While they Walked
Chapter 5: History and Ale
"Boromir?" Said Pippin after many hours of silence. It was amiable silence, but it cannot be denied that silence of any kind will eventually become boring.
"Yes?"
"When did you say the stewards started ruling Gondor?"
"2050." Replied Boromir almost immediately. Pippin thought back to the very brief history lessons he had had at home.
"Frodo, what would 379 be?"
"What do you mean 'what would it be?'"
"In Boromir's time."
"Oh, that would be," Frodo screwed up his face in thought. "1979, I think."
"Tooks beat the stewards! We've been the ruling the Shire longer than you've been ruling Gondor!"
"Pippin! You know that wasn't the Tooks, the first Took Thain was in 740, before then it was the Brandybucks!"
"Oldbucks."
"Same thing." Pippin stuck his tongue out at Merry, while Boromir was, for the countless time, lost.
"Well Mr. Pippin, you've got a longer family history than I have."
"All the way back to the Gamwiches, am I correct?"
"That's what I was always told."
"Well Sam," said Frodo, "You and I can be from the families of little consequence." Sam raised an eyebrow at him, "Of littler consequence then." Pippin's stomach, at this moment in time, decided that it's plight was not widely known enough and let out an almighty rumble, echoed by Merry's and to his embarrassment, Boromir's.
"Well, it's only fair that our bellies should have a good conversation too." Said Merry jovially.
"Did you hear that Gandalf?" Pippin called forward. "It's the Long Winter all over again!"
"Aah yes, the Long Winter, when the rumbling of hobbit stomachs could be heard for miles around."
"I'm being serious Gandalf, We are in danger of dropping to the ground like flies on a cold autumn afternoon!"
"Who, Peregrin Took, said I wasn't being serious?" Pippin mumbled something under his breath, but very quietly so only Legolas chuckled.
"Is this the same winter that struck Rohan?" The hobbits didn't know, so Gandalf answered.
"It is. A terrible time, therefore one Peregrin would find suitable to make light of." Pippin glared at Gandalf's back, something he'd never do to the front half.
"Well, I think it's important to keep a smile on your face."
"We're with you Pippin! It won't do to keep a frown on your face all the time you're walking."
"You'll get a headache after a while for one thing."
"Pippin, I noticed you didn't have all the dates set firmly in your mind." Said Boromir, bringing the conversation back to more comprehensible topics.
"Well, history is not a strong point of us hobbits, we don't study it much, we've never found it important."
"Unless it was Fatty and Ruby kissing in the bushes outside the Green Dragon."
"Well, yes, there's that sort of history, but we don't go in for the general sort much."
"That's not quite true Mr. Pippin."
"Oh, how could I forget?"
"1070!" the hobbits chorused.
"What's that?" queried Boromir.
"Tobold plants the first Pipe-weed in the Southfarthing!" The hobbits answered as one. Boromir laughed so suddenly he began to cough. He, of course, was expecting something along the lines of a huge battle in which they triumphed over a great evil. He should have known better by now.
"Pipe-weed?"
"Aye, we'd lend you some, but we've got none for ourselves either."
"Yes, nobody seemed to have any, even at Rivendell."
"The elves of Rivendell aren't in the practice of smoking anything." Said Aragorn.
"Nor are the elves of Mirkwood." Joined Legolas.
"Well, you must be educated in the matter, it is a most respectable past time!"
"Aye, I'll drink to that!" said Gimli as he took a swig out of one of his waterskins. The hobbits immediately turned on him.
"You have drink? And you didn't tell us?" Gimli put his hands up.
"Calm down lads, it's just water." The hobbits seemed to sag in disappointment.
"What I wouldn't do for a half-pint from the Dragon."
"Or the Ivy Bush."
"Even the Floating Log would do!"
"Oh anything would do! Some of old Rory's home brewed even!"
"You quite certain of that Merry? I tried some of Rory's home brewed and it was barely recognisable as ale."
"You can keep all your taverns and Inns, I'd give the world for a good pint of the house brew at the White Star, can't beat it."
"No no no, you're getting it muddled with the Green Dragon, honestly, whenever you're up in Bywater you have to drop in."
"You come to Minas Tirith with me and I'll show you the best Inn in all the White City."
"But some visit us in the Shire and we'll show you the best Inn in all Middle-earth!"
"That is quite a claim my young friend."
"Not quite-so-young, he's ten years older than you remember."
"My old friend then." Corrected Boromir.
"Of course, something has to be said for daddy's brew."
"Are you thinking straight? That does not compare!"
"In taste, probably not, but it's twenty miles to the Green Dragon, but only twenty steps to the cellar."
"Yes, I suppose that has to count for something."
"Twenty miles? There's your fault, The White Star's three circles down and thirty houses on."
"Only twenty miles for half of us, it's walking distance for Sam and I."
"We're back to taste again."
"Well, we're going to have to work something out. As soon as we're done with the Ring, we'll meet you in Minas Tirith and we'll have a drink-"
"Or few."
"Yes, or few, at the Star, then you come home with us to the Dragon and we'll compare." Boromir eyed them all then shook each one by the hand.
"Very well, it's a deal."
Chapter 5: History and Ale
"Boromir?" Said Pippin after many hours of silence. It was amiable silence, but it cannot be denied that silence of any kind will eventually become boring.
"Yes?"
"When did you say the stewards started ruling Gondor?"
"2050." Replied Boromir almost immediately. Pippin thought back to the very brief history lessons he had had at home.
"Frodo, what would 379 be?"
"What do you mean 'what would it be?'"
"In Boromir's time."
"Oh, that would be," Frodo screwed up his face in thought. "1979, I think."
"Tooks beat the stewards! We've been the ruling the Shire longer than you've been ruling Gondor!"
"Pippin! You know that wasn't the Tooks, the first Took Thain was in 740, before then it was the Brandybucks!"
"Oldbucks."
"Same thing." Pippin stuck his tongue out at Merry, while Boromir was, for the countless time, lost.
"Well Mr. Pippin, you've got a longer family history than I have."
"All the way back to the Gamwiches, am I correct?"
"That's what I was always told."
"Well Sam," said Frodo, "You and I can be from the families of little consequence." Sam raised an eyebrow at him, "Of littler consequence then." Pippin's stomach, at this moment in time, decided that it's plight was not widely known enough and let out an almighty rumble, echoed by Merry's and to his embarrassment, Boromir's.
"Well, it's only fair that our bellies should have a good conversation too." Said Merry jovially.
"Did you hear that Gandalf?" Pippin called forward. "It's the Long Winter all over again!"
"Aah yes, the Long Winter, when the rumbling of hobbit stomachs could be heard for miles around."
"I'm being serious Gandalf, We are in danger of dropping to the ground like flies on a cold autumn afternoon!"
"Who, Peregrin Took, said I wasn't being serious?" Pippin mumbled something under his breath, but very quietly so only Legolas chuckled.
"Is this the same winter that struck Rohan?" The hobbits didn't know, so Gandalf answered.
"It is. A terrible time, therefore one Peregrin would find suitable to make light of." Pippin glared at Gandalf's back, something he'd never do to the front half.
"Well, I think it's important to keep a smile on your face."
"We're with you Pippin! It won't do to keep a frown on your face all the time you're walking."
"You'll get a headache after a while for one thing."
"Pippin, I noticed you didn't have all the dates set firmly in your mind." Said Boromir, bringing the conversation back to more comprehensible topics.
"Well, history is not a strong point of us hobbits, we don't study it much, we've never found it important."
"Unless it was Fatty and Ruby kissing in the bushes outside the Green Dragon."
"Well, yes, there's that sort of history, but we don't go in for the general sort much."
"That's not quite true Mr. Pippin."
"Oh, how could I forget?"
"1070!" the hobbits chorused.
"What's that?" queried Boromir.
"Tobold plants the first Pipe-weed in the Southfarthing!" The hobbits answered as one. Boromir laughed so suddenly he began to cough. He, of course, was expecting something along the lines of a huge battle in which they triumphed over a great evil. He should have known better by now.
"Pipe-weed?"
"Aye, we'd lend you some, but we've got none for ourselves either."
"Yes, nobody seemed to have any, even at Rivendell."
"The elves of Rivendell aren't in the practice of smoking anything." Said Aragorn.
"Nor are the elves of Mirkwood." Joined Legolas.
"Well, you must be educated in the matter, it is a most respectable past time!"
"Aye, I'll drink to that!" said Gimli as he took a swig out of one of his waterskins. The hobbits immediately turned on him.
"You have drink? And you didn't tell us?" Gimli put his hands up.
"Calm down lads, it's just water." The hobbits seemed to sag in disappointment.
"What I wouldn't do for a half-pint from the Dragon."
"Or the Ivy Bush."
"Even the Floating Log would do!"
"Oh anything would do! Some of old Rory's home brewed even!"
"You quite certain of that Merry? I tried some of Rory's home brewed and it was barely recognisable as ale."
"You can keep all your taverns and Inns, I'd give the world for a good pint of the house brew at the White Star, can't beat it."
"No no no, you're getting it muddled with the Green Dragon, honestly, whenever you're up in Bywater you have to drop in."
"You come to Minas Tirith with me and I'll show you the best Inn in all the White City."
"But some visit us in the Shire and we'll show you the best Inn in all Middle-earth!"
"That is quite a claim my young friend."
"Not quite-so-young, he's ten years older than you remember."
"My old friend then." Corrected Boromir.
"Of course, something has to be said for daddy's brew."
"Are you thinking straight? That does not compare!"
"In taste, probably not, but it's twenty miles to the Green Dragon, but only twenty steps to the cellar."
"Yes, I suppose that has to count for something."
"Twenty miles? There's your fault, The White Star's three circles down and thirty houses on."
"Only twenty miles for half of us, it's walking distance for Sam and I."
"We're back to taste again."
"Well, we're going to have to work something out. As soon as we're done with the Ring, we'll meet you in Minas Tirith and we'll have a drink-"
"Or few."
"Yes, or few, at the Star, then you come home with us to the Dragon and we'll compare." Boromir eyed them all then shook each one by the hand.
"Very well, it's a deal."