Chapter 13
Don't Forget a Took
The three hobbits saw Sam with his back turned from them, a short distance away. Sam was digging a series of holes in a straight line from each other with his shovel. They could see that Sam struggled as he hit some rock underground and he tried to dig around it to take it out.
One of the hobbits held his finger up to the others and motioned to follow him. Slowly they crept upon Sam and just as they got close enough all three hobbits rushed upon him and seized him by his arms. The smaller hobbit grabbed Sam's legs knocking him down upon the ground.
Sam yelled out a curse as he fought to free his arms as he heard a snickering coming from the three. Sam was astonished at see it was Frodo and little Pippin. The other hobbit had to be Merry in which Pippin told him of.
"It's not funny, Mr. Frodo. Jumping on me without my knowing of it. You scared ten years of my life from me, I'll tell you!" shouted Sam back at them as they freed his hands and got back up on his feet. The three were still laughing as they tried to apologize to him.
"I am sorry, Sam. I only meant to surprise you is all," said Frodo.
"That you did!" retorted Sam back at Frodo.
"Sam, this is Merry Brandybuck and I think you have all ready met his cousin, Pippin," Frodo said as he introduced the hobbits standing next to him.
"I would naturally say it is a pleasure, but until my heart slows a beat, I'll save that for later," commented Sam.
"Frodo and Pippin has told me a lot about you Samwise. So it is a pleasure to met you after all," Merry told him.
"Bilbo asked me to see you this evening. Pippin told them how you had helped him from those bullies and we would like to invite you to come with us tomorrow morning when we leave to Buckland for a few days. Would you like to join us, Sam?" asked Frodo.
"Normally I would. I would love to see Buckland and I have longed to visit there someday. But seeing how I have all this work to do. There won't be no escaping it," Sam told them.
Frodo looked around Bagshot Row taking in all the things that Sam had done. Frodo was very impressed at what he saw as the landscape was free of its clutter and trimmed to its perfection.
"Well if you can not come with us maybe we can still have somewhat of an adventure here at Bagshot Row," Frodo said as he pointed towards the pond area.
"I don't want to go down there again," stated Pippin after what he experienced the other day.
"Come Pip, no one will hurt you, not with us besides you," Merry told him.
"It's you all being around me that is concerning," said Pippin. "When I least expect it, I find myself standing alone."
Merry smacked Pippin on the back of his head, "Come cousin or you'll be left behind again."
Sam hesitated for a moment as he watched them take off running. Sam put down his shovel and shrugged his shoulders as he took off after them.
Walking through the thick patch of tall bush and trees, the four hobbits decided to build a small fire as the sun lowered in the horizon. Frodo began telling a scary story that he borrowed from his uncle Bilbo. Pippin yawned and laid down next to Merry as he listened to Frodo's story. Sam had already heard the story and whenever Frodo paused, Sam would finish the line. When he finished Merry began telling them the old folklore of the old Forest.
This had scared Merry many times as a younger lad and he knew this tale would put the fear in them as well.
"The old Folk of Buckland say that in the beginning of time, elves took care of the Forest on the boarders of Buckland. The elves cast a spell on the trees that they cared for and made them all grow tall and come alive. The trees would whisper and talk among each other and even move. They are called tree herders, shepherds of the forest. As time past, the tree herders became angry with anyone who entered their forest. So angry that they would kill anyone who entered!" Merry began to tell them.
Sam's eyes widen as he listened to the beginning of the story and thought about what Merry was telling him. "Your making that up?" Sam asked as he paused for a moment then asked, "Aren't you?"
Sam looked up into the darken trees that shadowed around them and he pulled his collar close up around his neck to prevent the goose bumps that was slowly chilling his neck and making the ends of his hair stand up on their own.
"No I am not! The old folks warned the Bucklanders' never to go near the old Forest. They have sealed its boarder so no hobbit can accidental walk into them. For they would never walk out again alive," said Merry.
"Is it true Mr. Frodo? Is that what the old folks say about the Old Forest?" Sam asked.
Frodo slowly glanced at Merry and gave him a half of a smile for scaring Sam out of his wits, "That is what I was told as a lad growing up in Buckland."
Merry quickly looked at Pippin in fear that he too had frightened him as much as it did Sam. But Pippin was asleep next to Merry on the ground. Merry elbowed Pippin to wake him up. Pippin jerked his head up and with sleepy eyes said, "Is it time to go home now?"
"No, Pip! You're missing all the stories by falling asleep," Merry teased him.
Pippin stood up to stretch his arms and as he did he noticed two hobbits behind the bush watching them. Pippin yelled at Merry, "Those are the ones who hit my stomach, yesterday!"
"Come lads! Let's go get them and teach them a lesson. No one hits a Took or a Brandybuck and walks away without being touched," Merry said as he tried to run after the two hobbits.
Sam grabbed his arm and held him back saying, "Don't be going looking for trouble, until trouble is at your door. That is something that the Gaffer has always said to me and its worth listen to Master Merry."
Merry pulled his arm out of Sam's hold of him and said, "If you don't stand up for yourself, those bullies will always come after ya until you show your not afraid of them anymore. You coming Frodo or has your Buckland blood turn coats."
Frodo new better than to go chasing the two bullies and knew only trouble would come of it, but he knew Merry would need some looking after. So he ran off after Merry to make sure he would be all right.
Sam thought to himself that it was true, the Bucklanders are a queer bred, as the Gaffer and other town folk often told him. Reluctantly, Sam followed Frodo.
The two bullies where a good strides ahead of the four that chased them. They spread out amongst each other as they dodged thick bushes and groups of trees.
Lotho was a length a head of Ted Sandyman as they ran. While running, they notice the ground getting a bit softer under their feet. Ted suddenly fell and soon realized that he was sinking into a bog and he began yelling for Lotho to save him.
Lotho stopped for a moment and noticed Ted stuck in the thick sand that kept pulling him downward as he fought to free himself.
"Lotho, help me! I can not get out!" Ted screamed louder.
Lotho took a couple of steps towards Ted, but heard Merry shouting a short distance away. "Another time perhaps!" and he turned and ran away leaving Ted in the bog.
"Lotho, you coward, come back here and help me!" Ted screamed again. But Lotho kept running and did not look back.
Frodo was the first to come upon Ted sinking in the sand as his shoulders just entered under the thick sand.
Ted looked up at him with wild eyes and begged Frodo to save him.
"Don't move! I will get you out. Sam over here! Help us!" Frodo yelled.
Frodo turned as Ted began to sink further into the sand. Frodo grabbed a low hanging tree branch and dove in to pull Ted from the sand.
Ted in fear of his life, fought against Frodo to take the branch in his own hand away from Frodo to climb out. Frodo kept trying to calm him down, but Ted did not listen. Ted pulling himself out and just as his feet came out of the sand the tree branch broke off.
Ted could hear Sam fast approaching as he yelled again for Frodo to answer him. Ted panicked and ran off away from Frodo leaving him to fend for himself.
Frodo began sinking fast into the bog, but he tried hard not to fight against it. Sam came barreling through the thick bush and stopped abruptly directly in front of Frodo as he fought to keep his chin above the fast sinking sand.
"I'm coming Mr. Frodo! I'll get you out, hold on!" Sam shouted. But Frodo's head quickly slipped under the sand. "Frodo!" shouted Sam as he dove in headfirst into the sand and grabbed Frodo around his arms. Merry came up behind Sam and grabbed his feet as he too was being pulled into the bog. Merry pulled with all of his strength and Pippin grabbed Sam's other foot. Pulling, they suddenly saw Frodo's head popped up out of the bog and Sam soon followed. Pippin let go of Sam's foot and grabbed the tree branch. He held it out to Frodo to grab. Merry took hold of Sam's tailcoat as he pulled Sam out of the Bog. Sam would not let go of Frodo and as soon as he got on a harder surface. Sam pulled Frodo out.
They both were coughing and spiting out mouthfuls of sand as they both laid on the ground next to each other. Sam turned to Frodo and said, "Your Sam got you out Mr. Frodo. Your safe now!" Sam fell back exhausted and relieved that he was safe.
"Thank you Sam. You are a true friend," said Frodo.
"Hey! What about me. I pulled Sam out!" snapped Merry.
"Thank you also, Merry. I knew a true Bucklander would not let me down." Frodo commented to Merry who now smiled back at Frodo.
"I too helped! Let's not forget about a Took!" Pippin commented crossing his arms and feeling very left out of the group.
Frodo smiled at Pippin and patted him on the back, "How could anyone forget about a Took! Thank you also Pippin. I am proud of you also!"
"Let's get you back to Bag End. Come Mr. Frodo." Sam said as he helped Frodo stand.
Don't Forget a Took
The three hobbits saw Sam with his back turned from them, a short distance away. Sam was digging a series of holes in a straight line from each other with his shovel. They could see that Sam struggled as he hit some rock underground and he tried to dig around it to take it out.
One of the hobbits held his finger up to the others and motioned to follow him. Slowly they crept upon Sam and just as they got close enough all three hobbits rushed upon him and seized him by his arms. The smaller hobbit grabbed Sam's legs knocking him down upon the ground.
Sam yelled out a curse as he fought to free his arms as he heard a snickering coming from the three. Sam was astonished at see it was Frodo and little Pippin. The other hobbit had to be Merry in which Pippin told him of.
"It's not funny, Mr. Frodo. Jumping on me without my knowing of it. You scared ten years of my life from me, I'll tell you!" shouted Sam back at them as they freed his hands and got back up on his feet. The three were still laughing as they tried to apologize to him.
"I am sorry, Sam. I only meant to surprise you is all," said Frodo.
"That you did!" retorted Sam back at Frodo.
"Sam, this is Merry Brandybuck and I think you have all ready met his cousin, Pippin," Frodo said as he introduced the hobbits standing next to him.
"I would naturally say it is a pleasure, but until my heart slows a beat, I'll save that for later," commented Sam.
"Frodo and Pippin has told me a lot about you Samwise. So it is a pleasure to met you after all," Merry told him.
"Bilbo asked me to see you this evening. Pippin told them how you had helped him from those bullies and we would like to invite you to come with us tomorrow morning when we leave to Buckland for a few days. Would you like to join us, Sam?" asked Frodo.
"Normally I would. I would love to see Buckland and I have longed to visit there someday. But seeing how I have all this work to do. There won't be no escaping it," Sam told them.
Frodo looked around Bagshot Row taking in all the things that Sam had done. Frodo was very impressed at what he saw as the landscape was free of its clutter and trimmed to its perfection.
"Well if you can not come with us maybe we can still have somewhat of an adventure here at Bagshot Row," Frodo said as he pointed towards the pond area.
"I don't want to go down there again," stated Pippin after what he experienced the other day.
"Come Pip, no one will hurt you, not with us besides you," Merry told him.
"It's you all being around me that is concerning," said Pippin. "When I least expect it, I find myself standing alone."
Merry smacked Pippin on the back of his head, "Come cousin or you'll be left behind again."
Sam hesitated for a moment as he watched them take off running. Sam put down his shovel and shrugged his shoulders as he took off after them.
Walking through the thick patch of tall bush and trees, the four hobbits decided to build a small fire as the sun lowered in the horizon. Frodo began telling a scary story that he borrowed from his uncle Bilbo. Pippin yawned and laid down next to Merry as he listened to Frodo's story. Sam had already heard the story and whenever Frodo paused, Sam would finish the line. When he finished Merry began telling them the old folklore of the old Forest.
This had scared Merry many times as a younger lad and he knew this tale would put the fear in them as well.
"The old Folk of Buckland say that in the beginning of time, elves took care of the Forest on the boarders of Buckland. The elves cast a spell on the trees that they cared for and made them all grow tall and come alive. The trees would whisper and talk among each other and even move. They are called tree herders, shepherds of the forest. As time past, the tree herders became angry with anyone who entered their forest. So angry that they would kill anyone who entered!" Merry began to tell them.
Sam's eyes widen as he listened to the beginning of the story and thought about what Merry was telling him. "Your making that up?" Sam asked as he paused for a moment then asked, "Aren't you?"
Sam looked up into the darken trees that shadowed around them and he pulled his collar close up around his neck to prevent the goose bumps that was slowly chilling his neck and making the ends of his hair stand up on their own.
"No I am not! The old folks warned the Bucklanders' never to go near the old Forest. They have sealed its boarder so no hobbit can accidental walk into them. For they would never walk out again alive," said Merry.
"Is it true Mr. Frodo? Is that what the old folks say about the Old Forest?" Sam asked.
Frodo slowly glanced at Merry and gave him a half of a smile for scaring Sam out of his wits, "That is what I was told as a lad growing up in Buckland."
Merry quickly looked at Pippin in fear that he too had frightened him as much as it did Sam. But Pippin was asleep next to Merry on the ground. Merry elbowed Pippin to wake him up. Pippin jerked his head up and with sleepy eyes said, "Is it time to go home now?"
"No, Pip! You're missing all the stories by falling asleep," Merry teased him.
Pippin stood up to stretch his arms and as he did he noticed two hobbits behind the bush watching them. Pippin yelled at Merry, "Those are the ones who hit my stomach, yesterday!"
"Come lads! Let's go get them and teach them a lesson. No one hits a Took or a Brandybuck and walks away without being touched," Merry said as he tried to run after the two hobbits.
Sam grabbed his arm and held him back saying, "Don't be going looking for trouble, until trouble is at your door. That is something that the Gaffer has always said to me and its worth listen to Master Merry."
Merry pulled his arm out of Sam's hold of him and said, "If you don't stand up for yourself, those bullies will always come after ya until you show your not afraid of them anymore. You coming Frodo or has your Buckland blood turn coats."
Frodo new better than to go chasing the two bullies and knew only trouble would come of it, but he knew Merry would need some looking after. So he ran off after Merry to make sure he would be all right.
Sam thought to himself that it was true, the Bucklanders are a queer bred, as the Gaffer and other town folk often told him. Reluctantly, Sam followed Frodo.
The two bullies where a good strides ahead of the four that chased them. They spread out amongst each other as they dodged thick bushes and groups of trees.
Lotho was a length a head of Ted Sandyman as they ran. While running, they notice the ground getting a bit softer under their feet. Ted suddenly fell and soon realized that he was sinking into a bog and he began yelling for Lotho to save him.
Lotho stopped for a moment and noticed Ted stuck in the thick sand that kept pulling him downward as he fought to free himself.
"Lotho, help me! I can not get out!" Ted screamed louder.
Lotho took a couple of steps towards Ted, but heard Merry shouting a short distance away. "Another time perhaps!" and he turned and ran away leaving Ted in the bog.
"Lotho, you coward, come back here and help me!" Ted screamed again. But Lotho kept running and did not look back.
Frodo was the first to come upon Ted sinking in the sand as his shoulders just entered under the thick sand.
Ted looked up at him with wild eyes and begged Frodo to save him.
"Don't move! I will get you out. Sam over here! Help us!" Frodo yelled.
Frodo turned as Ted began to sink further into the sand. Frodo grabbed a low hanging tree branch and dove in to pull Ted from the sand.
Ted in fear of his life, fought against Frodo to take the branch in his own hand away from Frodo to climb out. Frodo kept trying to calm him down, but Ted did not listen. Ted pulling himself out and just as his feet came out of the sand the tree branch broke off.
Ted could hear Sam fast approaching as he yelled again for Frodo to answer him. Ted panicked and ran off away from Frodo leaving him to fend for himself.
Frodo began sinking fast into the bog, but he tried hard not to fight against it. Sam came barreling through the thick bush and stopped abruptly directly in front of Frodo as he fought to keep his chin above the fast sinking sand.
"I'm coming Mr. Frodo! I'll get you out, hold on!" Sam shouted. But Frodo's head quickly slipped under the sand. "Frodo!" shouted Sam as he dove in headfirst into the sand and grabbed Frodo around his arms. Merry came up behind Sam and grabbed his feet as he too was being pulled into the bog. Merry pulled with all of his strength and Pippin grabbed Sam's other foot. Pulling, they suddenly saw Frodo's head popped up out of the bog and Sam soon followed. Pippin let go of Sam's foot and grabbed the tree branch. He held it out to Frodo to grab. Merry took hold of Sam's tailcoat as he pulled Sam out of the Bog. Sam would not let go of Frodo and as soon as he got on a harder surface. Sam pulled Frodo out.
They both were coughing and spiting out mouthfuls of sand as they both laid on the ground next to each other. Sam turned to Frodo and said, "Your Sam got you out Mr. Frodo. Your safe now!" Sam fell back exhausted and relieved that he was safe.
"Thank you Sam. You are a true friend," said Frodo.
"Hey! What about me. I pulled Sam out!" snapped Merry.
"Thank you also, Merry. I knew a true Bucklander would not let me down." Frodo commented to Merry who now smiled back at Frodo.
"I too helped! Let's not forget about a Took!" Pippin commented crossing his arms and feeling very left out of the group.
Frodo smiled at Pippin and patted him on the back, "How could anyone forget about a Took! Thank you also Pippin. I am proud of you also!"
"Let's get you back to Bag End. Come Mr. Frodo." Sam said as he helped Frodo stand.