Seventeen

            Estel examined the unexpected gift received from the Shire—a book of children’s stories as told by Hobbits to their sons and daughters.  It had been carried from Bag End to the Last Homely House by the Wizard Gandalf after his last visit with his friend Bilbo.

            There were seventeen stories, each written in Bilbo’s spidery handwriting.  He hoped he’d be able to make them all out, as this was writing such as he’d not seen before.

            “Do you like it, ion nín?” asked his adar.

            “Oh, but I do!” responded Estel.  “How can I send to thank him?”