Sing Me A Song.

The weather had been exceedingly unpleasant for the last week and it seemed even colder this day. The members of the Fellowship to drew their cloaks more tightly around their bodies as a biting, cold wind blew and grey clouds threatening rain loomed low in the sky. As they continued on their journey south, Gandalf had insisted that to keep their movements as secret as possible from the eyes of Sauron’s minions, it was necessary for the group to sleep during the day and travel under the cover of darkness at night.

“Sleeping during the day is most unnatural for a Hobbit,” complained Pippin for the umpteenth time, earning himself a glare of disapproval from Aragorn and words of anger from Gandalf.

“Peregrin Took, there is nothing ‘natural’ about this quest you insisted on joining. I would ask you to refrain from voicing your complaints of the less than pleasant conditions were are forced to travel under!” Gandalf said loudly as he walked in the lead beside Aragorn. Pippin looked suitably chastised but his mood brightened when Merry suggested to anyone interested that they sing a song as they walked, as Legolas often did.

“What shall we sing?” asked Sam eagerly, thinking that perhaps a merry tune would also help to cheer Frodo who was becoming increasingly preoccupied with dark thoughts.

“Something cheerful to keep our minds off this awful weather would be good,” answered Merry.

“I know, let’s make a kind of game of it,” suggested Pippin, his eyes alight with an idea. “Whoever wants to go first must sing a verse about one of our companions and the others must guess who it is. The first one to do so must make up the next verse.”

“Pip, for once you have opened your mouth without putting your foot in it,” laughed Merry. “Count me in. it sounds like fun.”

“What do you think, Mr Frodo? Will you go first?” asked Sam hopefully.

“Very well, Sam, it will certainly help pass the time,” agreed Frodo readily, much to Sam‘s delight. He remained in silent thought for a few moments, and then sang his verse in a clear, sweet voice that was loud enough for the other members of the Fellowship to hear.

“Such skill and strength has Gondor’s son,

That we feel safe with him at our side.

He defends his city from the evil one,

And in Men he has faith and deep pride.”

“That was too easy, Frodo. It is Boromir, of course,” guessed Merry easily.

“Thank you for your kind words, Frodo,” called Boromir from his position several paces behind the leaders, where he walked with Legolas and Gimli. The three formed the rearguard and were ever on the alert for danger, keeping watch as they travelled to ensure that they were not being followed.

“Your song certainly makes a refreshing change from the bickering I hear between my two companions,” he said lightly causing a ripple of laughter throughout the company.

“Ai, and I thought we were keeping you amused, Boromir,” said Legolas with a hint of amusement in his voice and a twinkle of mischief in his eye. Gimli merely snorted with disgust at what he felt were less than complimentary words, and glared at the Elf who merely allowed a small smile to pass his lips.

“Your turn, Merry,” said Gandalf in an obvious ploy to prevent another round of insults being traded between the Elf and Dwarf. Merry began to sing his verse, his own amusement at his choice of words showing in his voice.

“The bearded one is stout and strong,

And wields his axe with great skill.

He thinks Elves have done his kind wrong,

But it is orcs that he wishes to kill.”

“How very appropriate, especially the third line,” commented Legolas dryly.

“Just ignore the Elf, Master Merry. It is difficult for an Elf to recognise the truth, let alone speak it,” whispered Gimli, knowing full well elfish ears would hear the derogatory comment. Merry made no reply, but Legolas favoured him with a dark look, then nonchalantly drew one of his knives and casually tested the sharpness of the edge.

“This feud must stop, or you will simply be doing Sauron’s work for him,” Gandalf said sharply.

Gimli looked a little uncertain as to whether he was in any actual danger, and was relieved when Aragorn strode quickly back to join them and placing a hand on the elf’s shoulder and spoke with some ire.

“Put that away before someone gets a mistaken impression Legolas,” he demanded with an almost imperceptible nod in Gimli‘s direction

“I am merely checking my weapons, I intend no harm,” stated Legolas seriously as he complied and sheathed his knife. Aragorn frowned at the slight smile on the Elf’s face as they both noticed the beads of sweat that had appeared on Gimli’s brow.

“Now where were before all that fuss and bother?” asked Pippin. The Hobbits had become used to such confrontations and largely ignored the two, knowing Gandalf and Aragorn would step in where necessary.

“You all know who I was singing about, but no one has said his name,” replied Merry.

“Gimli!” shouted Pippin and Sam in unison, causing a small but heated debate between the two as to who had spoken first.

“Perhaps you should draw straws to decide,” Gimli suggested helpfully.

“Yes, you two desist from your arguing at once. It is bad enough that we have Gimli and Legolas airing their ill feelings toward one another,” declared Gandalf his displeasure with the Elf and Dwarf very obvious. ”I do not think the Shire folk need to follow such a poor example.”

“But the air is certainly warmer at the moment,” quipped Boromir, earning himself a glare from Gandalf.

“Your game is certainly providing an interesting diversion, Pip,” said Frodo a genuine smile lighting his face for the first time in days.

He stopped to pick up two small twigs of very different lengths and held one in each hand behind his back and called to his friends to choose. It was Sam who won the contest.

“Now let me see…. Oh, I know,” he said, thinking out loud. “How about this?” he asked after having finally composed a verse to his satisfaction.

“Softly he sings to the stars and the sky

Unmatched is his skill with the bow.

So light of foot and keen of eye,

And a fairer face I do not know.”

Sam looked cautiously back to Legolas, hoping he had not offended the Elf, and was rewarded with a brilliant smile that told him there was no cause for concern. Gimli merely rolled his eyes with disgust at Sam’s obvious fondness for Elves.

“Legolas, of course,” answered Pippin eagerly when the others remained silent. He had already made up a verse and was pleased that no one else had yet sung about his selection.

“Pointed hat and cloak of grey,

A staff in his hand he does hold.

He walks by night, sleeps by day,

He is a wizard, or so we are told.”

“Oh, well done, Pip,” whispered Merry to his cousin with a hint of sarcasm. “Are you trying to make Gandalf angry? Next he will be telling us we can not have a fire or some such!”

“Well, now that you mention it… “ said Gandalf thoughtfully rubbing his beard

“No fire! Now that would be unnatural!” cried Sam, thinking of how much they all disliked taking their meals cold.

“As we travel further south, it is more likely that we will encounter Orcs or other dark creatures. A fire will merely help them find us more easily. It would be a wise course of action not to light one,” explained Aragorn for the benefit of the Hobbits who were largely inexperienced in the dangers of the wild.

“Aragorn is right, but I would expect nothing less than such cheek from you, Peregrin Took,” said Gandalf with mock seriousness, the smile in his eyes taking the sting from his words. “The verse is obviously about me, so I claim the right to be next.” He took a deep breath and began singing in the voice that was well known and loved by most of the group.

“The Ranger is a mysterious man,

And of his sweet love did he once sing.

Great deeds must he do to win her hand,

And no longer be the uncrowned King.”

“It seems you also believe that my path is already laid out before me,” said Aragorn with a scowl of annoyance on his face, which Gandalf chose to ignore.

“You can not deny your destiny forever Aragorn,” said the Istari, clasping the Ranger‘s shoulder in a gesture of compassion.

“If that is indeed your future, would it not be wise to take the ring directly to Gondor?” asked Boromir, voicing the thought that had nagging his thoughts ever since they had left Rivendell.

“We have already agreed it must be destroyed, and that can only be done in Mordor,” said Aragorn, trying to dispel the ever-growing distrust he was beginning to feel towards Boromir.

“That is the whole point of this quest,” stated Legolas quietly. “If I am not mistaken, Gandalf’s verse about Aragorn was meant to show us all that there is still hope for a bright future.”

“Very astute, Legolas,” said Gandalf. “That indeed was my intention.”

“You guessed the name of the person correctly, Legolas. It is your turn to sing,” said Sam who was enjoying the game very much. He was also extremely interested to hear what Legolas would sing about the Hobbits.

“Very well, but this will have to be the final one, for dawn is fast approaching and it is time for Aragorn and I to seek a safe place for us all to rest,” the Elf explained. The sweet sound of his voice had a soothing effect on all those who heard it, and a feeling of peace descended on the Fellowship as they listened to the final verse.

“Happy, carefree, and always eager to eat,

With a love of life that makes us all smile,

The merry young four, with their large hairy feet,

Ever remind us why the quest is worthwhile.”

Sam was not disappointed.