This was written for a Hobbit_Ficathon challenge in which Dreamflower asked us to write a story that had at least three hobbits being thankful for the same thing. This was my response.

“The Importance of Not Being Pippin”

The four of them looked down at Merry who was sitting on the floor amid the scattered pages of notes that his father had left for him. His fall had sent all of the tiny pieces of parchment in every direction imaginable. Merry looked as if he might explode at any moment, his face red and his hands desperately snatching pieces of parchment out of the air. The tiny stuffed pony that Merry had slipped on was laying just inches from the Master of Buckland’s desk, its dark mane twisted about and one of its small button eyes staring upward at nothing in particular.

Merry made a low growling sound from deep within his throat and narrowed his eyes to glare at the stuffed pony as the last of the parchment settled about him.

‘I am so thankful that I didn’t offer to carry Uncle Doc’s notes for Merry,’ Berilac thought as he took a small step backward from where Merry sat and waited for the yelling to begin.

‘I’m glad that my father always leaves all of his notes on one, long roll of parchment. Less confusion that way and I don’t have to gather up all of the notes and go through them. You would think that the Master of the Hall would be more organized, wouldn’t you?’ Fredegar thought as he stood behind Merry and waited for the outburst that he knew was only seconds away. ‘I have a lot to be thankful for at the moment.’

‘Merry is going to find the owner of that pony and kill him or her,’ Merimas thought. ‘I am very thankful that I’m too old to be suspected of playing with anything like that. Merry will likely swing first and ask questions later.’

Pippin bent forward and picked up the stuffed toy and turned it over in his hands. “I’m glad this isn’t mine!” Pippin said looking pleased with himself. He then leaned over and looked at Merry. “Are you all right, Merry? You certainly have made a mess! It will likely take you hours and hours just to sort all of this out. With all of that parchment sailing about you, you look as if you’ve been caught in a snow storm.” Pippin grinned a bit broader and continued. “Whoever waxed the floor in here did an uncommon good job of it this week. I can see my face in the wood!”

As Merry gritted his teeth and snatched the pony from Pippin’s hands, Berilac, Merimas and Fredegar were of one mind. ‘I certainly am thankful that I’m not Pippin Took right now.’

The End

G.W. 11/13/2005