"Here to see Master Meriadoc I trust?"

"Yes, I wanted to see if Merry would come out and play with me

"Well, run along now, your cousin Meriadoc has to have his lessons. He has no time for childish games"

"Yes sir!" Pippin squeaked and sprinted in the opposite direction. I don't like that man he thought coming to his sisters room he is really mean, he won't let Merry come play with me, maybe Pim can come catch frogs with me. He knocked on the door

"Come in"

"Pim?"

"Oh hullo Pip, what do you want, I am in kind of a hurry."

"Can we go down by the river and look for frogs?"

"No, not today pippin, I really need to go to town and purchase some more linen for new dresses for Yule, maybe Pearl will take you"

"Ok" Pippin went outside, and tried the door next to Pim's.

"Yes Pippin?" His sister called

"Pearl, can we go look for frogs?"

"Pippin, its much too cold to go and look for frogs, plus I really need to keep decorating the house so it will look pretty for when all your aunts and uncles come to visit."

"Oh, ok"

"Go play with you toys in your room and try to stay out of everyone's way, alright?"

"Yes Pearl" Pippin, then tried the kitchen where his sister Pervinca was helping her mother cook lunch.

"Mummy, Pervinca, can we go look for frogs down by the stream?"

"Pippin hunny, it's too cold to go to the stream and look for frogs, there won't be any out at this time of year. Plus we are both very busy cooking, and after that we must clean the house so that it looks good for you aunts and uncles, why don't you go and play with your toys, or read a book?" His mother stopped stirring the pot full of stew for a second, and bending down to look at Pippin, she handed him a cookie, hoping that it would take his mind off of frogs.

"Alright mummy." Pippin was starting to feel depressed as he left the kitchen chewing on his cookie why won't anyone play with me? All I want to do is to go look at the frogs. He stopped before his father's office, and peeked his head inside the door. When his father didn't look up from his papers, he said quietly "Papa?"

"Pippin, my favorite son! How are you?"

"I am bored papa, can we go look for frogs?"

"Pippin, there are no frogs by the stream right now, it's much to cold for them." Pippin gave his father a look as he picked him up and set him on his lap What did he know, the frogs would still be there, they are always there!

Not seeing the evil eye his son was giving him Paladin continued, "Would you like to help your father work?"

Being the six year old that he was, helping his father out made him feel like he was a grown lad "Yes!"

"Ok, what you have to do is stick the paper in the envelope like this," Paladin folded over a letter and stuck it inside a heavy envelope "Ok, now you try." Pippin did just as his father did, and smiled at him "Very good!" Paladin beamed at his son, Pippin had always been a clever boy, even if he did use that cleverness to get into trouble most of the time! "You can do that same thing to all of these if you like."

"Ok!" The very enthusiastic Pippin hopped off his father's lap, then tried to grab the stack of papers to bring onto the floor with him, but the desk was a little to high for him to reach, the papers flew out of his hands, and right into...

"Peregrin! You knocked them all into the fire! Don't be so clumsy next time ok? Why don't you just go to your room and play with your toys."

"Yes papa" Now thoroughly depressed Pippin walked slowly back to his room I didn't mean to knock over all of those papers, they just flew out of my hands! He arrived at his door, and then thought what am I going to play all by myself? I wanted to play with Merry, but he has lessons with that evil teacher, so what can I do, no one else wants to play with me. He stood pondering this for a while; then turning on his heel he went quietly back through the tunnels towards the front door.