Chapter 5. Clothes Make the Hobbit

Ferdibrand was up well before early breakfast as usual. He saddled Dapple and gave her jaw a good rub. ‘We’re going to teach a lad some manners,’ he said, ‘so be on your best behaviour.’ She nuzzled his hand and followed him sedately from the stable. He hitched her to a post near the little ring. The stallion threw up his head and came trotting over, calling greetings. Dapple answered politely enough, as older mare to younger newcomer.

The clouds were rolling away and it promised to be a lovely day after yesterday’s steady downpour. Ferdi patted Dapple. ‘You stay right here,’ he said. She would. On his forays outside of Tookland during the Troubles, he’d trusted his life to the fact that she’d stand quietly and wait for him with infinite patience, whilst he skulked through the undergrowth to see what tricks the ruffians were up to, in their efforts to get into Tookland. He’d listened to many a campfire discussion and taken the news back to Thain Paladin.

Going into the tack room, he uncovered one of the saddles that had come with the stallion. Not the fancy one, with its silver inlay and flashing jewels, but the plain exercise saddle that was obviously made to order for that pony. He laid a soft blanket over, took the unadorned bridle that hung nearby, and lugged the lot out to the yard, laying his burden atop the fence. He’d wager the stallion hadn’t seen the tack since leaving Rohan. The merchants were much too Big to have tried to ride him, even had they dared to try.

The stallion moved to the fence, paying no mind to the saddle, looking for his morning apple. Ferdi provided the treat and slipped through the fence while the pony was munching. He picked up the blanket and began to rub it over the stallion’s body. ‘Just another grooming cloth is all,’ he murmured. At the end he lifted it over the withers and laid it in place. Next he added the saddle, keeping a watchful eye on the ears, but all was well. He’d worked some with the stallion before fetching Dapple, just to remind him who was in charge...

 ‘Are ye going to ride him?’ Old Tom said. He’d come out of the stable and stopped to wish Dapple a good morning.

 ‘I think we’ll just try dressing him this morning,’ Ferdi said. ‘No need to rush things.’

The pony took the bit fairly easily, confirming Ferdi’s suspicion that he’d been well-trained before leaving Rohan. He knotted the reins and slipped them over the stallion’s head. ‘There,’ he said, ‘all dressed for the day.’ Taking a rein, he practiced leading the pony all over the pen.

Leaving the stallion at last, he slipped out of the pen and mounted Dapple, riding her around the circumference of the pen whilst the stallion followed on the inside rail. They walked, trotted, cantered, changed directions, stopped and started again.

 ‘Almost as good as having him on a lead rein,’ Tom commented.

 ‘Aye, only better,’ Ferdi said. ‘I do believe we’ll have a bit of trouble when we remind him how to follow on a lead rein. It’s probably the first thing the merchants tried, and when he fought them they didn’t know what to do.’

He worked all the way through early breakfast, grabbing an apple for himself from the barrel in the doorway to the stables on his way out. He’d make it up at second breakfast, unless he was carrying a message for the Thain. Still, with the Mayor here, Pip was less likely to ride out or send Ferdi off. He anticipated a quiet morning. Perhaps he’d get some more fletching done. He was working hard to amass a goodly number of arrows to sell to the archers who’d come to the Tournament after Mid-year.

Reginard caught him halfway across the yard. ‘I thought I’d find you here,’ he said. ‘Pip ought to be paying you for training the new stallion.’

 ‘Ah well,’ Ferdi said uncomfortably. ‘I just hated to see him going to waste.’

The steward looked him up and down. ‘Diamond was right,’ he said grimly.

 ‘Right about what?’ Ferdi asked in surprise. What did Diamond have to do with him?

 ‘Someone complained to her that the head of escort was looking shabby. I want you to put on your best clothes and report to me in the Thain’s study.’

 ‘Best clothes?’ Ferdi said. ‘Is there an important guest?’ He mentally kicked himself. The Mayor was at the Smials, of course, to go over some business with the Thain.

 ‘No one more important than the Mayor and Thain,’ Regi said. ‘The Master of Buckland isn’t here to swell the ranks, if that’s what you were asking.’

There was no answer to this but to say, ‘I’ll be right there.’ Reginard nodded and they parted ways.

Ferdi dressed with care, though his clothes were still a bit damp from the previous day. Tolibold was standing outside the door to the Thain’s study. ‘Tolly,’ he said in greeting. Come to think of it, Tolly was looking a bit threadbare himself.

 ‘Ferdi,’ Tolly responded. He tapped at the door, waited for acknowledgement from within, and swung the door open.

To his surprise, Thain and Mayor were not there, only Reginard and two hobbits, one with a measuring tape around his neck, and the other with paper and pencil. Ferdi knew them only slightly. ‘Here he is, Palibard,’ Regi said. ‘See what you can do with him.’

 ‘What?’ Ferdi sputtered, dumbfounded.

 ‘You’re to have a new suit of clothes,’ Regi said.

 ‘But—but I—but...’ Ferdi said. He didn’t want to say he hadn’t the coins to pay for it, not in front of Regi and certainly not in front of these well-dressed hobbits.

 ‘Thain’s orders,’ Regi said. ‘Thain Peregrin insists upon his escort looking presentable, if he must ride about with a shadow.’

Ferdi smouldered internally. He wondered how far in debt this would put him, and how long it would take to climb out again. Perhaps he ought to go back to hunting. It was so much simpler, stalking game for the pot, tracking wild swine and foxes, and the wild dogs that had plagued the Shire since the time of the Troubles, when many dogs had been let loose to wander by hobbits made homeless.

 ‘Hold out your arms,’ the tailor said, and proceeded to measure and mutter to his assistant. ‘Very well,’ he said at last. The assistant finished writing, folding the paper, pocketed the note and took his leave with a nod from the tailor. ‘I have some already made up that will suit quite well, I think. The fancy togs will take a bit longer...’ He looked Ferdi up and down. ‘Green,’ he said. ‘That ought to look quite dashing. You’ll have a hoard of giggling lasses following you about.’

 ‘Regi, I...’ Ferdi tried once more.

 ‘Sit down, Ferdi. Would you care for a cup of tea as we wait?’ Ferdi found himself sitting uncomfortably, sipping a cup of tea, and though his appetite was quite taken away, he nibbled absently on a biscuit while Regi and the tailor chatted pleasantly. Palibard was a close cousin of Regi’s, as it turned out. Ferdi fumed that he’d turn a pretty penny on the commission.

The assistant returned with a stack of folded garments. ‘Here we are, sirs,’ he said cheerily. He shook out the top item, a pair of breeches. ‘Stand up, please,’ he said to Ferdi, and at a look from Regi, the head of escort complied. The assistant held the breeches against him and nodded. ‘Perfect fit,’ he said, folding them up again. He picked up the stack and thrust it at Ferdibrand. ‘Here you are, sir,’ he repeated.

Ferdi took the stack automatically, his head whirling as he tried to count the cost. ‘What... what do I owe you?’ he asked at last, though he dreaded the answer.

 ‘Already been paid,’ Palibard said briskly. ‘Send the next one in.’

 ‘Next one?’ Ferdi said.

 ‘Tolly’s watching the door, isn’t he?’ Regi put in smoothly. ‘Send him in,’ he looked Ferdi up and down again, ‘and go make yourself presentable.’

Ferdi exited, hardly able to summon a word as Tolly cocked an eyebrow at him, saying, ‘They’ve got you running errands now? I thought you were a messenger.’

 ‘It’s your turn,’ he managed. Tolly’s eyebrow rose further. ‘Go on in,’ Ferdi added. ‘They’re waiting for you.’ He couldn’t help a grin as he turned away. He wondered what Tolly would make of all this.

***

Ferdi was called to take tea with Thain and Mayor and their wives this day. Diamond greeted him graciously, sat him down, and offered him tea and cakes. He did not notice the significant look that passed between Rose and Diamond, nor Rose’s satisfied nod.

He was unaccountably nervous. He was not one to spill his food or drink, mind, but this was the first suit of new clothes he’d had since... since they’d come to live at the Great Smials, after the stable fire that devoured his family’s fortune and changed his life forever. He'd made do with cast-offs for years now, being handy with a needle from much experience repairing harness. It was a good thing he’d eaten heartily at noontide, for he could hardly manage a bite now.

As he’d reported to the Thain’s quarters, he’d seen Hildibold standing at ready outside the entrance, also resplendent in new clothes. ‘Hilly,’ he said, a grin splitting his face.

 ‘Ferdi,’ Hilly responded, grinning back. Ah, but being a hobbit of the Thain’s escort was a fine situation!

After tea, Ferdi found Tolly outside the Thain’s door. It was tiresome to stand outside a doorway, waiting to carry a message, and so the hobbits of the escort traded off every hour or so. He nodded to Tolly with a grin, and Tolly responded with a dignified nod befitting his new attire.

He encountered Elanor in the corridor. ‘Why Ferdi! You’re looking fine!’

 ‘Thank you, miss,’ he said, and she frowned. ‘Miss Nell,’ he amended hastily.

 ‘You’re hopeless,’ Elanor said, much as she might to one of her teasing uncles. Ferdi was not teasing, she saw, and the jest fell flat. She decided to stick to business matters. ‘I’m glad I saw you,’ she amended. ‘Goldi slipped from her bed and we cannot find her anywhere!’

 ‘There are all sorts of tots about the Smials,’ Ferdi said. ‘Undoubtedly she’s found a playmate.’

 ‘Undoubtedly,’ Elanor said, ‘But she’s missing, and she’s only three...’

 ‘I’ll keep my eyes open,’ Ferdi promised. He was sure quite a search would be mounted once Miss Elanor told her parents, who were lingering over their teacups in the Thain’s quarters. He did keep his eyes open, seeing a few golden heads in his passage to the yard, but none belonging to a winsome three-year-old Gamgee.

However, halfway across the yard, he stopped in consternation. It seemed that Goldi had indeed found a playmate. She was standing in the centre of the new stallion’s ring, pulling on the pony’s long forelock and crowing in delight as the pony pushed his nose against her chest.

He heard a shout from the stables. Evidently someone else had seen as well. The stallion threw up his head, upsetting the little one, who sat down in the mud with a shriek. The pony danced nervously, his hoofs coming down dangerously near the child. Ferdi broke into a run, vaulting the fence, coming to a stop inside the ring, remembering his father's teaching... He stood firm, shoulders square, facing the stallion, making the shushing noise he’d used when working with the pony, to calm him, get his attention, remind him who was the principle in the relationship.

The pony turned towards him and stopped, standing over the crying tot. ‘Steady now,’ Ferdi said. ‘Steady.’ He heard a cry from behind him, Mistress Rose! He had only a few seconds before hobbits came racing to the fence and upset the delicate balance he’d achieved. ‘Steady,’ he said again, walking forward, extending a hand. The ears pricked forward, the head came down. ‘That’s right,’ he said. He reached the stallion and patted the neck. ‘There’s a good fellow.’

Still moving slowly, with one hand moving along the pony’s side just as if he were grooming the beast, he reached under the pony’s belly. ‘Come now, Goldi,’ he said, ‘Come to Ferdi.’

 ‘Want Ferdi!’ Goldi sobbed, holding up her dimpled little arms.

Ferdi took her, lifting her out from under, crooning the sing-song that told the stallion all was well. ‘Good lad,’ he said, finding a sweet biscuit in his pocket that he’d put away for later. ‘I’ve no carrots at the moment, but perhaps this’ll do.’ He held out the biscuit and the pony swept it from his hand, nodding pleasantly as he crunched the treat. ‘Good lad,’ he said again, and turned away.

The gathering of hobbits outside the fence near to took his breath away. There were the Thain and the Mistress, the Mayor and Mrs Gamgee, Elanor and Frodo-lad, Old Tom and several stable workers with various weapons: whip, pitchfork, rope. He walked slowly to the fence and handed Goldi to her weeping mother.

 ‘They said he was a dangerous beast,’ Mayor Samwise said shakily, ‘and that we should keep the children away from the ring.’

 ‘Ah well,’ Ferdi said, at a loss for words. ‘We all have our good days, and our bad days.’ An expression of chagrin crossed his face as he realised he’d torn his new breeches when he’d vaulted the fence. ‘If you’ll excuse me,’ he said. ‘I need to take care of a personal matter.’

The crowd parted before him as he walked away with what dignity he could muster, one hand holding the torn cloth in place. He ought to have remained a hunter, he thought, for new clothes were a worry and a bother for certain.