"Merry, what is that?", asked the thirteen year old Pippin and hid behind a nearby bush.
Merry turned around and dropped his fishing rod.
He and Pip had decided to do a little trip to the Brandywine river to catch some fish.
He had convinced his smaller cousin to head east, because he knew a spot where the fish bit very well.
"Is that... a giant?", whispered Pippin and grabbed Merrys foot. "Come, hide! Quick!"
Merry hesitated for a moment, then he joined Pippin.
"That isn´t a giant, that´s a human."
"A human?", Pippin repeated amazed and stared at the huge figure that was crossing the river in a boat. "They are that tall?"
Merry smiled. "Haven´t you heard the old stories? The old Gaffer told you about them, don´t you remember?"
"He said they are twice as tall as he is.", said Pippin.
Merry giggled. "He´s tricked you. They are much bigger!"
"But, how can they be that tall? It can´t be healthy... imagine how much food they need to fill their stomachs!"
Merry grinned.
/
/
"I wonder what he´s doing here..", he said then.
"Do you think he´s a Robber?"
"No..."
"Or a Pirate?"
"A what???", Merry gave him a unmistakable look that said the he wasn´t the same opinion.
"He has a ship!", exclaimed Pippin.
"He has a small boat!", exclaimed Merry.
"But he could be a Pirate though!"
"Pippin, Pirates don´t travel the Brandywine River and they don´t come in a boat all on their own!"
"They do!"
"And why would he do that?"
"Because!"
"Because is no answer, Peregrin!"
"It is, M-e-r-i-a-d-o-c!"
/
/
"Good afternoon little masters!", interrupted a voice their discussion.
The two Hobbits froze.
"I´m surprised to meet two Halflings here..."
Merry turned around. Pippin dug his fingers in Merrys arm and stared with big eyes at the human.
Merry looked the man in the eyes.
"And what excactly are you doing here, Sir?", he asked.
The stranger smiled. He had long, brown hair, a thick beard and wore a travellers-cloak.
"I think, this is a very good spot for fishing, young gentlemen. I come from Bree."
"And you take the long journey to the Brandywine to catch a fish?"
"You also travelled a little bit, young Masters. Some people do that - even humans.", the man answered and smiled.
"Well, then...", said Merry. "This is also my favourite spot to catch some fish. And my young cousin here...," he looked at Pippin, who still clasped Merrys arm, "thought you are a Pirate."
The man laughed out loud.
Then he leaned down. "How old are you?"
"Th..thirteen.", answered Pippin.
"My Son is at your age - and he also loves stories about Pirates... wait a second.", the Man opened his backpack and handed Pippin a big book.
"This is a book, I had planned to sell in Bree, my Son doesn´t need it anymore, but I´ll give it to you. It tells about a famous Pirate and his legendary ship."
"A Pirate?", whispered Pippin
The man nodded. "You´ll like it."
"But... I can´t read."
"Then you have to find someone who´ll teach you."
Merry took the book and looked at the old leather-cover. It showed a golden picture of a Pirate ship. "This is too valuable, Sir."
"This old thing! Take it. Show your friend how to read and we´re even.", said the man and smiled.
Merry handed the book back to Pippin. "I will."
"Very good.", answered the man. Then he walked to his boat and returned with his fishing rod. "Have you caught a fish today?"
"Two!", answered Merry. "Good luck to you - and thank you!"
"You´re welcome, little Masters.", said the man and threw the fishing line into the water.
Merry turned around and dropped his fishing rod.
He and Pip had decided to do a little trip to the Brandywine river to catch some fish.
He had convinced his smaller cousin to head east, because he knew a spot where the fish bit very well.
"Is that... a giant?", whispered Pippin and grabbed Merrys foot. "Come, hide! Quick!"
Merry hesitated for a moment, then he joined Pippin.
"That isn´t a giant, that´s a human."
"A human?", Pippin repeated amazed and stared at the huge figure that was crossing the river in a boat. "They are that tall?"
Merry smiled. "Haven´t you heard the old stories? The old Gaffer told you about them, don´t you remember?"
"He said they are twice as tall as he is.", said Pippin.
Merry giggled. "He´s tricked you. They are much bigger!"
"But, how can they be that tall? It can´t be healthy... imagine how much food they need to fill their stomachs!"
Merry grinned.
/
/
"I wonder what he´s doing here..", he said then.
"Do you think he´s a Robber?"
"No..."
"Or a Pirate?"
"A what???", Merry gave him a unmistakable look that said the he wasn´t the same opinion.
"He has a ship!", exclaimed Pippin.
"He has a small boat!", exclaimed Merry.
"But he could be a Pirate though!"
"Pippin, Pirates don´t travel the Brandywine River and they don´t come in a boat all on their own!"
"They do!"
"And why would he do that?"
"Because!"
"Because is no answer, Peregrin!"
"It is, M-e-r-i-a-d-o-c!"
/
/
"Good afternoon little masters!", interrupted a voice their discussion.
The two Hobbits froze.
"I´m surprised to meet two Halflings here..."
Merry turned around. Pippin dug his fingers in Merrys arm and stared with big eyes at the human.
Merry looked the man in the eyes.
"And what excactly are you doing here, Sir?", he asked.
The stranger smiled. He had long, brown hair, a thick beard and wore a travellers-cloak.
"I think, this is a very good spot for fishing, young gentlemen. I come from Bree."
"And you take the long journey to the Brandywine to catch a fish?"
"You also travelled a little bit, young Masters. Some people do that - even humans.", the man answered and smiled.
"Well, then...", said Merry. "This is also my favourite spot to catch some fish. And my young cousin here...," he looked at Pippin, who still clasped Merrys arm, "thought you are a Pirate."
The man laughed out loud.
Then he leaned down. "How old are you?"
"Th..thirteen.", answered Pippin.
"My Son is at your age - and he also loves stories about Pirates... wait a second.", the Man opened his backpack and handed Pippin a big book.
"This is a book, I had planned to sell in Bree, my Son doesn´t need it anymore, but I´ll give it to you. It tells about a famous Pirate and his legendary ship."
"A Pirate?", whispered Pippin
The man nodded. "You´ll like it."
"But... I can´t read."
"Then you have to find someone who´ll teach you."
Merry took the book and looked at the old leather-cover. It showed a golden picture of a Pirate ship. "This is too valuable, Sir."
"This old thing! Take it. Show your friend how to read and we´re even.", said the man and smiled.
Merry handed the book back to Pippin. "I will."
"Very good.", answered the man. Then he walked to his boat and returned with his fishing rod. "Have you caught a fish today?"
"Two!", answered Merry. "Good luck to you - and thank you!"
"You´re welcome, little Masters.", said the man and threw the fishing line into the water.