Chapter 38: Farewell to Bungo

6 Winterfilth, SR 1326

The day was foggy and damp and dreary, the sort of day that gave Winterfilth its name. Bilbo stood numbly by his mother's side, his arm about her shoulders. He was quite sure that his expression was every bit as bleak as hers. He could not bring himself to look upon the shrouded figure in the long deep hole at his feet. That bundle of white linen was not his father.

At his mother's other side was Aunt Rosa, who was his cousin on his Baggins side. Adalgrim had brought her. No other Tooks had come; her husband Hildigrim would have only been a reminder of her disgrace. Since Uncle Longo and his family were in attendance it was thought best not to stir up old gossip. All the Baggins aunts and uncles were there, along with their connexions among the Bolgers, Proudfoots, Chubbs and Goodbodies.

Uncle Longo. It stuck in Bilbo's craw. Longo was the eldest Baggins now, and so tradition and propriety meant that it was he who would give the eulogy. Yet there had always been a rift between the brothers. Longo had been jealous of Bungo's place as family Head, and resented his marriage to a Took. The two had not spoken for decades, and since Longo had relocated to the Southfarthing on his own marriage it had been no hardship. Belladonna had hoped that Uncle Bingo would do it instead, but to no avail. Bingo Baggins was genial and kind-hearted, but like most Bagginses placed a high value on propriety. He would not buck tradition.

And now Longo cleared his throat and began pompously enough, to speak of his older brother's long battle with poor health since the Fell Winter, and how it was now a blessing that Bungo no longer had to suffer and struggle. No mention of what a good father and husband he had been, nor how well he had always managed the affairs of the Hill, nor of his many kindnesses to others, nor what an excellent scholar and teacher he had been. No, so far as Uncle Longo was concerned, his older brother was completely defined by the poor health that had plagued him for the last fourteen years. Bilbo glanced over at his mother. Her green eyes glittered, and there were two bright red spots on her cheeks. Her apathy was gone, and had now been replaced by anger.

In truth, while he would never regain his old vigour, Bungo had seemed somewhat improved over the last year. He'd begun to take an interest in Bilbo's students, was taking short walks each day, and had seemed happier and less inclined to fall asleep during the day. It had been quite a shock to Bilbo and Belladonna when Bungo had suddenly collapsed in the lane during one of his walks a few days earlier. Neighbours had brought him home, but his spirit had already fled.

Longo finished his remarks rather abruptly, then bent to take up a scant handful of dirt to drop into the grave. He immediately dusted his hands and began to head back down the Hill to Bag End. Bilbo supported his mother as she, too, dropped in a handful of earth; Bilbo did the same. Other mourners followed suit. Old Tam Goodchild and his apprentice Holman Greenhand stood by with spades to finish the work. Unlike the Tooks and a few other Great Families, the Bagginses had no special burial grounds. They followed the oldest of hobbit traditions: no coffin, just a shroud; no place to mark one hobbit's resting place apart from another. Generations of Bagginses were buried atop the Hill and became a part of it. Bilbo knew that within weeks the freshly turned earth would not be discernible from the rest of the Hill. But he knew. His father lay in the western shade of the old oak rooftree, and one day his mother would take her final rest in the same spot. Thinking of that day pierced Bilbo's heart like a dagger; with his father gone, would his mother stay long? Was it selfish of him to hope she would not leave him yet?

The family solicitor, Humbert Grubb (a fourth cousin through Grandmother Laura), was waiting in the parlour as the relatives crowded in. Those who were not quite such close family went on to the kitchen to help in preparing the funeral feast, while the most distant relations and friends melted away. Some would go down to Greenbriars, where Cousin Fosco had taken care to have a less elaborate feast laid out; others would go on to The Ivy Bush . Mr. Grubb was sitting at a small table set beneath the window; chairs for Bilbo and his mother were next to the table. Some of the relatives crowded onto the settee, and Longo claimed one of the armchairs by the hearth. His wife Camellia would have taken the other, but Aunt Belba had beaten her to it, and no glares from her younger brother or his wife would move her. Her husband, Uncle Rudigar Bolger stood behind her, his hands upon her shoulders. Aunt Linda had taken another sidechair, but all the rest of the kinfolk in the room had to stand, save Longo's young son Otho, who sat on the hearth.

Mr. Grubb pulled a large document out of his breast pocket and unfolded it. It was, of course, Bungo's will. Considering that Bungo had held the Headship of one of the Great Families, it was fairly simple. The Headship passed to his widow Belladonna Took Baggins for her life or so long as she cared to keep it, after which it would pass to his only son Bilbo. Bag End was bequeathed to Belladonna for her lifetime, and to Bilbo and his heirs after him. A few family heirlooms were passed to Bungo's brothers and sisters: the portrait of Mungo and Laura went to Bingo; to Linda, a beautiful lace tablecloth made by Great-grandmother Berylla; to Longo a silver bowl (one that Bungo had always thought rather hideous) that had been Longo's own wedding gift to his brother; to Belba a marvelous quilt made by Laura and Belba together when Belba was just a tween.

There were also a few small bequests of money to some of the families on the Hill, and some of his old students were given tokens of his esteem, mostly books. His longtime healer Mistress Sage was bequeathed a sum of money to cover the fees of hobbits too poor to pay her. The biggest surprise was that he had left the deed to Greenbriars outright to Cousin Fosco (for though his family had lived there since just before the Fell Winter, the property had remained that of the Bagginses as a whole). Now ownership would pass to the cadet line that descended from Great-uncle Largo.

"Now see here!" exclaimed Longo, "he can't do that!"

Mr. Grubb fixed Longo with a glare, and pushed his pince-nez up his nose. "Yes he could. As Family Head that was his prerogative, so long as an inhabitance was made available as the family seat. That is now Bag End."

Longo sat back, clearly fuming. But any further protests would bring scandal down on the family. He contented himself with a glare.

The lawyer continued. "This will is his Last Testament, drawn up in the Year of Shire Reckoning 1323, and witnessed by Rudigar Bolger, Bodo Proudfoot, Bingo Baggins, Polo Baggins, Fosco Baggins, Fortinbras Took II, and Isengrim III, Thain of the Shire."

Mr. Grubb stood up. "This concludes the reading of the Will."

Bilbo stood up and looked out the window. Nothing in his father's will had surprised him; it had been drawn up right after his own coming of age, and Bungo had showed it to him before it had been signed and witnessed. "No secrets between us, son. You are of age now, and in no need of a guardian. You'll be Master of the Hill after me, and the Baggins after your mother, so you need to know how things stand. No telling how long I will last; any turn might carry me off, you know that." Bilbo had been touched by his father's confidence and trust, but had felt dreadfully uncomfortable discussing Bungo's possible death. Now it had come to pass.

The family began to mill around the room, and Longo came over to Belladonna and bent over her. Bilbo turned to hear him saying, "Now, Belladonna, you have been dealt a grievous blow. I am sure you would rather not take on the responsibilities of being the Head of the Family, especially as the ways of your own family are so...different...than ours. If you should pass it on to Bilbo now, he will not lack for guidance from his uncles..."

Bilbo felt his temper rising at this blatant attempt by his uncle to take over the family affairs, but before he could intervene, Belladonna stood up; her own temper was clearly roused. "Longo Baggins, you dare to try and undermine your brother's wishes under his own roof! Listen, and listen well: I am the Baggins now, by your brother's will and by the long tradition of our people. I will not give it over to suit you, but if I do, at some point, decide to do so, my son, Bungo's son, is more than capable of running the Baggins family without any so-called guidance from you." She drew in a deep breath through her nose. Bilbo saw she was trembling with anger. He moved to Belladonna's side, took her elbow, and leveled his own glare at Longo.

Longo looked as though he had more to say, but before he could do so, Camellia came and put a hand on his arm. "Now, now, dear! I am sure this is not the best time to discuss such things with poor Belladonna. Come away, now." She gave him a tug, and he turned to go, but Bilbo (whose ears were sharper than the average hobbit) could hear her whispering to him. "Longo, your timing is atrocious! Not here in front of everyone!"

"But you said she'd listen better while her grief was fresh..."

Bilbo was furious, but nothing more could be said or done without making a scene; that would have been the last thing his father would have wanted. He had hated that sort of thing.

Just then, Aunt Rosa, who had been overseeing the kitchen came to announce the meal was ready, and everyone quickly made their way to the dining room. Bilbo felt rather odd, for he was sitting in the place that had been his mother's, while she was seated at the head of the table. There was plenty of food in a wide variety, and Bilbo filled his plate as expected, and moved it with his fork to his mouth; but he might as well be eating grass and rainwater. It was tasteless to him, and for once he did not care what he was eating. Every once in a while, he'd forget to eat at all, for most of his attention was on his mother. She was not even trying to eat, though she pushed the food around on her plate. Suddenly she caught his regard, and actually took a bite of whatever was on her fork. He could see her clearly make an effort to chew and swallow, but at least it was a start.

Soon the meal drew to an end. Longo conceded the traditional toast to Rudigar Bolger. Perhaps, Bilbo thought, he feared saying the wrong thing and antagonizing Belladonna again.

"To Bungo Baggins, a true Baggins indeed! Long may his memory live in the hearts of his family and friends!"

Shortly after, most began to leave. A few, including Longo and his family, were staying with Fosco and Ruby at Greenbriars. Rosa and Adalgrim and Belba and Rudigar were staying at Bag End. Most of the others were staying with various family members in Hobbiton, or at The Ivy Bush. It was late by the time farewells had been said, and Bilbo saw his mother to her bed. Once she was alone except for him, her sorrow and apathy returned. She willingly drank the tea Mistress Sage had left, to help her find sleep in her now solitary bed. Bilbo sat in the chair by her side until he was sure she slept.

Then he went to his own room and his own bed, and wept himself to sleep, for he would miss having his father in his life. He could not imagine Bag End without Bungo—and yet he would not have to imagine it, for it had happened and his father was gone.

Aunt Belba and Uncle Rudy left the next day, but Aunt Rosa and Adalgrim stayed on a couple of days until the third day when Aunt Donnamira arrived alone, to stay on and be a support for her sister as long as Belladonna needed her.

Bilbo felt a wrench at his cousin's leaving. Having Chop at his side had made him feel safe among all the changes in his world. He and Chop did not talk of things the way he and Siggy had always been able to do, but he was a solid presence and support, whether they sat out at night blowing smoke rings, or shared an ale or a late night cup of tea. He listened to Chop talk of his family, or of the history of the Tooks, or the doings at the farm, and was able to put his sorrow aside for a while.

Aunt Donnamira was quiet and composed, and Bilbo knew she was a great comfort to his mother. One night, as he sat in the study marking some of his student's work—for he had felt it important to start as he meant to go on—that he could overhear his mother and his aunt talking, though he could not understand their words. He heard them laugh.

His mother was laughing; he had not heard her laugh since they had lost Bungo. Bless you, Aunt Donna, he thought. Perhaps life would not be so bleak as he had imagined. If his mother still knew how to laugh, then perhaps he could recall how as well. He heard them laugh once more, and he smiled as he turned his attention back to the essay on the founding of Hobbiton.

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(Author's Note: According to Tolkien's Letter #214, in the Shire it is the custom that if the widow survives her husband, she becomes the legal Head of the Family. In "my" Shire universe, she has the option of turning that position over to her eldest son if she wishes and if he is of age. However, at the time Bilbo's father died, few widows exercised that option and most remained the Head for their lifetime. In later generations because of the actions of one particular widow, keeping the headship fell out of favor. Few widows wished to be compared to Lalia. (The only named hobbit who appears outside the context of TH or LotR or their drafts, she appears solely in Letter #214.)