This is the usual prologue but I just wanted to wish a special Happy New Year to the two people who have actually read and reviewed most of my prologues! So thank you, Lindelea and PIppinfan1988. May both of you enjoy the coming year. Now, for the disclaimer for the last time this year. Sniff, sniff! (This is so emotional as it's the last one for 2006)

None of these wonderful characters are mine in any way. I am very grateful to J.R.R. Tolkien for creating them and sharing them with us. I am borrowing Frodo, Merry and Pippin yet again and I am not making any money on any of this.

Happy New Year to everyone who has read and reviewed my fiction this year. I hope the New Year brings good things to all of you!

GW 12/31/2006

“It Was A Very Good Year”

“Pippin, you’re going to miss the bon fire if you don’t hurry,” Merry called sticking his head into the room. Pippin was usually the first one ready for the bon fire whether they were in Buckland, the Tooklands, or Hobbiton. This year Pippin seemed to be lagging behind.

“I don’t want to go,” Pippin said. He was stretched out on the bed in his room at Bag End, hands behind his head just staring at the beams of the ceiling.

“What?” Merry frowned coming into the room and sitting down on the bed. “Why not? You always enjoy the bon fire and this year Frodo is going to tell a special new year’s story.” Merry reached over and jiggled Pippin’s knee. “Come on you lazy Took. They’ll be dancing and music and maybe even a few fireworks.”

Pippin frowned. “Merry, where does time go?” He looked so serious and so sad when he said this.

“What?” Merry leaned forward and stretched out on the bed next to Pippin, propping his head up on his hands. This could be a very long conversation.

“Well, when it isn’t this year anymore then where does this year go?” Pippin asked looking over at Merry.

“This year is almost over Pippin,” Merry said struggling to come up with a response. “We are about to celebrate a new year. That is why we have the bon fire. We all come together and welcome the new year.”

“But what about the old one?” Pippin insisted. “This was a perfectly good year and so why do we need a new one? I was enjoying this one.”

“We need a new one because it’s time for a new one,” Merry said exasperated. “Time passes and the days go by and the weeks go by and the months go by and the seasons change. We move on to each new day and before you know it, it’s a new year.”

“But what if I want to just keep on having this year?”

“You can’t,” Merry said. “This year is over whether you like it or not.”

“What if I don’t like the new year that’s coming?”

“How do you know you won’t like it if you don’t get up and come welcome it in?” Merry reasoned. “You have to give it a chance. Besides, it is going to come whether you welcome it or not. It always comes.”

“I could just ignore it and keep having this year,” Pippin said stubbornly.

“No you can’t,” Merry sighed. “The month is changing. This is the last day of Foreyule and at midnight tonight it will be Afteryule. You cannot just keep having this year; Pippin and you know very well that you can’t. You aren’t a little child now and you know all about the months of the year. You’re being daft!”

“Just because I know a thing, it doesn’t mean I have to like it,” Pippin said looking determined. “I should like it to be last new year’s bon fire. That was a splendid one, wasn’t it, Merry?”

“Well, of course it was,” Merry said. “All of our new year’s celebrations have been splendid.”

“Not all of them,” Pippin frowned darkly. “You remember the new year celebration when I was nine and it rained and we didn’t get to have the bon fire and we were at the Great Smials and you caught that dreadful cold and the raspberry tarts were burnt by that new lass in the kitchen. That was a terrible way to begin a new year. No one should burn raspberry tarts. It isn’t at all proper and it is certainly no way to begin a new year.”

“Fine,” Merry agreed. “There have been a few years that started out less than splendid.” Merry found it a bit distressing that Pippin was more concerned about the burnt tarts than he was about that dreadful cold that had ruined Merry’s new year but he supposed that he might have felt more upset about those tarts if he’d not had that cold.

Pippin smiled and sat up on the bed. “But last year was the first year that I was allowed to have any of the apple cider and I was able to stay awake last year. I didn’t fall asleep before the new year showed up. Also the Mayor was here and he made that speech about how Hobbits had improved the Shire over the old year.”

“That was a very dull speech, Pippin,” Merry objected. “I remember that you and I sat together and made funny remarks about it and giggled all the way through it.”

“We did and it was so much fun,” Perry grinned. “But this year, the Mayor is staying in Michel Delving and so we won’t have a dull speech to make fun of. He isn’t coming and no matter who makes the speech this year, they won’t manage to be as dull as the mayor. No one is as dull as the mayor, Merry. Father says so. He is always saying that the current mayor of the Shire is the dullest hobbit to ever draw a breath.”

Merry snickered. “Doc says so as well. Oh, but you’ll still be able to have cider, Pippin. You’re thirteen now and you were only twelve last new year. You’ll get cider just like last year and you might even be allowed to have a bit more of it than you had last year.”

“But it won’t be the first time, Merry. Last year was ever so special because it was the first time. This year will be the second time and everyone knows that the second time isn’t really special at all. It’s the first time that counts for something. The second time is simply what follows the first time,” Pippin said.

“You only get one first time for everything,” Merry said. Sometimes Pippin’s thoughts could ensnare the listener in such a way that you couldn’t work your way back out to reason.

“I know and that is such a shame really,” Pippin sighed leaning back against the pillows. “Once the first time is gone, then it never comes again.”

“Pippin, you can’t just hide in your room,” Merry said. “Cider is still very good the second time that you have it. Why how would it be if you were only allowed one biscuit? Once in your life you had that very first biscuit and while I am certain that you enjoyed it immensely I am also quite certain that you still enjoy biscuits. How would it be if you had to stop after only one?”

“I don’t mean to stop having cider or biscuits or jam or anything else but no matter how many times I have cider it will never again be the first time,” Pippin sighed. “Some day I will be old enough for a proper mug of cider and not just a few sips but that still doesn't change the way I feel now. This has been the very best of years, Merry. I don’t know why we need to have another year when we are having a perfectly good year right now.”

“Pippin, I just explained that to you,” Merry groaned sitting up. “We have no choice. The new year is coming and the old one is leaving.”

“We had snow in Solmath this year, remember Merry?” Pippin’s eyes gleamed. He loved snow.

“I remember,” Merry said.

“We had a real proper snow that lasted an entire week and I was at Brandy Hall with you and we went out every single day. And-“

“You got stuck out on the frozen surface of the Brandywine and we both nearly fell into the river,” Merry interrupted hoping to convince Pippin that not everything about this past year had been good. If he pointed out a few problems then perhaps Pippin would be more willing to see reason and come to the bon fire.

Pippin scowled. “But we didn’t fall in the Brandywine and you saved me and I learned how to play Sliders, remember? You and Freddy showed me and Freddy said that he didn’t know of a single other Took who could play sliders, remember that part, Merry?”

“I think I recall something about that,” Merry teased hearing the pride in Pippin’s voice. Pippin loved being the ‘only Took’ to do anything. He’d had lots of chances for that because he spent so much time in Buckland and the Bucklanders did lots of interesting things that other hobbits found rather strange. Pippin embraced all of these strange things and reveled in being the ‘only Took’ to attempt them.

“What if it doesn’t snow at all this year? What if I don’t have a chance to play Sliders this year? Freddy said that I could play on his team this year if the pond froze again but what if it doesn’t freeze over, Merry?”

“Pippin, you know that it doesn’t snow every year,” Merry smiled gentle. “But sometimes the pond freezes over even when it doesn’t snow. You might be able to play Sliders with Freddy even if we don’t have any snow at all. Just as long as it gets cold enough for the pond to freeze the Brandybucks and all of their friends will be out on the ice playing Sliders.”

“And what about Rethe?”

“What about it?” Merry frowned as Pippin changed the subject and moved on to another month.

“You know full well that won’t be as lovely next year as it was this year,” Pippin said knowingly.

“What was so special about Rethe this year?” Merry was genuinely confused now.

“Pervinca lost her voice, remember? She had that sore throat and she couldn’t talk for two whole weeks!”

Merry was laughing now.

“She couldn’t yell at me or boss me around or interrupt me and tell me that I was being foolish and she couldn’t have that nasty old Estella Bolger over either. I don’t know how Freddy got such an awful sister, do you?” Pippin frowned.

“I don’t think she’s that awful,” Merry objected. “She’s no worse than Pervinca.”

“Who is no worse than Pervinca?” Frodo asked coming into the room.

“Nasty old Estella Bolger,” Pippin said making a face as if he had tasted something sour.

“Ah, Freddy’s little sister,” Frodo smiled.

“Poor Freddy,” Pippin said shaking his head. “How does a nice hobbit like good old Fatty Bolger get such a shrew for a younger sister?”

“Why aren’t you two putting on your jackets and getting ready for the bon fire? I distinctly recall asking you to come in here and get Pippin so that we could go to town for the bon fire,” Frodo said avoiding commenting on Pippin’s assessment of Estella Bolger and looking at Merry.

“Pippin isn’t going,” Merry said.

“Why not?” Frodo frowned.

“I don’t want to welcome in any old new year,” Pippin said. “I like the year we are having now and I don’t fancy changing years and spoiling it.”

Frodo looked at Merry who simply shrugged. “He’s got his mind made up, Frodo. I’ve tried but he keeps coming up with reason why this was the best year ever.”

“What sort of reasons?” Frodo looked at Pippin.

“You and Merry showed me how to ride a pony,” Pippin responded quickly.

“We tried, you mean,” Merry objected.

“Well, I was getting better all the time,” Pippin said stiffly. “That last day I only fell four times.”

“That was when Doc came out and caught us and made us stop. You’d have fallen more than four times if he hadn’t put a stop to your lessons,” Merry said. “You had just disobeyed Frodo again and allowed the little pony to break into a trot then as Doc came into view you let go of the reins and waved to him!”

“I wanted him to see me riding!”

“You fell on your arse and that’s what he saw,” Merry objected.

“Before I fell he saw me riding and waving!” Pippin said looking insulted.

“This is a pleasant memory for you?” Frodo frowned looking confused.

“That wee pony was just my size, Frodo,” Pippin said. “There aren’t any ponies that size in Buckland now because that wee pony is as big as the others. It grew up and I can’t ride the big ones. No one will let me.”

“That’s because it’s too far to the ground when you get tossed,” Merry pointed out. “You can’t ride the little ponies and no one is going to allow you to risk your life riding one of the big ones.

“We won’t have any ponies that size this year,” Pippin sighed ignoring Merry’s insulting comments about his riding skills or the lack there of.

“We might,” Merry said. “I am certain that some of our mares will have foals this year.”

“But Uncle Doc has already said that I can’t have any more riding lessons until I am three foot tall and I’m not three foot tall,” Pippin frowned.

“Uncle Doc told me not to put you on any of our ponies this year and I did anyway,” Merry grinned. “If we get another little pony-“

“Merry,” Frodo warned sternly.

“What?” Merry looked at his older cousin innocently. “I’m just saying maybe.”

“You shouldn’t be saying anything at all,” Frodo said. “Your father said-“

“I know, but sometimes Doc doesn’t understand about Pippin. If I don’t keep trying to teach the Pip Squeak to ride then he’ll never learn,” Merry said.

“I will so learn!” Pippin objected looking insulted. “I was getting very good until Uncle Doc stopped me.”

Merry rolled his eyes. “You were getting good at falling on your arse.”

“Lads, this conversation isn’t getting us ready for the bon fire and I can’t be late this year,” Frodo reminded them. “I am telling a new year tale at the fire this year.” Frodo was rather pleased to have been asked to tell the first tale of the new year. Bilbo had always been asked before he had left the Shire and Frodo felt especially proud to be following in dear Bilbo's footsteps. It was an honor indeed to be the one to tell the new year's first tale.

“The mayor isn’t coming,” Pippin sighed. Frodo looked a bit insulted now. He thought that Pippin enjoyed his stories. Was he about to find out that this wasn’t true? “He’s staying in Michel Delving.”

“You mean to tell me that you prefer the Mayor’s speeches to my tales?” Frodo looked a bit stricken.

“You never say anything dull that Merry and me can make fun of,” Pippin said. “You’ll be entertaining and interesting and your story will be perfectly perfect. It won’t be at all like the mayor’s speeches.”

Frodo grinned looking amused now. “So, you’d appreciate it if I were dull?”

“Could you be?” Pippin asked looking hopeful.

“No!” Frodo frowned. “I am expected to do my very best with the new year story. You are the only hobbit in the Shire that would enjoy the bon fire if I deliberately told something dull.”

“I’m staying here and pretending that it is still this year,” Pippin said stubbornly.

“Name three reasons why you liked this year so much,” Merry challenged. “And I mean three that you haven’t already named.”

“Lithe, that extra big fish that you caught that day you went fishing without me, and how very good I am this year at playing Beaner!” Pippin answered quickly.

“Why is that extra big fish so entertaining? I caught that when you weren’t even around,” Merry said. The fish was most assuredly one of the high points of the year for Merry but he really couldn’t see why it would be important to Pippin. Merry had been proud of his catch but he just couldn’t see why Pippin found this to be a high point in the year.

“I know, but I love hearing you tell that story and you tell it all of the time,” Pippin said smiling. “Every time you tell it the fish gets bigger and bigger.” Frodo was laughing now. “And the last time you told it the fish actually pulled the boat forward a bit until you wrestled it into omission and-“

“Submission,” Merry corrected looking very annoyed now.

“Right! You had to wrestle that huge fish into submission and drag it onto the boat all by yourself and-“

“That’s enough about that fish,” Merry interrupted while Frodo tried not to laugh out loud. He had his head down and was trying not to chuckle.

“But, Merry, it’s the best story about fishing ever,” Pippin said. “I don’t care what Berilac says about you being the biggest liar in Buckland! It’s a brilliant story.”

“Berilac says that I’m the biggest liar in Buckland?” Merry scowled.

“He does and I don’t think Falco believes it either but they just don’t understand what a splendid story it is. I love the part where you first feel the fish tug on your line and you know that it is the biggest fish that you’ve ever caught even though you haven’t seen it,” Pippin smiled. “I also like it when you put me into the story.”

“You weren’t there!” Merry objected.

“I know and you always say something like, ‘Pippin wasn't anywhere around and so I was able to concentrate completely on my fishing.’ Or sometimes you actually mention me a bit more and say, ‘I could likely catch lots of very large fish if it weren’t for the fact that Pippin always disturbs the water by rocking the boat.’ It’s good of you to put me into the story even though I wasn’t there.” Pippin glowed with pride and Merry couldn’t believe that his younger cousin was actually pleased that he mentioned him in a less-than-flattering way when he told the story of his miraculous catch.

Frodo smirked and Merry glared at Frodo.

“Can you tell it now? We could stay here and you could tell about how you actually nearly fell into the Brandywine while pulling that big fish-“

“No! Now hush about the fish story,” Merry ordered. “Tell me why Lithe was so great this year.”

“I ate fifteen toffee apples and I didn’t get sick! I also had three slices of cherry pie warm cherry pie, not the sort that’s gone cold while waiting for someone to come along and buy it but the fresh, warm sort of cherry pie that makes your mouth feel all happy when you eat it. I had four full glasses of lemonade and two mugs of ginger beer and-“

“And you nearly had a serious accident while trying to find a privy,” Merry reminded him.

“But I didn’t have an accident! I made it in time!

“I had to help you unfasten your trousers while you danced about like you were standing on hot coals,” Merry grinned. “Another minute and you’d have let go all over your trousers.”

“But it wasn’t another minute,” Pippin blushed. “Besides, I could have undid my own trousers if Pearl hadn’t made the button holes too tight. She always does that and it takes a while for me to wear the holes bigger. Those were new trousers, Merry.”

“You always eat too much at the Lithe celebrations, Pippin,” Merry pointed out. “Why is this anything special?”

“This year I ate too much just like always and I didn’t get sick. I usually get sick but this year was a very good year and I didn’t get sick,” Pippin said.

“Now as to the fact that you are very good at Beaner this year-“ Frodo began.

“All of the older lads want me to play now,” Pippin said proudly. “They never did before but now that I am the best player in the Shire they-“

“The best player in the Shire?” Merry frowned.

“It’s a bit like your fish story, Meriadoc,” Frodo chuckled. Merry muttered something about nasty older cousins but Frodo couldn’t quite catch it because Pippin was chattering away.

“Sancho Proudfoot says that he’s never seen anyone who can play as good as me, and he doesn’t even like me, Merry,” Pippin said. “Berilac even lets me play on his team and Berilac doesn’t like me at all.”

“Berilac likes you,” Merry sighed. “I’ve explained about Berilac to you. He can’t admit that he likes you because he’s made such a show of not liking you in front of everyone. Now, even though he likes you, he has to make it seem as if he doesn’t.”

“What about Sancho?” Pippin asked.

“Oh, well, Sancho can’t stand you,” Merry said honestly.

“I thought so,” Pippin nodded.

“Lads, as entertaining as this all is,” Frodo smiled. “I have to get ready for the bon fire.”

“Have a wonderful time, Frodo,” Pippin said glumly. “I’m just going to stay here and remember all of the good things about this year.”

“You cannot stay here by yourself, Pippin,” Frodo reminded him.

“I’ll be good,” Pippin said.

“And you are likely out of good things to recall,” Merry said.

“No, I’m not! Remember that time that you and Berilac and Merimas and Falco stole those pies from Mrs. Sandhills and Berilac gave me the pie when all of you ran by?”

“You stole pies from Mrs. Sandhills?” Frodo frowned.

“Only that one time,” Merry said quickly in the hopes of keeping Frodo from beginning a lecture. “It was Berilac’s idea really but it didn’t work out like he planned at all.” Merry laughed recalling the incident in which his cousin Berilac had been forced to hide in the woods while Pippin insulted him and wound up with the pie that Berilac had stolen.

“Merry and I got to eat a whole pie by ourselves and it was very tasty, Frodo,” Pippin said licking his lips. “I sort of wish you’d been there too except for the fact that Merry and I would have got less pie if you’d been there.”

“That’s very practical of you, Pippin,” Frodo said smiling. “Were you stealing pies too?”

“Of course not,” Pippin said looking rather insulted. “I was just standing around watching squirrels play in the trees and Berilac ran by and put the pie into my hands. Now that isn’t likely to happen again this year. How often are you given a free pie?”

“A stolen pie,” Frodo pointed out.

“It wasn’t stolen by the time things were over, Frodo,” Pippin smiled. “Mr. Sandhills gave it to me to make up for accusing me of stealing it. He gave it to me and so it wasn’t a stolen pie when Merry and I ate it. It was a gift pie!”

Frodo groaned. He didn’t have an answer for that at the moment.

“You also found Errol again for me,” Pippin reminded him before Frodo had recovered from the pie story. “Remember? You got locked in the shed and Errol was already in there because Merry hid him in there.”

Merry looked a bit uncomfortable with this particular recollection of Pippin’s. Errol was Pippin’s treasured stuffed Rabbit. Merry considered his younger cousin too old to be sleeping with a stuffed Rabbit and so in order to keep Pippin from looking childish, Merry had hidden the Rabbit in the shed. Errol had been in that shed for three months when Frodo accidentally found him. Even now Merry could look over and see Errol sitting on the chair in Pippin’s room. It made him very uncomfortable and he almost felt as if the stupid, stuffed bunny was glaring at him. Merry shifted slightly and looked away from Errol.

“I remember,” Frodo nodded. “I was locked in the shed during a storm and there was Errol, sitting on one of the shelves.”

“You took a nap in the shed with Errol and then Merry and I found both of you,” Pippin smiled. “I never tell anyone about how you were holding Errol in your arms when Merry and I found you, Frodo. I would never want to embarrass you like. I know that you are way too old to sleep with stuffed Rabbits but I understand how it is when Errol is around. He is very hard to resist even if you are very old and very grown up.”

Merry snickered and Frodo groaned.

“Thank you, Pippin,” Frodo said a bit dryly. “But I am not really that old.”

“Still, you are far too old for-“

“That will do, Pippin,” Frodo said and he gave Merry a look that dared him to offer any sort of opinion on this subject.

Merry hid his own amusement and turned his attention back to the chore of convincing Pippin that not everything was good about the past year. “But for three whole months of this year you did without Errol,” Merry reminded his cousin. “Now, doesn’t that make the year less perfect?”

“Well, it was dreadful without Errol and that was a nasty thing that you did, Merry,” Pippin said looking angry for a split second. Then he smiled and said, “But since then you’ve been much nicer to Errol and I’ve appreciated him more because I know how bad it is when he isn’t around. So, everything was for the best even if it was a bit dreadful at the beginning. Errol had a fine adventure and was there when Frodo needed him and I got Errol back and you learned an important lesson.”

“Pippin, you could make good news out of a flood,” Merry groaned. “And I did not need to learn anything important.”

Frodo snorted when Merry said this last and for some reason Merry felt as if that stupid bunny was amused too.

“Surely finding Errol again was the best thing of the year,” Frodo smiled giving Merry a little smirk.

“It was very close but it wasn’t the best,” Pippin said. “I haven’t even got to the best of it yet.”

“What is the best of it?” Merry asked anxious to get as far away from the subject of the Rabbit as possible.

“I grew a whole inch this year,” Pippin smiled climbing off of the bed and standing. “I’m the tallest I’ve ever been right now. I got this tall this year.”

“Well, maybe you’ll grow another inch in the new year,” Merry said.

“But what if I don’t? What if I don’t get any taller than I have already got now?” Pippin frowned.

“You will,” Frodo said gently. “But you have to move forward and go into this year in order to continue growing. If you stay in this year as lovely as it’s been then you will continue to be as tall as you are now.”

“But I’ll also stay thirteen,” Pippin smiled. “And this isn’t too bad a height for thirteen. Oh, and that was another thing. My thirteenth birthday party was ever so splendid this year.”

“Pippin, you lost at all of the games, Sancho Proudfoot spilled red punch on your new shirt, you ran into a table and broke a candy dish, and you got locked in the closet,” Merry said remembering how that had been Sancho’s doing as well.

“I got locked in the closet with Violet Greenholm!” Pippin said brightly.

Frodo scratched his head. “How does that make things any better?”

“Violet knows things,” Pippin said smiling.

“What things?” Frodo demanded looked worried.

“All sorts of things,” Pippin smiled.

“About?” Merry was interested now. “What did Violet say to you?”

“She just told me stuff is all,” Pippin shrugged.

“What stuff?” Merry persisted.

“She told me all about import sex stuff,” Pippin said.

Frodo gagged. “What important sex stuff?”

“You know, Frodo,” Pippin sighed. “She told me how you keep from having sex. She said that as long as you stay out of strange lasses beds then you don’t ever have to have sex if you don’t want to.”

Merry snickered.

“Violet says that she heard her mum telling her father than if Ludo Grubb would stay out of strange lasses beds that he wouldn’t always be having to explain himself to Mrs. Grubb. He wouldn’t have to tell her why he’d had sex again. Violet says that’s how she knows about it,” Pippin said in a lofty, all-knowing tone of voice. “Violet says that she listens to what her mum says and that is how she finds out everything about everyone. I think it must be true because Aunt Esme says that Violet’s mum is the biggest gossip in the Shire. Violet’s mum would have to know everything about everyone in order to be that big a gossip.”

“Pippin, it would be best for all concerned if you didn’t repeat anything that Violet told you,” Frodo frowned.

“But some of the most interesting things that I know are things that Violet told me while we were locked in that closet,” Pippin objected. “She told me that Sancho Proudfoot’s father doesn’t have any balls.”

Merry laughed so hard that he fell to the floor.

“Pippin she-“

“No, really Frodo,” Pippin interrupted. “Violet said that her mum told her father that Sancho’s father wouldn’t put up with all of the abuse that Sancho’s mum gives him if he had any-“

“Pippin, you and I are going to have a talk about Violet Greenholm and her interesting information,” Frodo said. “But not now. Now, you are going to get your jacket and get ready to go to the bon fire with Merry and me.”

“But I didn’t tell you what Violet told me about the Gaffer,” Pippin objected.

“Gaffer Gamgee?” Merry asked sitting up on the floor and holding his stomach, which ached from laughing.

“Peregrin Took, I will not have you spreading rumors about the Gaffer,” Frodo said sternly.

“It isn’t a rumor, Frodo,” Pippin frowned. “It’s gossip! Violet says that the Gaffer isn’t going to live very long because he worked for Bilbo.” Pippin looked very sad about this.

“Wait, Frodo, I have got to hear this,” Merry said before Frodo could object. “How did working for Bilbo shorten the Gaffer’s life?”

“Well, Violet’s mum says that the day Gaffer Gamgee went to work for Bilbo Baggins is the day he threw away his future. She says that the Gaffer could have done well for himself in Hobbiton if he hadn’t decided to spend all of his time working for Bilbo. Violet’s mum says that the Gaffer could have lived high on what he’d made working for descent folk but instead he decided to throw away his future. She didn’t say how high he could have lived, but Violet thinks that her mum meant that the Gaffer could have lived way up into his nineties. Isn’t it sad that the Gaffer gave up his high life for Bilbo?”

“Pippin, the Gaffer isn’t going to die because he worked for Bilbo. That isn’t exactly what Violets mother meant.” Frodo’s lips tightened into a thin line as he thought about exactly what Mrs. Greenholm had been implying. “The Gaffer will be fine and I will explain it all to you later this evening. In fact I am going to teach you about avoiding folks who gossip,” Frodo sighed. “I don’t think that Violet Greenholm is the proper sort of friend for you what with all of the gossiping she does.”

“Oh, it’s all right, Frodo,” Pippin smiled. “Violet doesn’t gossip, her mum does. Violet just repeats what her mum tells her. I’m very glad that Sam isn’t going to have to lose his Gaffer. I guess Violet isn’t right about everything but she certainly knows a lot of stuff.” Pippin looked impressed.

‘Just how long were you locked in that closet with that, well with Violet,” Frodo said choosing his words carefully.

“A whole hour!”

“You got all of that information in only an hour?” Merry laughed. “Violet must be able to talk almost as fast as a Took!”

“If my father hadn’t got that door open then Violet might have told me where Bilbo’s gold is really buried,” Pippin chirped. “She was just getting to that part of things when we were let out and then she went off to talk to some of the lasses and I didn’t get to learn about the gold.”

“Get your jacket,” Frodo ordered sternly while Merry snickered. As Pippin hurried from the room, Frodo turned to Merry. “I do not want you to encourage him to repeat anything that Violet Greenholm told him in that closet, Meriadoc. Do you understand me?”

Merry snickered. “I think you’re making a big mistake, Frodo. You might learn something, you know. I had no idea about poor Mr. Proudfoot’s unfortunate condition. Also, it might be nice to find the missing Baggins treasure.”

Frodo glared at Merry. “I mean it, Meriadoc. Some of what that lass told Pippin could get our little cousin into a great deal of trouble.”

“That advice about staying out of strange lasses beds was sound enough,” Merry grinned as he walked out of the room ahead of Frodo.

“That may be the only useful thing that Pippin learned from Violet,” Frodo sighed as he and Merry walked to the entryway to get their out jackets.

“It just goes to prove that if you listen long enough you’ll hear something of interest,” Merry grinned.

“Especially if you are locked in a closet with Violet Greenholm,” Pippin said as he began to button up his jacket. “We better hurry or we’ll be late for the bon fire.”

“So, you’ve decided to celebrate the coming new year after all?” Merry asked looking surprised with his younger cousin’s sudden change of attitude.

“No, but I have decided to come to the bon fire and say good-bye to this year,” Pippin said. “I don’t think I shall ever have another year that is as perfect as this one and so it deserves a proper send-off.”

“Yes, next year you might not get yourself into any trouble at all,” Merry said sarcastically with a wink in Frodo’s direction.

“Then I’d be as dull as the mayor,” Pippin grinned and the three cousins stepped out into the night together on their way to the bon fire and into another entertaining year together.

The End and The Beginning

GW 12/30/2006

I didn’t realize how often I had written Pippin as being twelve until I was writing this story. Twelve really was a rather interesting year for Pippin. Anyway,

The reference to the stolen pie comes from “Of Squirrels and Stolen Pies”

The story behind Frodo finding Errol in the shed comes from “Errol”

The reference to Pippin learning to play Sliders and almost falling into the Brandywine comes from “Snow and Ice”

The reference to Pippin learning to play Beaner comes from “The Moment of Truth”

Any other events mentioned in this story have not been explored in any other tales. Here’s hoping that all of you have a wonderful New Year and that it is so perfect that you don’t want it to end! Thank you for reading and reviewing again this year.

Happy New Year!

GW 12/31/2006