shadow shape lying on the ground. His heart skipped their beats as he rushed to the poor pony's side. Wee Billy had eaten a belly full of green raw corn. "There now," Sam said to Wee Billy when he raised his head at Sam's approach.
Sam gently stroked the pony to calm him. "Look what you have gotten yourself into. Made yourself sick you have. Raw corn is not good on a pony's stomach. But of course you probably already know that now." Sam looked at Wee Billy and could clearly see the pony suffered from the bloat that began building up in the pony's stomach.
Sam remembered hearing the old folk talk about the cattle eating raw corn and all the warnings of their tales. Sam was not about to chance Wee Billy on getting any sicker. He knew he had to keep the horse moving to walk off the bloat. That was going to help him more than anything.
"Come, Wee Billy. You must get up now. It will do you no good just to lye there. D' ya know that Rosie is so worried about you. We must get you home. Up with you now," Sam pleaded with the pony as he pulled hard against his bridle to encourage him to stand. Sam pulled and pulled on the bridle. He poked and pleaded, trying everything he knew how to get the young pony on his feet. Finally Wee Billy got his feet under him and he stood.
The pony sputtered a long hacking cough and Sam waited for him to recover a bit before moving on. Sam lead the pony from the cornfield and carefully chosen a better path as not to tread over any more cornstalks. He knew that if the pony got wind of water, he would drink himself to death to ease the pain in its stomach. He would have to by pass the small creek that was just over the next bend. It would mean a longer walk home, but this is just what the pony needed.
Sam talked endlessly to Wee Billy on their walk home. He told him all about his life in Bagshot Row. All about Mr. Frodo and Bilbo, the gardens that he tended and of course, he talked about The Gaffer. Sam even stopped a moment in front of Wee Billy to apologize for not tying a proper knot. "I'll not forget that again, I assure you. My knots will be as good as the Ropers."
Sam knew that the walking was helping Wee Billy as they rounded well pass the creek and began heading on the other side of Bagshot Row. Road apples began to mark their trail and Sam knew this was a good sign that the pony would recover. However, the pony's stomach was still very bloated. Sam would put in hours just walking this night.
When Sam finally reached home, the sky was almost black. Hearing the approach of a pony they all raced outside to see who was coming. Rosie jumping into Sam's arms as she was so happy that he found Wee Billy. "Rosie, I am sorry to say that poor Wee Billy has eaten a belly full of green corn." "Say you now?" The Gaffer spoken up. "And how fares my fields?"
Sam shuffled his feet into the dirt and slowly met his father's eyes, "There's about a dozen or so rows knocked down."
"That was going to be our money crop through the winter months. It's too late in the season for replanting. Will be cutting silage in the mornin'."
"Since Wee Billy caused this trouble, I'll see if my father could share a portion of our crops," Rosie commented.
"Ya can't say fairer than that. I will talk it over with farmer Cotton when I see him," said the Gaffer.
The Gaffer walked around Wee Billy to get a closer look at him. "You know what you have to do now don't ya?" The Gaffer paused a moment while he looked over at Sam and sizing him up for the hard job ahead of him. "You got to keep him moving or he'll lye down and die. No water what so ever. A horse will drink it's self to death."
Rosie gasped thinking that her poor Wee Billy could die. "Oh, Sam. Please do not let anything happen to him." Rosie began to cry. "Here now, I will not let anything happen to Wee Billy. I am here to make sure of it. I'll walk him know matter how long it takes, Rosie," Sam told her.
"You could be up all night, boy. Do you realize that?" The Gaffer told him.
"I am ready to do what I need to do," said Sam.
"We can not help you none, boy. Cutting silage will take everyone here and them some to save what is left of the corn. I can hardly spare you as it is. You have a hard job a head of you and miles to walk this night," said the Gaffer.
"It is his fault anyway, Gaffer. He didn't tie the knot proper and that is what caused the pony to get away." Hamson told him.
"Is this true, boy?" asked the Gaffer.
"Yes, sir; it is true," Sam said has he lowered his head ashamed of himself, even more so with Rosie hearing that he was to blame. How was he ever going to face her again.
"Well I guess what you are about to do will be punishment enough and a long remembered reminder of tying a proper knot." The Gaffer added as he turned and headed into the house.
Mrs. Gamgee put an arm around Rosie and said, "You'll spend the night with my girls. Wait and see your Wee Billy will be fine in the morning. Our Sam will take good care of her for you."
Rosie threw her arms around Wee Billy's neck and hugged him. She walked by Sam and gently touched his arm. "Good night Sam, Thankee."
Sam walked Wee Billy to the corral and opened the gate. Taking the torch he placed it in the holder and began his circling of the corral keeping the pony walking. On and on throughout the night Sam walked endlessly. As the pain would hit Wee Billy hard, the pony tried to lye down, but Sam relentlessly pulled him onward. The pony coughed and coughed. For a time, Sam thought that poor Wee Billy would not make it. The pony's legs shook so much it could hardly make the motion of each step. Sam talked gently to the pony and stroked it long soft mane.
The hours clicked by one after another and Sam's feet and legs hurt with each step he took. His eyes were heavy with the need of sleep, but Sam's determination to see the horse through these rough hours and all the pain he was suffering kept Sam moving onward. He began telling Wee Billy all about Rosie, the day he met her. "You should have been there that day. What a grand party it was. The party tree grounds were full of hobbits. There were Bolgers, Bracegridles, Brownlocks and Boffins. There were Goodbodies, Proudfeets and of course Baggins and Gamgees. Yours truly to speak of."
"Blankets covered every which away. Every make of hobbit dish you could imagine. There were kegs tapped out by the score and every hobbit had a glass full. Well, I guess I should not be talking about ale, seeing how you can not have anythin' to drink. Beggin' your pardon and all."
"Then there came the Cottons and the most lovely maiden you could set your eyes upon, Rosie. I guess I fell in love with her from the moment I set eyes upon her. We were just babes at the time, but I'll never forget seeing her standing there. Lovely as a painted picture she was. I mean, She still is. She gets lovelier with each passing day, but of course seeing you're her pony. You already know that. I could never get my nerve up enough to tell her all these things I'm a telling you. I think she would laugh at me. Why would she ever want someone like me. I cannot seem to do anything right. I have got all thumbs for fingers, see look it here, here's proof," Sam held out his hand so the pony could see his fingers.
Then he continued, " and my tongue gets caught up in knots, even in the most common of talk. I am nothing to look at, that is for sure. Plain as daily bread." Sam paused there as he continued to walk he noticed with his long conversation, that Wee Billy began to relax some and his stomach began to reduce in size. Even a slight sparkle began to reappear in his eyes.
"Your feeling much better I can see. It won't be long and we can have ourselves a bit o' rest. We sure could use that about now. What say you, Wee Billy." Sam laughed as the pony seemed to understand what he was saying as it nodded its head.
"Look there, the sun is just cresting the sky. I think we can sit a spell. Twenty minutes will do us just fine," said Sam as he yawned and stretched out his arms. He walked over to a mount of hay and sat there for a moment. Wee Billy nudged his shoulder and Sam patted him gently on his neck. Before long Sam lye down on the hay and within seconds he was sound to sleep. ~*~
A clatter of pots and pans echoed in the kitchen as Mrs. Gamgee began making the morning coffee. The Gaffer walked into the kitchen and kissed his wife on her cheek. "I'll check on Sam and see how he fared last night."
"Wait, Gaffer. I'll go with you." Mrs. Gamgee said as she grabbed a small blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders. She followed her husband outside and down to the corral.
Mrs. Gamgee chuckled seeing Sam curled up in the hay sound to sleep. The Gaffer walked over to Wee Billy and seen that the pony had made a full recovery. He knew Sam must have walked the horse all night. He opened the water tank and let Wee Billy drink.
Mrs. Gamgee covered Sam with her blanket she had wrapped around her shoulders and smiled up at her husband. "Proud I am of our Sam. He has done good. A fine hobbit to be sure." The Gaffer told his wife. A tear broke the corner of her eyes hearing her husband's prideful words about his son. She only wished that Sam could have heard it. Not often enough The Gaffer would offered praise. A proud hobbit who stood by his beliefs. She circled her arms around him and hugged him tight.
Rosie soon joined the couple standing in the corral. Rosie delighted at seeing Wee Billy back to his old self. She too giggled as seeing Sam sound asleep in the hay.
"I'll have Hamson give you a ride back to your home. I am sure your family will be worried about you. It is best that you keep Wee Billy here for a day or so. He will need his rest to get his strength back. Tell your father I will speak to him when he comes to get the pony." The Gaffer told her.
"Thankee Gaffer for all your family has done to help me and my poor pony. I greatly appreciate that. Tell Sam for me Thankee also," said Rosie as she prepared to leave.
~*~
Sam woke up and found his family gone for the day. Cutting silage was a full day job. He also knew that Rosie had gone home also. He had wished he could of talked to her and begged her to forgive him for not tying Wee Billy properly to the fence. Sam was convinced that she must hate him by now. Maybe it is better that they do not speak to each other again. It would be less painful.
Special thanks to Amelia Rose for getting the cobwebs of writers block gone and for her wonderful writing of her stories that inspired me to write this story about Sam. Got to love that hobbit! Although I wish I could write as well as she can...MC
Chapter 3
Endless Night Walk
The sun slowly sank in the western sky and the thick clouds began to roll in from the horizon that cooled the warmth of the day. The chestnut trees began to leave a long casting shadow that seemed to point back towards Bagshot Row.
Mrs. Gamgee straightened her aching back from being bent over for hours picking the fresh ripen strawberries. Her basket was completely full and she looked around to see how her girls faired in their efforts. The girls laughed and giggled as they told each other little secrets of who they thought had the biggest crush on Rosie. They thought their brothers were silly in how much attention and compliments they gave her. May thought it was romantic and she wondered if boys would lavish such outrageous actions towards her someday.
"Don't be silly, May. Their words were empty praises. They were just out doing each other to see who could win Rosie's heart. I just hope she is smart enough to see through all of that. I want only the hobbit of my dreams to tell those kinds of words. The kind of words that would make you fall madly in love with each other." Daisy told her.
Mrs. Gamgee noticed Halfred racing her way. Her heart skipped a beat thinking something has gone wrong. She waited as her son breathlessly told her what had just occurred.
"Girls, time to be heading home," their mother called out to them.
By the time the four hobbits reached Bagshot Row, The Gaffer was waiting in the kitchen. "I was wondering where everyone has gone off too," said the Gaffer.
"Rosie Cotton stopped by for a bit o' a visit and seems her pony had taken off. Hamson took your pony to search for it and I guess Sam has done the same. I'll get supper started as they should be back soon. A pony should not get too far." Mrs. Gamgee stated as she busied herself in the kitchen preparing their evening meal.
~*~
Sam did not have to travel too far from Bagshot Row until he came upon what use to be the finest trimmed cornfield in the county to a field of rubble. Sam knew where he could find Wee Billy. He hastened his steps quickly trying to catch up to the wayward pony. But he still could not get a glimpse of him anywhere. Corn stalks lay in disarray and the fine tilled soil was torn up. "Oh, the Gaffer is going to have a few words to say about this, that is for sure," Sam said to himself as he ran following the path of destruction.
At the end of the row of fallen corn, Sam saw a dark shadow shape lying on the ground. His heart skipped their beats as he rushed to the poor pony's side. Wee Billy had eaten a belly full of green raw corn. "There now," Sam said to Wee Billy when he raised his head at Sam's approach.
Sam gently stroked the pony to calm him. "Look what you have gotten yourself into. Made yourself sick you have. Raw corn is not good on a pony's stomach. But of course you probably already know that now." Sam looked at Wee Billy and could clearly see the pony suffered from the bloat that began building up in the pony's stomach.
Sam remembered hearing the old folk talk about the cattle eating raw corn and all the warnings of their tales. Sam was not about to chance Wee Billy on getting any sicker. He knew he had to keep the horse moving to walk off the bloat. That was going to help him more than anything.
"Come, Wee Billy. You must get up now. It will do you no good just to lye there. D' ya know that Rosie is so worried about you. We must get you home. Up with you now," Sam pleaded with the pony as he pulled hard against his bridle to encourage him to stand. Sam pulled and pulled on the bridle. He poked and pleaded, trying everything he knew how to get the young pony on his feet. Finally Wee Billy got his feet under him and he stood.
The pony sputtered a long hacking cough and Sam waited for him to recover a bit before moving on. Sam lead the pony from the cornfield and carefully chosen a better path as not to tread over any more cornstalks. He knew that if the pony got wind of water, he would drink himself to death to ease the pain in its stomach. He would have to by pass the small creek that was just over the next bend. It would mean a longer walk home, but this is just what the pony needed.
Sam talked endlessly to Wee Billy on their walk home. He told him all about his life in Bagshot Row. All about Mr. Frodo and Bilbo, the gardens that he tended and of course, he talked about The Gaffer. Sam even stopped a moment in front of Wee Billy to apologize for not tying a proper knot. "I'll not forget that again, I assure you. My knots will be as good as the Ropers."
Sam knew that the walking was helping Wee Billy as they rounded well pass the creek and began heading on the other side of Bagshot Row. Road apples began to mark their trail and Sam knew this was a good sign that the pony would recover. However, the pony's stomach was still very bloated. Sam would put in hours just walking this night.
When Sam finally reached home, the sky was almost black. Hearing the approach of a pony they all raced outside to see who was coming. Rosie jumping into Sam's arms as she was so happy that he found Wee Billy. "Rosie, I am sorry to say that poor Wee Billy has eaten a belly full of green corn." "Say you now?" The Gaffer spoken up. "And how fares my fields?"
Sam shuffled his feet into the dirt and slowly met his father's eyes, "There's about a dozen or so rows knocked down."
"That was going to be our money crop through the winter months. It's too late in the season for replanting. Will be cutting silage in the mornin'."
"Since Wee Billy caused this trouble, I'll see if my father could share a portion of our crops," Rosie commented.
"Ya can't say fairer than that. I will talk it over with farmer Cotton when I see him," said the Gaffer.
The Gaffer walked around Wee Billy to get a closer look at him. "You know what you have to do now don't ya?" The Gaffer paused a moment while he looked over at Sam and sizing him up for the hard job ahead of him. "You got to keep him moving or he'll lye down and die. No water what so ever. A horse will drink it's self to death."
Rosie gasped thinking that her poor Wee Billy could die. "Oh, Sam. Please do not let anything happen to him." Rosie began to cry. "Here now, I will not let anything happen to Wee Billy. I am here to make sure of it. I'll walk him know matter how long it takes, Rosie," Sam told her.
"You could be up all night, boy. Do you realize that?" The Gaffer told him.
"I am ready to do what I need to do," said Sam.
"We can not help you none, boy. Cutting silage will take everyone here and them some to save what is left of the corn. I can hardly spare you as it is. You have a hard job a head of you and miles to walk this night," said the Gaffer.
"It is his fault anyway, Gaffer. He didn't tie the knot proper and that is what caused the pony to get away." Hamson told him.
"Is this true, boy?" asked the Gaffer.
"Yes, sir; it is true," Sam said has he lowered his head ashamed of himself, even more so with Rosie hearing that he was to blame. How was he ever going to face her again.
"Well I guess what you are about to do will be punishment enough and a long remembered reminder of tying a proper knot." The Gaffer added as he turned and headed into the house.
Mrs. Gamgee put an arm around Rosie and said, "You'll spend the night with my girls. Wait and see your Wee Billy will be fine in the morning. Our Sam will take good care of her for you."
Rosie threw her arms around Wee Billy's neck and hugged him. She walked by Sam and gently touched his arm. "Good night Sam, Thankee."
Sam walked Wee Billy to the corral and opened the gate. Taking the torch he placed it in the holder and began his circling of the corral keeping the pony walking. On and on throughout the night Sam walked endlessly. As the pain would hit Wee Billy hard, the pony tried to lye down, but Sam relentlessly pulled him onward. The pony coughed and coughed. For a time, Sam thought that poor Wee Billy would not make it. The pony's legs shook so much it could hardly make the motion of each step. Sam talked gently to the pony and stroked it long soft mane.
The hours clicked by one after another and Sam's feet and legs hurt with each step he took. His eyes were heavy with the need of sleep, but Sam's determination to see the horse through these rough hours and all the pain he was suffering kept Sam moving onward. He began telling Wee Billy all about Rosie, the day he met her. "You should have been there that day. What a grand party it was. The party tree grounds were full of hobbits. There were Bolgers, Bracegridles, Brownlocks and Boffins. There were Goodbodies, Proudfeets and of course Baggins and Gamgees. Yours truly to speak of."
"Blankets covered every which away. Every make of hobbit dish you could imagine. There were kegs tapped out by the score and every hobbit had a glass full. Well, I guess I should not be talking about ale, seeing how you can not have anythin' to drink. Beggin' your pardon and all."
"Then there came the Cottons and the most lovely maiden you could set your eyes upon, Rosie. I guess I fell in love with her from the moment I set eyes upon her. We were just babes at the time, but I'll never forget seeing her standing there. Lovely as a painted picture she was. I mean, She still is. She gets lovelier with each passing day, but of course seeing you're her pony. You already know that. I could never get my nerve up enough to tell her all these things I'm a telling you. I think she would laugh at me. Why would she ever want someone like me. I cannot seem to do anything right. I have got all thumbs for fingers, see look it here, here's proof," Sam held out his hand so the pony could see his fingers.
Then he continued, " and my tongue gets caught up in knots, even in the most common of talk. I am nothing to look at, that is for sure. Plain as daily bread." Sam paused there as he continued to walk he noticed with his long conversation, that Wee Billy began to relax some and his stomach began to reduce in size. Even a slight sparkle began to reappear in his eyes.
"Your feeling much better I can see. It won't be long and we can have ourselves a bit o' rest. We sure could use that about now. What say you, Wee Billy." Sam laughed as the pony seemed to understand what he was saying as it nodded its head.
"Look there, the sun is just cresting the sky. I think we can sit a spell. Twenty minutes will do us just fine," said Sam as he yawned and stretched out his arms. He walked over to a mount of hay and sat there for a moment. Wee Billy nudged his shoulder and Sam patted him gently on his neck. Before long Sam lye down on the hay and within seconds he was sound to sleep. ~*~
A clatter of pots and pans echoed in the kitchen as Mrs. Gamgee began making the morning coffee. The Gaffer walked into the kitchen and kissed his wife on her cheek. "I'll check on Sam and see how he fared last night."
"Wait, Gaffer. I'll go with you." Mrs. Gamgee said as she grabbed a small blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders. She followed her husband outside and down to the corral.
Mrs. Gamgee chuckled seeing Sam curled up in the hay sound to sleep. The Gaffer walked over to Wee Billy and seen that the pony had made a full recovery. He knew Sam must have walked the horse all night. He opened the water tank and let Wee Billy drink.
Mrs. Gamgee covered Sam with her blanket she had wrapped around her shoulders and smiled up at her husband. "Proud I am of our Sam. He has done good. A fine hobbit to be sure." The Gaffer told his wife. A tear broke the corner of her eyes hearing her husband's prideful words about his son. She only wished that Sam could have heard it. Not often enough The Gaffer would offered praise. A proud hobbit who stood by his beliefs. She circled her arms around him and hugged him tight.
Rosie soon joined the couple standing in the corral. Rosie delighted at seeing Wee Billy back to his old self. She too giggled as seeing Sam sound asleep in the hay.
"I'll have Hamson give you a ride back to your home. I am sure your family will be worried about you. It is best that you keep Wee Billy here for a day or so. He will need his rest to get his strength back. Tell your father I will speak to him when he comes to get the pony." The Gaffer told her.
"Thankee Gaffer for all your family has done to help me and my poor pony. I greatly appreciate that. Tell Sam for me Thankee also," said Rosie as she prepared to leave.
~*~
Sam woke up and found his family gone for the day. Cutting silage was a full day job. He also knew that Rosie had gone home also. He had wished he could of talked to her and begged her to forgive him for not tying Wee Billy properly to the fence. Sam was convinced that she must hate him by now. Maybe it is better that they do not speak to each other again. It would be less painful.