OPEN -- lying in the grass

[PEREGRIN TOOK]

It was a beautiful spring day where the sun shined down on the green grass of the fields of East Farthing and the birds were singing from the crowns of the oak trees. The smell from Linden flowers filled the whole area and the sound from the many bees that were buzzing around the tree was like a lullaby. You could also hear a gentle chuckle from Brandywine River that ran past nearby and separated the Eastern Farthing with Buckland. A small breeze blew through the tall grass and the crops field that was on each side of the meadow. It bowed down a few colourful flowers and made them nod in its rhythm. The few trees that were crowned with a beautiful lightly green colour sighed along and the small rattle from their new leaves was almost silent.

The young hobbit that was lying on the grass with a hand pulled up under his head closed his big blue eyes and enjoyed the many sounds that filled the air around him. The breeze blew through his long brownish – almost summer golden curly hair and pushed it away from his small round face. His lips were separated and he chewed on a stay of rye. The young Peregrin Took took deep breaths through his pointy nose as he lifted one leg with a big and hairy foot and crossed it over the other, so the foot was resting on the knee.

Pippin did not consider himself as a work hobbit. He had never worked hard and perhaps his father disapproved a bit of him, however it was never more serious than a couple of the finest beer could handle. The boy had never been in love either – not really for that matter. He had no plans on starting a family – heck he was still young. No, his love lied somewhere else. Pippin had a great scent for food and the good mead that was brewed in the Green Dragon – a popular in of Bywater. He also enjoyed some South Farthing Old Toby finest tobacco. And if it wasn’t because he was low on his supplies of it – he would have had a long pipe between his lips and smoked it right now. The hobbit opened his eyes again and stared back up at the blue sky above them. Boy, there was nothing like resting after a day of no hard work.

[samwise]

Well, Sam was quite the difference to Pippin. From earliest childhood on, he had learnt how important working was. The Gamgees weren’t the wealthiest. They depended on the money work brought them. And what they worked for, they did with good conscience and heart. So, in all honesty good old Samwise could say that he loved his job. It was not the hardest one, being a gardener, but to Sam, it was life fulfilling. He tended each plant in old Mister Bilbo’s garden as if it were his own kid – attentively, with much care and pride. He plowed the earth, put seeds in and gently covered them with earth again, watered them, closely monitoring their growth, trimmed them, and cheered like no other when he found their first bud. He did all this whole-heartedly. And it was just a great big bonus that old Mister Bilbo had such faith in him, often told him one of his lovely stories, and taught him. Yes, Sam loved working.

This lovely day, Sam was on his way from The Hill to Stock in the Eastfarthing. It was no freetime activity, but Sam had to fetch some special seeds from a hobbit in Stock, to plant them in Mister Bilbo’s garden. And so, Sam wandered. He had a backpack packed with sandwiches, cookies and some water, and he had a walking stick in his hand. Not because he was old, no. Sam was quite young! But he enjoyed walking with a nice thick walking stick. Somehow that made him enjoy wandering even more. He was humming a tune and enjoying the green sunny day. The shade of the trees to the South, the soft laughter of some hobbit children further away, birds chirping, flowers and grass growing – Sam was happy.

Spring in general was his most beloved season. Everything in the world would change from brown and grey to this lovely shade of juicy yellow-green. There was no colour Sam liked more. And soon there would grow the first strawberries Sam could pick and eat with nice white cream.

He already was on his way back, having the new seeds safely packaged in a tissue in his backpack (which now was very empty, all the beverages gone already), when he spotted someone lying in the meadow ahead. Pulling up his belt over his belly button, he stepped closer. Why, I know that fuzzy-head! He thought to himself and grinned. ”Well, hullo, Master Peregrin!” He cheered out, walking toward the hobbit. ”What a wonderful way to spend this sunny day! May I join you for a short while?”

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[PEREGRIN TOOK]

Oh what a blissful and wonderful day it was today. The sun’s gentle shine tickled Pippin’s nose as his eyes glanced at the blue sky above him. He watched as the white clouds floated by – heading somewhere unknown. Perhaps to the grey harbours and then far beyond them. He felt how his mind wandered off and sailed along with the clouds to the unknown places. The young hobbit was definitely a dreamer, however he was nothing like the Baggins who were considered plain crazy for being so adventurous and free spirited. His dear friend Frodo Baggins who lived in Hobbiton was said to become just as mental as some people considered his uncle being, however Pippin did not believe any of that. Of course he has teased Frodo with it now and then, but it was of course all good fun.

Actually Pippin liked adventures too, as long as they stayed inside the borders of the Shire. The land of the small people was still big enough to explore and he did not know why some few hobbits wanted to travel outside to see the world while the Shire was still so interesting and unexplored. He had of course heard the travelling story of Bilbo Baggins and his encounter with the trolls. Ever since he had been a little hobbit he had gasped with wide eyes every time Frodo’s uncle had told him about the time he had been caught by those trolls and how they had been planning to eat him. No, Pippin was glad to be in the Shire and make his own adventures with his best friend Merry.

When the young hobbit heard his name being called, he lifted himself up on the elbows and looked ahead to see who it was that had approached him. He grimaced for a moment from the shine of the sun, but soon he saw a shape that was too familiar to recognise. It was Samwise Gamgee. An employee and probably just as good a friend of Frodo Baggins as Merry and Pippin were. Peregrin had never been as close to Sam like Frodo was, and he considered the older hobbit being a bit boring and perhaps too grown up for his own good. Sam seemed to always be the responsible one of them, while Pippin belonged in the completely opposite group. However that did not prevent him from giving the hobbit a friendly smile in return. “Why, hiya Samwise Gamgee.” He let out with an accent that made his voice rise a bit above the average depth. “What are you doing so far away from Hobbiton?” He asked Sam while tilting his head and sat up. “Sure you can join me… What have you got in that bag of yours?” The young hobbit asked very straightforward.

[samwise]

“Well, I had some deeds to do, in Stock, Master Peregrin!” Said Samwise while pulling the carriers of his backpack off his shoulders, letting it drop down onto the soft green grass. ”Old Mister Bilbo sent me there, on an errand, to fetch him some of these from old Mister Bunce…” He bulled out a small leather bag filled with seeds that did not look fascinating at all, but to Sam, they were. And to Bilbo, they surely were too, for he had given Samwise the money to pay for these seeds. And by that, Sam already answered Pippin’s second question as well. ”They’ll grow into beautiful red amaryllis! I plan on planting them right below Mister Bilbo’s kitchen window.” With very caring fingers he stroked the seeds through the leather before putting the little bag back into his backpack again.

Sam took his job in Mister Bilbo’s garden very seriously. Often one could find him working there even long after hours, bending over his precious flowers. It was not that Sam was obsessed with flowers – he simply found them pretty to look at. He wished for them to bloom as long as possible, and bloom as large and beautiful as they could, to stay green and fresh and pretty. And being paid tending to them helped his special care for each flower in Bilbo’s garden along. When a flower bloomed for the first time, Sam cheered and danced and was in a good mood for the entire rest of the day, singing merry tunes. When there had been a storm, and a flower had been broken or cracked, there was nothing, not even good Rosie, who or that could cheer him up for the rest of the day. To him it was like losing a friend and failing Mister Bilbo.

But as much as he cared for the flowers, and for all other kinds of plants, herbs, trees and bushes, they were not his only purpose in life – even if it may seem so to most other hobbits around him. No, Sam cared far more for his family and friends than he did for flowers. And that was why you mostly found him in the Green Dragon in the evening, laughing, smoking a nice long pipe and chatting with other hobbits, instead of tending to the garden.

Now, Sam let himself drop down beside his backpack and Pippin, all in for a small time’s break before taking the two hour’s walk back home. ”And you, Master Pippin? Having a fine afternoon in the sunshine? Oh, look at that!” He suddenly cheered out. Sam’s hands were buried in his backpack again, and he found some cookies he had entirely forgotten about. ”Do you want some of those? My dear mother baked them only this morning! I tell you, they taste wonderfully! With little chocolate chips!” And with that, Sam bit into one of the cookies.

[PEREGRIN TOOK]

Sam was such a workaholic. The way he talked about Bilbo made Pippin shudder. He had never called the old hobbit for mister or master Baggins. Frodo was just Frodo to him and nothing else. Well it was obvious that the two hobbits were wealthier than the Tooks, however Pippin was good friends with Frodo and even though they rarely saw each other, he was not a good example of a well-mannered person when he was around the older hobbit. The way Sam spoke about the two old hobbits made the young one smile – old mister Bilbo and old mister Bunce. It was so funny to listen to. Samwise did not have to be polite around Pippin, the old hobbits we was talking about were not here to hear him say their full name.

“Oh, I have seen those red Amaryllises. They are really beautiful.” Pippin was, like all hobbits, fond of everything green and everything that grows. He was not a master gardener like Samwise Gamgee, but he still could see the beauty in flowers. Pippin actually loved flowers because they had a sweet and delicious smell, but what he loved more was the fruit some of them gave afterwards – or vegetables for that sake. He could not count how many times he had stolen some vegetables from the nearby farmers that had plenty of ground for their crops. Pippin’s blue eyes shined in excitement. He had to admit that even though Samwise Gamgee was a real butt-kisser, he was a good gardener and that Pippin enjoyed looking at the work he usually made at Bag End.

The young hobbit sat up straight when the older asked him if he was having a fine afternoon. Oh boy, he definitely was. Afternoons in the Shire could only be fine, finer and finest. Nothing less. “Indeed I have.” He replied with a small chuckle that made his eyes disappear in some soft wrinkles as he smiled. “I could just use some Old Toby right now… It would complete my relaxing day.” The hobbit said with a sigh and leaned forward to see what Sam found in his bag. “Cookies could do as well.” Pippin quickly added and told himself that he could already smell their sweetness. Mrs. Gamgee was a really good baker, he had to admit that. Though Samwise was way too solemn when he spoke about her… actually… he was that in general. “I would love some…” he said and extended a hand. “You have a wonderful mum.”

[samwise]

Sam was loyal. His father’s cousin had worked for Bilbo already, his father had, too, and for a fairly long time, Sam now had taken over all responsibilities for Bilbo Baggins’ garden, just as his ancestors had. The Gamgees were not a highly respected family, they were not wealthy like the Tooks or Bagginses, nor did they have the fine style as those families. Instead, they were good, down to earth hobbits. They chose the jobs which fulfilled them most. And for Sam, it was gardening – had been since his father Hamfast took him to the Baggins garden for the first time, to help him plough some flowerbeds. And as the Gamgees were thus connected to the Baggins family, it is only logical for Sam to develop such deep loyalty to the two Bagginses, Bilbo and Frodo, who have treated him and his family so well.

”Indeed. I thought a pitch of red would look well in that corner of the garden.” Sam agreed, leaning back onto his elbows. In fact, Amaryllises were one of Sam’s favourite flowers. They were so delicate and fragile and eradiated such beauty at the same time.

Old Toby… Yes, there hardly was anything better than Old Toby! Sam usually filled his pipe with that weed in the evening, mostly in the Green Dragon, and then would blow one ring of smoke after the other into the air. Yes, that was the perfect way to enjoy an evening.

Sam handed Pippin some cookies. Yes, his mother, Bell née Goodchild, was a splendid cook and baker. As were most hobbits, in fact. But to Sam, his mother was the best of them all. Ah, perhaps Rosie was better… but he had no comparison yet. And he would never brag. ”Thank you! I’ll tell her you said that. I’m sure she’ll send you even more sweets then, to say ‘thank you’. Hamson…” Hamson was Sam’s eldest brother. ”… came for a visit yesterday, and my mom almost buried him with all her meals and desserts.” Hamson had left Hobbiton to become a roper in Tighfield some years prior. At least once a month, though, he would come home.

[PEREGRIN TOOK]

Pippin bit his bottom lip as Sam agreed that the Amaryllises would be beautiful in Bildo Baggins’ garden. He had always liked Bag End – mostly because it was probably the best house in the entire Shire, but also because it was very well taken care of – especially the garden. Most of the job was probably done by Samwise Gamgee, but it was unavoidable for him to make a garden bad looking. He loved gardening and when you had your dream job, you could only do it well. He liked visiting the Baggins in Hobbiton – it was always fun to listen to Bilbo’s stories, even though he had probably heard all of them once or twice already. Pippin never grew tired of them – perhaps it was right what other people said about the old Hobbit. He was perhaps slightly mental, but nonetheless, the young Took liked that old mental Bilbo Baggins. He was probably the richest hobbit in the Shire, but he didn’t brag about it, like Pippin would have done if he had that kind of money.

The young hobbit chuckled when Sam talked about his family and bit down in his cookie. It was delicious. “Well, perhaps I should come and visit your mother more often. I would like to get buried in desserts.” He said and patted his small stomach. It was no lie that Peregrin Took loved food – all kinds of food. And he even loved it so much that he occasionally robbed farmer Maggot’s crops with Merry – or alone for that matter. “How is your older brother by the way?” he asked Sam casually and enjoyed his cookie while taking his second bite. What a wonderful day it was, and Sam had just made it a tad better by offering him some food. He looked up at the sky that had almost the same colour as his eyes and wrinkled his nose at the light that fell on him. “Have you heard? Bilbo Baggins is planning a big party for his 111’th birthday?”