Post by Manwe on Sept 30, 2007 19:15:46 GMT -5
After the boat had been lost from sight at the mouth of the harbor, the three friends stood silent for a long time, each of them lost in their own thoughts trying to make sense of what had just happened.
Finally, Pippin clapped his hands, and said "Well, now, how about a bit of lunch?" Merry turned to his good friend and reared back like he was going to slap him, but Sam reached out his hand and grabbed Merry, saying "I think Mr. Frodo and Gandalf would not like for us to be striking one another this soon after they've gone. Pippin has a point, it has been a couple of hours since we last ate, and we've had a terrible shock in the meantime . . ."
Pippin smiled at Sam, and said "Thanks! Let's move over here and have us a little picnic!" Merry shot a dark glance at his friend, and Pippin wisely moved around to the other side of Sam as they all made their way towards the intended picnic area. The three friends walked across the ancient stones of the harbor paving, their rather large bare feet landing softly on the pavers and the clipped grass. When they reached the other side opposite the docks, Pippin took off his cloak and laid it on the ground. As Pip spread out some fruit and bread, Sam once again marvelled at the way the elven cloak took on the appearance of the ground features around it, almost disappearing on the grass. Memories of the arduous journey with Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring flooded his thoughts, and the tears started to flow once again for his departed friend.
"Aw, now, Sam, don't start that again," Merry said, as he slid down on the cloak and reached his hand up to his friend to make him sit with them. Sam took Merry's hand, and allowed himself to be dragged down to a seat on the cloak. Pippin passed him a juicy apple and Sam, sniffing back the tears, took a big bite.
For a while the three friends sat together, with the only sounds being that of a good picnic lunch being consumed, which is usually a good bit louder when the fellows consuming it are hobbits. Finally, at a break in the meal, Merry asked "So why do you think Frodo went with Gandalf?" to no one in particular. Pippin stopped munching on a halfloaf of bread long enough to offer "I think he didn't want to face losing Gandalf, and just decided to join him and Bilbo at the last minute."
"No, that was definitely not a last minute decision." Sam said. "Mr. Frodo has been thinking about this for some time. I should have guessed it, with the way he had been acting lately." "Yeah, that's right" said Merry. "He sold Bag End, cleared all the debts that he and Bilbo had ever owed, and made a point of speaking with just about everyone in the Shire in the last six months. I thought it was just a phase he was going through, wanting to have his legacy clear to all of us."
"No," said Sam, "he was definitely clearing his affairs, and setting the stage for this farewell. It seems so obvious now that I look back on it, like I see it crystal clear . . ." his voice trailing off, as he lost himself in his thoughts again.
Pippin replied, talking around a big bite of apple, "Well, if you ask me, I think it was all that elvish medicine and doctoring that he got when he was stabbed by that Ring Wraith on Weathertop. I told you before that Bilbo had lived to be very old, with hardly a trace of age on him. That's what being around elves and their medicine will do for you. Why, I wouldn't be surprised if we all lived . . ."
"Will you please stop, Pip?" interrupted Merry in an exasperated tone. "You're just wrong on that. Gandalf told me that it was the ring that gave unnatural long life to Bilbo, and that Frodo had been affected by it as well. If you ask me, I say that Frodo just didn't want to hang around here and watch us all grow old and die, with him just staying young like he ever was."
"Well now, that is one of the most logical explanations I've heard yet." said Sam. "I think you've hit on something there, and if that's the situation, Mr. Frodo would want to go with Gandalf and Bilbo to live in the Undying Lands with the elves. I'll have to think about it some more, but that makes sense to me."
With that, the three friends started to clear the remains of their meal, and when they were finished Pippin picked up his elven cloak, put it around his shoulders and fastened it at his collar. They then turned to begin the long journey back to the Shire.
As they were walking, Sam began to sing in a low voice "The road goes ever on and on . . ."
Finally, Pippin clapped his hands, and said "Well, now, how about a bit of lunch?" Merry turned to his good friend and reared back like he was going to slap him, but Sam reached out his hand and grabbed Merry, saying "I think Mr. Frodo and Gandalf would not like for us to be striking one another this soon after they've gone. Pippin has a point, it has been a couple of hours since we last ate, and we've had a terrible shock in the meantime . . ."
Pippin smiled at Sam, and said "Thanks! Let's move over here and have us a little picnic!" Merry shot a dark glance at his friend, and Pippin wisely moved around to the other side of Sam as they all made their way towards the intended picnic area. The three friends walked across the ancient stones of the harbor paving, their rather large bare feet landing softly on the pavers and the clipped grass. When they reached the other side opposite the docks, Pippin took off his cloak and laid it on the ground. As Pip spread out some fruit and bread, Sam once again marvelled at the way the elven cloak took on the appearance of the ground features around it, almost disappearing on the grass. Memories of the arduous journey with Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring flooded his thoughts, and the tears started to flow once again for his departed friend.
"Aw, now, Sam, don't start that again," Merry said, as he slid down on the cloak and reached his hand up to his friend to make him sit with them. Sam took Merry's hand, and allowed himself to be dragged down to a seat on the cloak. Pippin passed him a juicy apple and Sam, sniffing back the tears, took a big bite.
For a while the three friends sat together, with the only sounds being that of a good picnic lunch being consumed, which is usually a good bit louder when the fellows consuming it are hobbits. Finally, at a break in the meal, Merry asked "So why do you think Frodo went with Gandalf?" to no one in particular. Pippin stopped munching on a halfloaf of bread long enough to offer "I think he didn't want to face losing Gandalf, and just decided to join him and Bilbo at the last minute."
"No, that was definitely not a last minute decision." Sam said. "Mr. Frodo has been thinking about this for some time. I should have guessed it, with the way he had been acting lately." "Yeah, that's right" said Merry. "He sold Bag End, cleared all the debts that he and Bilbo had ever owed, and made a point of speaking with just about everyone in the Shire in the last six months. I thought it was just a phase he was going through, wanting to have his legacy clear to all of us."
"No," said Sam, "he was definitely clearing his affairs, and setting the stage for this farewell. It seems so obvious now that I look back on it, like I see it crystal clear . . ." his voice trailing off, as he lost himself in his thoughts again.
Pippin replied, talking around a big bite of apple, "Well, if you ask me, I think it was all that elvish medicine and doctoring that he got when he was stabbed by that Ring Wraith on Weathertop. I told you before that Bilbo had lived to be very old, with hardly a trace of age on him. That's what being around elves and their medicine will do for you. Why, I wouldn't be surprised if we all lived . . ."
"Will you please stop, Pip?" interrupted Merry in an exasperated tone. "You're just wrong on that. Gandalf told me that it was the ring that gave unnatural long life to Bilbo, and that Frodo had been affected by it as well. If you ask me, I say that Frodo just didn't want to hang around here and watch us all grow old and die, with him just staying young like he ever was."
"Well now, that is one of the most logical explanations I've heard yet." said Sam. "I think you've hit on something there, and if that's the situation, Mr. Frodo would want to go with Gandalf and Bilbo to live in the Undying Lands with the elves. I'll have to think about it some more, but that makes sense to me."
With that, the three friends started to clear the remains of their meal, and when they were finished Pippin picked up his elven cloak, put it around his shoulders and fastened it at his collar. They then turned to begin the long journey back to the Shire.
As they were walking, Sam began to sing in a low voice "The road goes ever on and on . . ."
