Chapter Two: The Hildigrim Fiddle
Thank you so much for the reviews!! I'm glad I have readers!
Hai: Yay! First reviewer! Thanks for your kind words!
Lady Pyre: Samamama! LOL I'm glad you like this too! You need to update your Xmen story, and I miss you so much!
Loveofthering: I'm so glad you're reading my story! You are really the most awesomeist writer (if that's a word) and I'm so happy you like it so much! *jumps up and down*
PippinFinn: You like Pippin?? I couldn't tell... ;) Thanks!
~·· ··÷¦÷·· ·· ··· ··÷¦÷·· ·· ··· ··÷¦÷·· ··~
Pippin knelt down under his father and examined the dark box. The case was secured shut with big ruby-coloured buttons and the carrying handles were crafted out of laces of rough leather. Pippin curiously ran his fingers over the smooth case and gold letters that spelled out a name that Pippin vaguely remembered hearing about.
"Ah, here's a book that should keep your attention, Pippin," Paladin said and he realized his son was no longer standing at the closet doorway. He looked down and saw Pippin at his feet.
"Dada, what's this?" Pippin asked, oblivious to what his father just said. Paladin put the book back on the shelf, understanding that Pippin's mind was far away from books and reading. He was more interested on things what would keep him on his feet and keep him challenged.
"It was my grandfather's, your great-grandfather's." Paladin said and Pippin now knew whom that mystery name belonged to, "I'll tell you what. Tomorrow is my day off to stay at home and I will show you what is inside there. But for now, it is too late and you need to get to bed!" Paladin smiled and picked up Pippin and carried him over his shoulder. He flopped him on his small bed and Pippin giggled. He was glad he was still young enough for his father to carry him.
"Goodnight, Pip. Sweet dreams...and don't go sneaking out of your bed to go see what's inside. I know you better than you think!" Paladin said and he kissed Pippin on the forehead. And before he left his bedroom, Paladin smiled at his only son and left.
~·· ··÷¦÷·· ··~
The next morning, Paladin woke up in his large bed and smelled eggs in the air. His wife was missing beside him and he figured she was making breakfast in the kitchen. The sun was just barely up and he knew that he had slept in from his usual time ere sunrise. He woke up, staggering from the little hours he got to sleep. He slid his feet into his house slippers and went to say good morning to his beautiful wife.
She was busy with her husband and children's breakfast and wiped her hands on her apron. Paladin came up behind her and kissed her cheek. "Good morning, love," He whispered and she turned around to see her husband's bright face.
"Someone has been waiting for you to wake up," She said and he looked over to see Pippin's tiny body sprawled out, asleep on the couch, "He has been up, or was awake, for about an hour now."
Pippin's nap was light and he aroused when he heard his Da's voice. He sprung up and skipped to his side, "Da, can I see it now? Please, Da?"
Eglantine cocked an eyebrow, questioning her husband and he put a hand on her shoulder, "You will see," he whispered in her ear and he took Pippin's hand, "Yes, I will show you like I promised."
He opened the closet and took out the old case. The case was covered in dust, except for the places Pippin's fingers brushed over it. Paladin brought it over to the mahogany table and unbuttoned the case carefully. He pushed the case open and Pippin gasped at the marvelous beauty inside. Within the case lay a violin made from the purest chestnut wood, polished and untouched for many a year. The interior of the case was of indigo blue velvet and on the other side of the case lay a fiddle bow, slim and flawless.
Paladin took out the fiddle and unlocked the bow from the case. He tightened the bow-hairs and took out a little white box out from a compartment from above where the fiddle once sat. In the box was what looked like solid maple syrup of an amber tone.
"This fiddle was my grandfather's, Hildigrim's, like I told you. It came to my father's possession and then at the right age, it was passed down to me. I was much older than you when I received this, so if you want to learn how to play and show me that you are responsible enough, I will let you have the Hildigrim Took's fiddle," Paladin said and pure joy swept over Pippin's face.
"Yes! I want to learn, Da! O, thank you!" Pippin said excitedly and Paladin smiled.
"Well, you haven't gotten it yet and you should make sure you really want to learn how to play. It takes a long time to master any instrument, especially the fiddle." Paladin explained and he picked up the bow and the golden block, "This bow is very old and you need to be very careful with it. This is called rosin and before you play with your bow and fiddle, you rub this over the bow's horsehair. It gives the fiddle its subtle sound and it makes the bow glide over the strings smoother," Paladin explained and rubbed the rosin on like he said.
Then he set his bow aside and picked up the fiddle gingerly, "The most important piece of fiddle playing, of course, is the fiddle. Before you play, you need to make sure the strings are in tune. The pegs on the top change the pitch of the strings from flat to sharp. You need to be very, very careful when you do this. I will tune the instrument for you until you get good enough, or you might break the strings." Paladin plucked one of the four strings and it rang out with a crisp note. He turned one of the pegs on the scroll of the violin and as he plucked and turned, the string changed to the right note. He continued this with each of the strings.
"The shoulder rest is placed under the fiddle and I'll show you how to hold it properly," Paladin said and gave the fiddle to Pippin. Pippin picked it up cautiously, as if it was made of frail glass and set it on his shoulder in the most upright position. The fiddle was a bit large for his small stature, but he held it up the best he could.
"How do I look? Am I holding it right?" Pippin asked nervously and Paladin laughed. "Well, the fiddle goes on your left shoulder, Pip, but so far it looks great." Pippin smiled proudly and set the fiddle down.
"Dada, can I hear you play?" Pippin asked curiously and Paladin grinned and sighed.
"I suppose I could try but I haven't played in years. I shall be rusty at first, but I'll give it a go," Paladin said and he placed the fiddle on his left and held the bow with his right. He took a breath and in a second his fingers and bow were working together to create the most blithesome song Pippin had ever heard. His fingers were quick and nimble and his bow struck the strings with agility and skill.
The fiddle sang a wordless song and it rang out throughout the smial. Pearl, Pimpernel, and Pervinca came out sleepily to see their father mastering the fiddle so perfectly. Eglantine stood with her daughters and wiped her eyes as she remembered their youthful days together when he charmed her by playing just for her. Paladin heart lifted as he remembered the rush of playing the fiddle so fast and hearing his own notes play clearly in his ears. His fingers shifted from first position, to third, and then occasionally he would place his pinky on a harmonic. The strings played together and he broke into a shuffle in the middle of the song.
Finally, Paladin stroked the last note on the string with his bow and set the fiddle back down. Eglantine and his daughters came over, clapping and hugging their father.
"How come you've never played for us before, Da?" Pimpernel asked as she kissed him on the cheek.
" I have been busy and sadly, the bliss of playing music has slipped from my mind," Paladin said and he turned to Pippin's eager face, "Now, how about we start on your lessons?" Pippin nodded and his face shone with admiration for his father.
"But let us hear another song first!"
After Paladin played another song for his family, Pippin was handed the fiddle to get the feel of it. Paladin instructed him how to hold the fiddle up and where to place his fingers on the bow. When he had got that down, he placed the bow to the farthest string on the right and let out a scratchy, unstable note.
"Don't be disappointed, Pippin. You're just a beginner," said Paladin as he saw Pippin wince at the own sound he played. "If you practice at least everyday, you will become a better fiddle player than I," And with that, Pippin shook his head with an unsure look.
"Da, I could never match you," Pippin said, "I bet you're the best fiddler in the Shire."
Paladin laughed, "Highly doubtful, Pip, but you will become good, I know it. Your long fingers are made for the fiddle."
~*~
Over a week's time, Paladin was Pippin's teacher and taught him the basics. He found his old fiddle book with many sheets of music, and to Pippin the notes looked like a foreign language. Paladin made him learn and memorize the parts of the fiddle and the names of the notes. Pippin found this hard and slightly boring but he wanted to become a great player like his Da. So he would set aside time to study the notes and memorize what notes went to what places on the right string. At times, Pippin got impatient and was ready to learn fast songs and such but Paladin kept him to the beginner's level.
Everyday he practiced with his father or by himself. His sisters became sick of his repetitive songs at first, but they stopped complaining as they noticed him improving. Slowly, his songs became more difficult and faster as he practiced his fiddle in his room. The fiddle's crisp melody was heard throughout the smial and some days, passerbys would stop to listen to the mysterious sound, not knowing it came from a very gifted eight-year-old hobbit.
One passerby stopped and came up to the Took's hobbit-hole, knocked, and Eglantine let him in. He opened Pippin's door and saw him standing up, back faced towards him, playing Hildigrim's old fiddle. When he had stopped, the hobbit clapped and Pippin turned around.
"Merry!" He said and almost dropped him fiddle, "How long have you been standing there??!"
"Long enough to hear how well you play!" Merry said and gasped, "Pippin, how come you've never told me you were so good?"
"I only just started, about two or three months ago or so," Pippin blushed and he set the fiddle down.
"Well, I've come to return Butterstone. I feel like a fool for keeping her so long in my possession, but I need to be going now. Tell Mr. Took I'm forever sorry," Merry said and saw Pippin frown, "Don't worry, Pip, I'll be back soon and keep fiddling for me!"
~·· ··÷¦÷·· ··~
Ok, end of chapter 2! Thanks again for the reviews, I'm so happy! Chapter 3 will be up soon I hope and in that chapter, about two years will pass. I wish I could tell you what each chapter is about at the end of each one, but I always seem to change things. I might have Sam in the next chapter, whee!
Thank you so much for the reviews!! I'm glad I have readers!
Hai: Yay! First reviewer! Thanks for your kind words!
Lady Pyre: Samamama! LOL I'm glad you like this too! You need to update your Xmen story, and I miss you so much!
Loveofthering: I'm so glad you're reading my story! You are really the most awesomeist writer (if that's a word) and I'm so happy you like it so much! *jumps up and down*
PippinFinn: You like Pippin?? I couldn't tell... ;) Thanks!
~·· ··÷¦÷·· ·· ··· ··÷¦÷·· ·· ··· ··÷¦÷·· ··~
Pippin knelt down under his father and examined the dark box. The case was secured shut with big ruby-coloured buttons and the carrying handles were crafted out of laces of rough leather. Pippin curiously ran his fingers over the smooth case and gold letters that spelled out a name that Pippin vaguely remembered hearing about.
"Ah, here's a book that should keep your attention, Pippin," Paladin said and he realized his son was no longer standing at the closet doorway. He looked down and saw Pippin at his feet.
"Dada, what's this?" Pippin asked, oblivious to what his father just said. Paladin put the book back on the shelf, understanding that Pippin's mind was far away from books and reading. He was more interested on things what would keep him on his feet and keep him challenged.
"It was my grandfather's, your great-grandfather's." Paladin said and Pippin now knew whom that mystery name belonged to, "I'll tell you what. Tomorrow is my day off to stay at home and I will show you what is inside there. But for now, it is too late and you need to get to bed!" Paladin smiled and picked up Pippin and carried him over his shoulder. He flopped him on his small bed and Pippin giggled. He was glad he was still young enough for his father to carry him.
"Goodnight, Pip. Sweet dreams...and don't go sneaking out of your bed to go see what's inside. I know you better than you think!" Paladin said and he kissed Pippin on the forehead. And before he left his bedroom, Paladin smiled at his only son and left.
~·· ··÷¦÷·· ··~
The next morning, Paladin woke up in his large bed and smelled eggs in the air. His wife was missing beside him and he figured she was making breakfast in the kitchen. The sun was just barely up and he knew that he had slept in from his usual time ere sunrise. He woke up, staggering from the little hours he got to sleep. He slid his feet into his house slippers and went to say good morning to his beautiful wife.
She was busy with her husband and children's breakfast and wiped her hands on her apron. Paladin came up behind her and kissed her cheek. "Good morning, love," He whispered and she turned around to see her husband's bright face.
"Someone has been waiting for you to wake up," She said and he looked over to see Pippin's tiny body sprawled out, asleep on the couch, "He has been up, or was awake, for about an hour now."
Pippin's nap was light and he aroused when he heard his Da's voice. He sprung up and skipped to his side, "Da, can I see it now? Please, Da?"
Eglantine cocked an eyebrow, questioning her husband and he put a hand on her shoulder, "You will see," he whispered in her ear and he took Pippin's hand, "Yes, I will show you like I promised."
He opened the closet and took out the old case. The case was covered in dust, except for the places Pippin's fingers brushed over it. Paladin brought it over to the mahogany table and unbuttoned the case carefully. He pushed the case open and Pippin gasped at the marvelous beauty inside. Within the case lay a violin made from the purest chestnut wood, polished and untouched for many a year. The interior of the case was of indigo blue velvet and on the other side of the case lay a fiddle bow, slim and flawless.
Paladin took out the fiddle and unlocked the bow from the case. He tightened the bow-hairs and took out a little white box out from a compartment from above where the fiddle once sat. In the box was what looked like solid maple syrup of an amber tone.
"This fiddle was my grandfather's, Hildigrim's, like I told you. It came to my father's possession and then at the right age, it was passed down to me. I was much older than you when I received this, so if you want to learn how to play and show me that you are responsible enough, I will let you have the Hildigrim Took's fiddle," Paladin said and pure joy swept over Pippin's face.
"Yes! I want to learn, Da! O, thank you!" Pippin said excitedly and Paladin smiled.
"Well, you haven't gotten it yet and you should make sure you really want to learn how to play. It takes a long time to master any instrument, especially the fiddle." Paladin explained and he picked up the bow and the golden block, "This bow is very old and you need to be very careful with it. This is called rosin and before you play with your bow and fiddle, you rub this over the bow's horsehair. It gives the fiddle its subtle sound and it makes the bow glide over the strings smoother," Paladin explained and rubbed the rosin on like he said.
Then he set his bow aside and picked up the fiddle gingerly, "The most important piece of fiddle playing, of course, is the fiddle. Before you play, you need to make sure the strings are in tune. The pegs on the top change the pitch of the strings from flat to sharp. You need to be very, very careful when you do this. I will tune the instrument for you until you get good enough, or you might break the strings." Paladin plucked one of the four strings and it rang out with a crisp note. He turned one of the pegs on the scroll of the violin and as he plucked and turned, the string changed to the right note. He continued this with each of the strings.
"The shoulder rest is placed under the fiddle and I'll show you how to hold it properly," Paladin said and gave the fiddle to Pippin. Pippin picked it up cautiously, as if it was made of frail glass and set it on his shoulder in the most upright position. The fiddle was a bit large for his small stature, but he held it up the best he could.
"How do I look? Am I holding it right?" Pippin asked nervously and Paladin laughed. "Well, the fiddle goes on your left shoulder, Pip, but so far it looks great." Pippin smiled proudly and set the fiddle down.
"Dada, can I hear you play?" Pippin asked curiously and Paladin grinned and sighed.
"I suppose I could try but I haven't played in years. I shall be rusty at first, but I'll give it a go," Paladin said and he placed the fiddle on his left and held the bow with his right. He took a breath and in a second his fingers and bow were working together to create the most blithesome song Pippin had ever heard. His fingers were quick and nimble and his bow struck the strings with agility and skill.
The fiddle sang a wordless song and it rang out throughout the smial. Pearl, Pimpernel, and Pervinca came out sleepily to see their father mastering the fiddle so perfectly. Eglantine stood with her daughters and wiped her eyes as she remembered their youthful days together when he charmed her by playing just for her. Paladin heart lifted as he remembered the rush of playing the fiddle so fast and hearing his own notes play clearly in his ears. His fingers shifted from first position, to third, and then occasionally he would place his pinky on a harmonic. The strings played together and he broke into a shuffle in the middle of the song.
Finally, Paladin stroked the last note on the string with his bow and set the fiddle back down. Eglantine and his daughters came over, clapping and hugging their father.
"How come you've never played for us before, Da?" Pimpernel asked as she kissed him on the cheek.
" I have been busy and sadly, the bliss of playing music has slipped from my mind," Paladin said and he turned to Pippin's eager face, "Now, how about we start on your lessons?" Pippin nodded and his face shone with admiration for his father.
"But let us hear another song first!"
After Paladin played another song for his family, Pippin was handed the fiddle to get the feel of it. Paladin instructed him how to hold the fiddle up and where to place his fingers on the bow. When he had got that down, he placed the bow to the farthest string on the right and let out a scratchy, unstable note.
"Don't be disappointed, Pippin. You're just a beginner," said Paladin as he saw Pippin wince at the own sound he played. "If you practice at least everyday, you will become a better fiddle player than I," And with that, Pippin shook his head with an unsure look.
"Da, I could never match you," Pippin said, "I bet you're the best fiddler in the Shire."
Paladin laughed, "Highly doubtful, Pip, but you will become good, I know it. Your long fingers are made for the fiddle."
~*~
Over a week's time, Paladin was Pippin's teacher and taught him the basics. He found his old fiddle book with many sheets of music, and to Pippin the notes looked like a foreign language. Paladin made him learn and memorize the parts of the fiddle and the names of the notes. Pippin found this hard and slightly boring but he wanted to become a great player like his Da. So he would set aside time to study the notes and memorize what notes went to what places on the right string. At times, Pippin got impatient and was ready to learn fast songs and such but Paladin kept him to the beginner's level.
Everyday he practiced with his father or by himself. His sisters became sick of his repetitive songs at first, but they stopped complaining as they noticed him improving. Slowly, his songs became more difficult and faster as he practiced his fiddle in his room. The fiddle's crisp melody was heard throughout the smial and some days, passerbys would stop to listen to the mysterious sound, not knowing it came from a very gifted eight-year-old hobbit.
One passerby stopped and came up to the Took's hobbit-hole, knocked, and Eglantine let him in. He opened Pippin's door and saw him standing up, back faced towards him, playing Hildigrim's old fiddle. When he had stopped, the hobbit clapped and Pippin turned around.
"Merry!" He said and almost dropped him fiddle, "How long have you been standing there??!"
"Long enough to hear how well you play!" Merry said and gasped, "Pippin, how come you've never told me you were so good?"
"I only just started, about two or three months ago or so," Pippin blushed and he set the fiddle down.
"Well, I've come to return Butterstone. I feel like a fool for keeping her so long in my possession, but I need to be going now. Tell Mr. Took I'm forever sorry," Merry said and saw Pippin frown, "Don't worry, Pip, I'll be back soon and keep fiddling for me!"
~·· ··÷¦÷·· ··~
Ok, end of chapter 2! Thanks again for the reviews, I'm so happy! Chapter 3 will be up soon I hope and in that chapter, about two years will pass. I wish I could tell you what each chapter is about at the end of each one, but I always seem to change things. I might have Sam in the next chapter, whee!
