Childhood in The Shire
By: Kari (little took lassie3)
Chapter 5
Cousin Frodo wasn't there when I woke up. My cousin Merry was the one who told me the news. Surprisingly, I found someone I did not expect to be at the Great Smials that morning. Cindy. This is what happened:
I awoke at about six in the morning and found that I was the last one up. No one was in my room, so I walked down the hall and I found almost everyone in the dining room. But they were not eating breakfast, as I expected them to be doing. My father and Frodo were missing. In the dining room I discovered Cindy; she sat at the table, her face buried in her hands and sobbing uncontrollably, "I-I-I didn't kn-now where else to g-g-g-go! So I-I-I ca-ame here!"
"There, there, Honey, shhh," My mother soothed, taking the lass in her arms. I looked to Merry for some answer as to what was happening. He took me out of the room and in the hall he told me.
"Little Cindy showed up here just some twenty minutes ago. She was a mess-- crying and hysterical. She told us that she awoke about three in the morning, smelling smoke. She escaped out of the hole just in time--"
"But," I interrupted, "Where are her parents? Her sister?!"
"Pip," there was a long pause, "They're dead."
"Pippin!" my mother called me in the dining room. She ordered me to take Cindy to my room and make her feel at home, "And Pippin," she added, "try and be a gentleman."
I nodded and took Cindy by the hand, "This way, Cindy."
When we reached my room, Cindy sat on my bed and cried. I stood watching, wondering what I was supposed to do. How was I supposed to be a gentleman? After some ten minutes I decided I'd try to comfort her as Merry had done with me when I was upset. I sat beside her and placed my hand gently on her shoulder, "Are you alright?"
She wailed louder and I regretted my question. She threw her arms around me and though I could barely breathe I managed to tell her that everything was alright as nicely as I could, just as Merry would say it. But it wasn't very effective and the lass continued to cry and I felt my insides about to burst for she squeezed me harder.
Soon Merry and Sam entered the room and I pleaded for their help. Sam tried to cheer her up with a funny poem about a hobbit that tried to wear five hats at once, but it didn't help any. Merry tried what I had said earlier, but he must've said it differently because the lass stopped. I guess Merry had that special touch.
My mother called for Merry and Sam, and Cindy and I were left alone once more.
"Are you OK now?" I asked her.
"What do you think?"
"I'm just trying to be nice."
"…sorry," she said softly. She sniffed, "It's just I-I don't know what I'm going to do, you know? I've got nobody. Nobody. I'm an orphan. What's going to happen to me?"
"Well, you know what happened to Frodo when his mother and father died?"
"No."
"Bilbo adopted him, and he's doing alright."
"I don't want to be adopted!" she started to cry again.
"Oh, come on Cindy, don't cry. Crying doesn't solve anything." I seemed to have gotten her attention, I continued, "Crying won't bring your parents back. It won't bring your sister back either. It doesn't do anything but cause sorrow in the people around the person who is crying." I had to admit that I stole these words from my cousin Merry. He told me something similar to me when my pet mouse died when I was seven. The speech worked.
She sighed, "You're right," she paused, "Pippin?"
I hesitated slightly, "Yes?"
"Thank you."
"Your welcome."
Cindy was adopted by her aunt and uncle on her mother's side. I promised I would visit her as soon as possible, but the promise was a little forced. When the time came to see her again, I would only discover that I longed to know how the lass was doing.
I found out that her new life was a bit of depressing one. Her aunt and uncle already had twelve children of their own to worry about. They didn't have time for Cindy. My cousin Frodo wanted to adopt Cindy himself, but Frodo still a few years away from his coming of age. I wish he could, and I thought it was only right, for Frodo visited Cindy at least once a week to see how she was doing.
I think that Frodo really did intend to marry Cecelia, and it saddens me to think that Frodo has lost his parents and now his love. Not that I wanted him to get married and leave me, but he is my cousin and friend, and Cecelia did make him happy. In my opinion, Frodo is the bravest hobbit I had ever met. He had to survive so many tragedies in his life, but no matter what he had to face, the next day I would see him with that kind smile on his face. He was really something, and I admired him greatly.