Right now, on Live Journal, thanks to Frodosweetstuff, everyone is enjoying Hobbit Month.  For the entire month of October, people have been posting artwork, photos, stories and other hobbit-related things for everyone to enjoy.  This little prologue is a different view point on the celebration of 'Hobbit Month'.  So, getting on with it, here's another of my prologues.

GW        10-28-2009

*****

"What's all the fuss about?" Merry yawned.

"It's Hobbit Month," Frodo explained.  "Now, get up out of that chair and get ready."

"Ready for what?" Merry growled.

"Hobbit Month," Frodo sighed, beginning to look annoyed.

"Frodo," Merry said.  "You do realize that we're hobbits, don't you?"

"Of course I do!" Frodo objected.  "What sort of a question is that?"

"Mr. Frodo knows all sorts 'o things," Sam said rushing to his master's defense.  "He speaks Elvish and he reads all the time.  He'd know a simple fact like that."

"Thank you, Sam," Frodo said.

"Well, he doesn't act as if he knows it, Sam," Merry said. "For a very well educated Hobbit, you seem to be forgetting a thing or two, Frodo."

"What do you mean, Meriadoc?" Frodo frowned, looking very annoyed now."Just exactly what is it that you think I may have forgot?"

"Well, you're a hobbit, I'm a hobbit, Sam's a hobbit, and the Shire is full of hobbits," Merry grinned.  "To us, every month is hobbit month.  What other kinds of months could we have?  Pony Month?  Cow Month?  Sheep Month?  They'd love that one in the Tooklands.  Elf Month?  In honour of your vast skills with their language, perhaps?  Badger Month?  Dwarf Month?"

"Merry, you are missing the point of it all!" Frodo shouted.

"Smelly Cheese Month?  Goblin Month?  I'm going to be gone that month. Potato Month?  Sam might like that one. Flying Pig Month?  Or, as hobbits, would we just be content to have hobbit months?"

Frodo, who was turning a nasty shade of red while Merry spoke, was about to say something in return when Pippin rushed in carrying an arm-load of parchment, streamers, and paints.  "I've got everything we need!'  Pippin announced slightly breathless.  "I had to go all over town, but I think I've finally got all of the items on the list.  I even got a couple of things that you didn't ask for, Frodo."

Merry smiled.  "Making something, Cousin?"  He looked at Frodo who was shaking with rage at the moment.

"It's for Hobbit Month," Pippin said cheerfully.  "We're making a big banner to hang from the Party Tree and one to put in the garden here at Bag End and then one to put in the town so that everyone will know."

Merry leered at Frodo.  "So that everyone will know what, exactly, Pippin?"

"It's so that everyone will know about Hobbit Month," Pippin replied. 

"You're going to make banners so that all of *the hobbits* in *Hobbiton* will read the the banners and know that's it's *Hobbit Month*?" Merry asked. "Who thought of this again?"

"It was Frodo's idea," Pippin said proudly.  "He has the best ideas, Merry.  He suggested that I go and get all of this stuff, which is rather heavy by the way."  He looked over at Sam, hinting that the gardener might help him with it, but Sam didn't move.  "Well, the point is, Frodo has this plan to let everyone in the Shire know about Hobbit Month!  He says we'll be spreading the word so that no one misses out on all of the fun and special activities that there are."

"Like making banners," Merry smiled.

"Well, I suppose so, but the special part will be the stories and the artwork and all of the postings and all of it will be about hobbits," Pippin said proudly.  He looked at Frodo.  "Would you mind taking some of these things from me?  My arms are starting to ache.  I got a great deal of this parchment and it's very heavy and then there's all of this paint."

"Is Frodo planning to make banners for the Buckland Hobbits and the Tookland Hobbits too?" Merry asked.  He winked at Frodo.  "I'm guessing that the hobbits in the Tooklands might find the banners very informative.  I doubt the news of Hobbit Month has spread all the way out there."

Pippin shifted the load he was holding in an effort to keep a grip on all of it and looked at Frodo.  "I don't think we have enough for that, Frodo.  I suppose that after we use all of this I can go back into town and get more.  We'd need to make one for Michael Delving too.  They'd be very annoyed if we left them out of it.  The Mayor is always saying that it's important to include the Town Hole in all of the big events and Hobbit Month certainly is a big event."

"Yes, Hobbit Month is a very big event, Pip.  It only happens twelve times a year, every year here in the Shire," Merry nodded. 

"Twelve times a year?  Frodo, what does Merry mean exactly?" Pippin looked confused.

"Yes, Pippin, twelve times a year," Merry smiled.  "If you think about it, you'll figure it out."  Merry walked by Pippin, patted him on the shoulder and said, "I have faith in you.  You'll get it all sorted out  and by this time next year, you'll wonder why you didn't realize it sooner."  Merry kept walking and went on outside, leaving Pippin still holding his purchases.

"What does he mean, Frodo?" Pippin frowned.  "Are we going to make the banners now?  I'm going to drop these things if I don't put them down soon.  Where do you want them?"

"I know where he'd like to put them but I don't think there's room in there and I'm not sure we could hold Mr. Merry down long enough to finish the job," Sam muttered.

"What?" Pippin frowned.  "Frodo, where do you want these?" "I really do want to know," Pippin objected.  "This is heavy!  I'd be more than glad to put all of this down anywhere you say, but if it's dark in there, I'll need a lantern and I don't think I've any way at all to carry one.  Frodo?  Frodo?"

Sam shook his head.  "Let him go, Mr. Pippin.  It's better that way.  Anything we do now will only be like rubbing salt in an open wound."

Pippin watched Frodo storm out of the parlour.  He and Sam could hear him ranting as he went.  "One nice holiday!  I'd just like to have one special holiday that wasn't spoiled by some, insignificant detail!  We're hobbits, Frodo!  Every month is hobbit month, Frodo!  Brandybucks!"

**************

Not every month around here is Hobbit Month, so enjoy it while you can.  When October is gone, so is Hobbit Month!  Big thank yous go to Frodosweetstuff for organizing "Hobbit Month" on Live Journal and for allowing me the chance to participate in it. Those of us who are not hobbits, can enjoy Hobbit Month every single day of October!

As ever, thank you for reading!

GW      10-28-2009