The Adventure Begins

Arrangements for the birth of the Gardener's twelfth child had been planned, unplanned, planned, forgotten and rediscovered. Not a moment to soon they were finalised.

The day after the birth, Goldilocks and Daisy went with their sister Little Rose (as she was still known, despite now being fifteen) to stay with their Uncle Tolman. They had all been promised a slice of their Aunt Marigold's famous apple pie upon arrival and left eagerly as soon as they had finished their breakfast.

Elanor and Frodo meanwhile stayed at Bag End, helping their Father look after Primrose, Bilbo and Ruby while he in turn helped Rose look after baby Robin. As much as she loved helping her parents, Elanor had been disheartened by the idea of spending three days stuck at home looking after youngsters, until Fastred had offered to help around the smial, after which she thought the idea wonderful.

As for the remaining boys, Merry-Lad, Pippin-Lad and Hamfast, they were to spend their stay with Meriadoc and Peregrin, who had organised an overnight camping adventure in the forests near Hobbiton. Rose had been understandably worried by the idea of her boys spending two nights alone in the wild with a Brandybuck and a Took (two counting Faramir) but Sam had reassured her that it would be fine. Of course the last time Sam had reassured her of anything he had disappeared for over a year, but that went without mentioning.

It was now just after elevenses, and Rose was sat in the easy chair with baby Robin asleep in her arms. The boys stood by the door, making final preparations as they awaited the arrival of their 'Uncles'.

"You be on your best behaviour". She told them. "Don't eat any berries you don't recognise, stay away from deep parts of the river, and do everything you Uncles tell you". Sam, helping Hamfast with his pack, thought he heard her add 'within reason' but didn't say anything.

"Mum, we'll be fine". Merry said as he took a quick bite out of what was left of his elevenses.

"I know. I really just want you to have fun".

"They're here, they're here". Pippin called from the door.

"Okay, have a good time". Rose smiled proudly as her sons trooped out the door, Hamfast singing an old travelling song. When had they all grown up?

"Enjoy yourselves lads". Sam watched the boys descend down the path, gave Meriadoc and Peregrin a wave, and then closed the door. "They'll be alright". He said, placing a reassuring hand on his wife's shoulder as he turned to look out the window. "Bilbo get yourself down from that shelf, you'll fall".

Bilbo watched his brothers disappearing behind the hill. "Where they going Daddy?"

"They've gone adventuring Lad". Sam wrapped an arm around Bilbo's waste, carefully lifting him down onto the floor.

"Like Daddy went 'venturing?"

Sam smiled. "No, they won't be gone as long as I was".

"Can I go 'venturing?" The four year old looked up at his Father with wide eyes.

"Not yet". Rose said. "When you're older love". In her arms Robin woke up and started to moan slightly as he looked around, then with his eyes settling on his Mother's now familiar face he fell back into sleep, one first curled tightly around the fabric of her dress.

"But Mummy I want to go now". Bilbo started to climb up the shelf again, hoping to make it through the window after his brothers. Sam fetched him down, and the boy climbed again.

"Can't think where he gets his determination from". Sam said, genuinely wondering.

Rose rolled her eyes.

Considering his options with the stubborn child currently making his fourth attempt for the window, Sam had an idea. "Come on Bilbo Lad, I'll tell you about an adventure".

Taking Bilbo in his arms, Sam carried the boy into the study. Among the numerous ornaments and mathoms was a large red book, laid open on a title page ornately decorated with elvish patterns and borders. In the centre was written the name of the stories Sam had grown up with.

There and Back Again
A Hobbit's Tale by Bilbo Baggins

"That's my name". Bilbo stated, pointing at where it was written in the scripture.

Sam turned to the first page of the story and with his finger following the words for Bilbo started to read. "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit…"

*** *** ***

Hiders and Seekers

The Hobbit walking party (An in joke by Peregrin, in memory of a friend) crossed The Water and set of in the general direction of Tuckborough, although they didn't really have a final destination planned as this was considered much more adventurous. As they walked they sang songs and told stories, eating quick lunches and afternoon tea but not tiring until early evening when Meriadoc finally ordered the stop for rest and dinner. Despite having walked since elevenses the younger Hobbits were still full of energy and excitement, and with an hour before food would actually be ready, a game of Hiders and Seekers was quickly devised.

"Don't go too far from the camp". Peregrin warned as the Gardener boys ran off to hide, leaving Faramir to count.

"One…two…"

"I think I'll cook the meat tonight". Meriadoc decided. "It won't keep otherwise".

"Five…six…"

"We could take them fishing tomorrow". Peregrin suggested.

"Seven…eight…"

"Are you sure we can keep them still for long enough?"

"Ten…seeker seeking". Faramir quickly disappeared into the thicket.

***

"He's gone the wrong way". Pippin stifled a laugh as he watched Faramir run off in the opposite direction. Behind him his brothers were searching for a really good hiding place.

"Look, a hole". Hamfast whispered, and sure enough hidden away beneath a tree root was a perfectly formed, and remarkably well hidden, animal burrow leading right into a knoll. Without a further word between them the three boys crawled into it, following it round and down until they came to a small cavern. It was so dark that no one could see, but they held each others hands and waited, laughing amongst themselves. They had this game won.

Time passed, and they waited, at one point thinking they had heard Faramir walking over the knoll, but saying nothing. More time passed, and they started to feel hungry.

Faramir, who had been walking around the forests near the camp, was even hungrier, and finally he admitted defeat. "Seekers surrender, Hiders out".

"Finally". Merry said in the darkness. "Come on, the entrance is over here". He groped around until he had found a hole in the wall.

"No it's not, it's over here". Pippin said, having found a similar hole on his side of the cave.

"There's a hole over here, it's this one".

With no wind to guide them, and the air musty wherever they went, there was no way to distinguish the holes. Silence followed, then through the pitch darkness three shrill voices called in unison. "Help!"

Through sheer luck their cry was heard by Peregrin, whose own search for the boys had brought him to the top of the knoll for a better look.

"Merry they're over here!" Where had the cry come from? It wasn't loudest in any particular direction, save up or…

"Help!"

…down.

"Oh no". Carefully, Peregrin knelt down on the ground, feeling the vibration of movement under his hands as he placed an ear against the grass. "Boys".

"Uncle Pippin, we can't see the entrance any more".

"I'm scared".

Faramir and Meriadoc were now standing at the bottom of the knoll, Meriadoc shaking his head. "Tell me they're not inside that hill".

"It was Hamfast's idea". Pippin's voice called from the mound.

"Was not".

"Was so". Merry and Pippin chorused.

"Was not".

"Just stay calm boys, Uncle Merry and I will get you out". Slowly, as if afraid that too much movement would collapse the knoll, Peregrin climbed down. "Look for the way in". They started to search the bottom and brow of the knoll frantically.

As soon as Faramir was out of immediate ear shot Peregrin turned to his cousin. "Sam is going to kill us".

Merry, who was somehow staying extremely calm, shook his head. "Rose can run faster".

*** *** ***

Dragon of the Smial

Before him lies the great bottommost cellar or dungeon-hall of the ancient dwarves right at the Mountain's root. It is almost dark so that its vastness can only be dimly guessed, but rising from the near side of the rocky floor there is a great glow. The glow of Smaug!

"Foul dragon, I am great Hobbit Warrior. I will free the damsels".

"Hah". Fastred laughed as Bilbo approached him. "I fear no Hobbit Warrior, I am the great…the great…"

"Smaug". Damsel in Distress 1 (Primrose) whispered.

"I am the great Smaug".

"Oh someone save us". Damsel in Distress 2 (Elanor) had to bite her lip to avoid laughing.

Frodo didn't make such efforts, though he kept his quiet so as to avoid waking the Dragons treasure (Ruby) sleeping in his lap.

Quickly, Smaug lunged at the Hobbit Warrior, trying to lift him off the ground, but Bilbo was too fast for him and the skirmish was quickly over when the Hobbit Warrior's sword impaled the Dragon (held securely under Fastred's shoulder) causing the reptilian beast to fall.

"Uh…the great Smaug is beaten". With that the Dragon died in what must have been the best theatrical presentation of a Dragon's death ever seen in that part of Middle Earth.

"We're saved". Primrose cheered.

"And just in time for supper". Elanor said, quickly making her way towards the kitchen.

*** *** ***

Bullroarer

With directions from Merry the Hobbit's managed to find the entrance to the Knoll. By this time it was starting to get dark and they worked quickly tying a rope to Faramir's waste so that he didn't loose his direction crawling through the hole with a lamp held securely between his teeth. The tunnel twisted and sloped down, hiding the light so that his lamp was all by which he could see the faces of his friends, sat in a round chamber.

"And they say my family does silly things". Faramir joked; prompting a small giggle from the other three as they made ready to follow him back out. "Here we go.

Hold on to my foot Merry".

"Hold on to my foot Pippin".

"Hold on to my foot Hamfast".

"Hold on to my foot…oh".

As he crawled, Pippin's hand landed on something sharp. He could make out the shape of a small but rather bulky clothe bag, covered in soil and musty to smell. Eager to get out of the cave, he placed it quickly in his pocket without a word.

The feeling of cold night air on their faces after so long in the hot darkness was so welcoming that the Gardeners quickly forgot their fears as they lay on the grass, wiping dirt and soot from their faces, hair and clothes.

"Any of you hurt?" Meriadoc said.

"We're alright". Merry confirmed for the group. "Well all of us except Hamfast". With this he jumped on his younger brother, ruffling his hair, squeezing his stomach and generally making his existence one of misery.

"That's enough; you didn't have to follow him". Peregrin reminded him. He turned to see his namesake sat on the grass, looking at something intently in his hands. "What you got there Pippin-Lad".

"I don't know Uncle. I found it in the cave". The bag was made of a grey material, plain save for the letter T written in stitching on the top corner. It was held shut by tight draw strings, tied in a bow.

"A bag".

"An old bag".

"Open it, open it". Faramir called, holding up his lamp to help in the fading light. Pippin quickly got the bow untied and pulled the bag open on the ground. The resulting reflections danced in a mixture of colours on their faces.

"Shiny stones". Hamfast shouted gleefully.

"They're diamonds". Merry corrected.

Pippin emptied the bag into a pile on the grass, and among the Harfoot made jewels emerged an ornate gold pendent, held on a long chain. "What's that?"

Faramir lifted it into the light, and very nearly dropped it again. "Look it's the symbol of the Thain". He cried, for etched out in the golden stone was indeed the symbol that represented his Father's title. "What is this?"

Peregrin blinked a few times, opened his mouth to say something, then closed it and shook his head. He looked at the diamonds, at the chain, at the diamonds again.

"It can't be".

Meriadoc was thinking the same thing. "Bullroarer's treasure".

"The Bullroarer Took!" Said Faramir.

"Treasure?" Said Merry.

Meriadoc, still amazed, looked at the inquisitive boys. "Bandobras Took we should say. He was at one point the tallest Hobbit in the history of the Shire, and brother to the Took and Thain Ferumbras II".

Peregrin took up the narration. "At that time the Thainship was represented by great wealth, namely in the form of a golden pendant. It was said to be a gift from the King of Arthedain to Marco Fallohide upon the forming of the Shire, and was later taken by Bucca his descendant".

"How did it get into the cave?" Merry asked, enthralled.

"During Ferumbras's rein, there was an invasion of Goblins, the battle Of Greenfields. Right before the battle, it is said that Ferumbras gave to Bandobras the treasures of the Took Clan, along with his Thain Pendant, to hide in case they couldn't stop the army. This must be the hiding place Bandobras chose".

"What enormous luck". Meriadoc exclaimed.

"The bag must have been moved by an animal or something". Faramir said. "That's why Bullroarer couldn't find it afterwards. It was deeper into the cave".

"And lost for generations". Peregrin leaned over, ruffling Pippin's hair. "You've just made yourself a famous young lad Pip".

"And just in time for supper". Meriadoc said, his change of subject abrupt but well timed as every Hobbit present was starving. Collecting the diamonds and pendent back into their bag, they made their way for the camp.

The following day they started for the Great Smials, yet another adventure added to history.

*** *** ***

Epilogue
Bump in the night

Creak

Pittar-Patter…Pitter-Patter

Prod Prod Prod

"Ouch! Oh…Bilbo".

"There's something in my room, I think it's a troll".

Sigh

Pitter-Patter…Pitter-Patter

Stomp Stomp Stomp

Prod Prod Prod

"Ouch! What?…Elanor".

"Frodo there's a troll in the nursery".

"Another one".

Nod

"You're a great Hobbit Warrior Bilbo. Just hit it over the head with a stick".

"Daddy says I shouldn't hit things".

"Oh!"

Pitter-patter…pitter-patter

Creak

"Oh evil, Hobbit gobbling troll. Come out evil Hobbit gobbling troll. Bilbo it's gone, no one in there but your sisters".

"Can you stay 'case it comes back?"

"Bilbo I'm tired. Elanor…"

"I stayed last night".

"But…?"

Tugging on shirt

"Please Frodo!"

Sniffing

Sigh

"I'll go and get my blanket".

*** *** ***