10.) Barrel
Story: Bilbo the Barrel-rider
Word Count: 265
Bilbo Baggins had many a tale to tell his nephew, Frodo Baggins. What's more, he would tell his stories with candor. It excited Frodo, but also made him curious about his uncle's adventures. More so than Bilbo would have liked to know.
"Frodo my lad, would you like to hear about the time I rode in a barrel?" Bilbo asked, setting the lad on his lap.
"You rode in a barrel?" Frodo asked, curious.
"Why yes, I did!" Bilbo said with ease. "It all started when I freed the dwarves from the elven prison in Mirkwood. It was so scary! We thought we wouldn't live to see another day, but here we were heading into the cellar.
"So, I hoisted each dwarf into the barrels, before stowing myself away in one. We were all very quiet as the elves opened the hatch and sent our barrels flying into the river. I couldn't see anything but water. And so, we had to make do with what we got.
"So, we sang songs, endured the chilly water, and above all else, we had a fun time sailing to Lake-town." Bilbo smiled, ending this part of his tale. "There! I have told you what has happened on my barrel-riding adventure."
"Aww!" Frodo's smile faded. So disappointing! "What happened next?"
"We'll save that for tomorrow. Right now, you need to sleep," Bilbo said, leading Frodo into the guest room and helping him get ready for bed. Once that was done, Bilbo blew out the candle and closed the door. Another exciting day in the Shire! Yes, it was indeed.