“A Shared Birthday”

Frodo handed the small, brightly wrapped package to his cousin Bilbo and waited nervously for him to open it.  He didn’t know Bilbo as well as he would have liked, but he liked the old hobbit all the same.  It was important to him that Bilbo be pleased with the gift he had chosen for him.

Bilbo smiled at him and then turned his attention to the gift.  “Well, what have we here?” he said as he begin to unwrap it.  “Whatever has my dear cousin who shares my birthday given me?”

“Open it!” little Merry shouted as he bounced up and down at Frodo’s side.  “Open it and see!”

“Splendid advice,” Bilbo said reaching over and patting Merry on the head.  He then opened the package while Frodo waited nervously beside of the energetic Merry.

A smile slowly spread over Bilbo’s face and he held up the item.  “Frodo, I can’t thank you enough for this,” he said as he admired the gift.

“You got to thank him,” Merry objected frowning.  “Even if you don’t like it you still got to thank him.  It’s not polite if you don’t.”

“Hush, Merry,” Frodo whispered amused by his seven-year-old cousin’s confusion regarding what Bilbo had just said.

“Do you like it?” Frodo asked hopefully.

“I do indeed,” Bilbo smiled.  “It’s a very fine quill and I will enjoy writing with it.”  He turned the quill in his hand lightly and then slipped it gently back in to the box.  He put the box into his coat pocket for safekeeping.  “I have some lovely red ink that I have been thinking about using to draw a dragon and this quill will do the job very nicely.”

“Then say thank you,” Merry prompted, still not completely certain that Frodo was receiving his due.

Bilbo chuckled.  “I will do that very thing, Meriadoc,” Bilbo smiled.  “Thank you, Frodo for the lovely quill.  I shall make good use of it.”

“You write with it,” Merry said helpfully.

“ Yes, Merry, thank you for pointing that out,” Bilbo said patiently.  He turned to Frodo again and said, “And, for our shared birthday, I would like to give you this.”  He handed Frodo a gift.

“Open it!” Merry urged bouncing again. 

“I will, Merry,” Frodo laughed.  He unwrapped the package and his eyes shone with pleasure when he removed the item from the wrapping.  “Oh, Cousin Bilbo!  Thank you so much.”

Merry wrinkled his nose.  “It’s a book.”

“It’s a book about the Dwarves of Dale, Merry,” Frodo said reading from the cover.

Merry seemed uncertain as to why that might be important and he frowned at Bilbo.  

Bilbo smiled.  “Even if you don’t like a gift, a young cousin of mine says that you are supposed to say thank you,” Bilbo whispered giving Merry a wink.

“Did you get me a book about Dwarves too?” Merry asked looking crestfallen.

“No, I’m sorry to say that I didn’t have another copy of that book,” Bilbo smiled.  He handed Merry a brightly wrapped package.  “I suppose this will have to do, Merry.”

Merry tore open the package quickly while Frodo and Bilbo watched in amusement.  “It’s an army!” Merry shouted looking into the small wooden box.  “It’s a dwarf army!”

“So it is,” Frodo grinned.  “What do you say to your Cousin Bilbo, Merry?”

“Thank you!” Merry shouted.  “I’m going to show them to Berilac!  He doesn’t have any of these!” With this pronouncement, Merry ran off holding the box next to his chest with both hands and calling for Berilac.

“Do you suppose that later we could read some of my book together?” Frodo asked Bilbo shyly.

“I think that would be very enjoyable,” Bilbo smiled.  “It will have to wait until after our shared party as it won’t do for both guests of honour to sneak off.”  He patted Frodo on the shoulder.  “First we shall have some of Esmeralda’s apple cake and give out the rest of our gifts, but after everyone else is gone, we can find a quiet corner and read your book.”

“It’s time to serve the cake!” Esmeralda Brandybuck called out. 

As the two birthday guests of honour made their way over to the table together, Bilbo leaned over toward Frodo and said, "You know, Frodo my lad, you should come to Bag End and live with me and then we can celebrate our birthdays together every year."

Frodo smiled, pleased with the idea.  This was the first time that Bilbo had mentioned this to him but it would not be the last.

GW     09/22/2008