Chapter 57. Changes and Plans

 ‘So, cousin, are there any other anniversaries I need to be aware of?’ Freddy asked. It was his last morning in Bag End. His father had arrived two days previous with the family coach to fetch him away, but Frodo had persuaded Odovacar to stay over a day before making the two-day journey back to Bridgefields.

 ‘Anniversaries?’ Odovacar said, helping himself to more sausages.

Frodo made a great show of thinking. ‘There’s May the First,’ he said finally. ‘Sam and Rosie’s anniversary. Other than that one, and the others we’ve already discussed, I cannot think of any.’

 ‘Ah,’ Freddy said with a nod. ‘But how can I remember that day? I’d send flowers from the hothouse, but Sammy’s will undoubtedly be larger and smell sweeter. What do you give the gardener who grows everything?’

 ‘I’m sure you’ll think of something,’ Frodo said. ‘You always do.’ He sipped at his tea. ‘Are you sure I cannot persuade you to stay longer?’ Though he would not say it, he worried about his cousin’s return to Bridgefields.

 ‘No,’ Freddy said, shaking his head. ‘Remembering Day is approaching, and I must be there. Finch’s oldest son, Jay, fell to a ruffian’s arrow as you know.’

 ‘He was a brave lad,’ Odovacar said. ‘All of you were. The hobbits of Bridgefields would have starved without your efforts, and they shall never forget.’

 ‘Let us hope not,’ Frodo said. ‘That is why I am writing it all down.’

 ‘And I am helping,’ Freddy said importantly. ‘Spelling, and usage, and clever turns of phrase, and all that. History can be dull as ditchwater, but between us Frodo and I will make it something to remember.’ He fixed Frodo with a stern eye. ‘Now remember, cousin, “travelling” has two Ls in it; remember that and you’ll go far.’

 ‘As does “travellers”;, yes I remember,’ Frodo sighed. ‘You’ve told me often enough.’

 ‘You’ve been working on your book for nearly a year now,’ Odovacar said. ‘What more needs to be done?’

 ‘Ah but Bilbo worked on it for a lifetime—you think I ought to finish in a matter of mere months?’ Frodo said.

 ‘Of course!’ Freddy said. ‘With my help, you ought to be able to finish it off quite well.’

 ‘You’re a good whip, Freddy,’ Frodo said, and to Odovacar added, ‘He’s always saying, “Well I’ve finished that bit, what more do you have for me?” ’

 ‘Indeed,’ Freddy said. ‘I have finished all you’ve written thus far. I’d say the notes are ready to copy into the Red Book but for one thing.’

 ‘And what is that?’ Frodo said.

 ‘In the part about Cormallen,’ Freddy said. ‘Lovely description, by the way, shouting and cheering and feasting and all. Makes me wish all over again I’d gone with you.’

 ‘Cormallen?’ Odo said, mystified. ‘Who is he?’

 ‘Cormallen is a place, not a person,’ Freddy said dismissively. ‘I’ll tell you all about it on the journey home. I think you’ll find cousin Frodo’s journey quite riveting—I know I did.’

 ‘So what is lacking?’ Frodo persisted.

 ‘You have Gimli—he’s a dwarf,’ Freddy said in aside to his father, ‘spouting some nonsense about a hobbit’s foot, and heaving a troll—a troll, mind!—off our little cousin.’

 ‘A troll!’ Odovacar exclaimed. Bilbo had dined enough times at Budge Hall, recounting his experience with trolls, for the Bolger to wonder how young Pip had ever survived to return to the Shire.

 ‘Yes, he stabbed it as it sought to slay the Man who stood beside him,’ Frodo said, ‘and it fell upon him.’

 ‘That must be quite a story,’ Odo said.

 ‘My point exactly,’ Freddy nodded, draining his teacup and placing it back on the saucer, shaking his head when Sam offered to refill it. ‘You’ve finished yours and Sam’s story, from the start all the way to Cormallen, but after the breaking of the Fellowship there’s no hint of what happened to Merry and Pippin.’

 ‘You’ve finished our story?’ Sam said in astonishment. ‘Shelob, and the Crack of Doom, and all?’

 ‘Yes Sam,’ Frodo said. ‘It’s all done, gone over, corrected, and ready to copy into the Red Book.’

 ‘Well before you do that, you had better fill in Merry and Pippin’s story,’ Freddy said sternly, ‘or you’ve told only half the tale!’ He quoted, ‘ “But I can see there’s more tales to tell than ours.” ’ He looked to Samwise. ‘Your own words, my good gardener.’

 ‘My words!’ Sam said, shaking his head. He still had trouble believing he’d been put into a book, even though he’d read many of the pages with his own eyes.

 ‘It is a good thing you’ve only copied into the Red Book the part of the story as far as the breaking of the Fellowship,’ Freddy said. ‘That’s a good place to stop, take a deep breath, lift your head and look around.’ Sam quietly picked up the empty platter that had held sausages and left the room.

There was a silence as Odovacar and Frodo applied themselves to their seconds. Freddy had finished a plateful and sat back, replete, letting Frodo think on his suggestion.

 ‘Look up from the path I trod, you mean,’ Frodo said at last. He took a deep breath. ‘I heard much of their tale on the long journey home, sitting about the campfire, and more when we were at Rivendell telling Bilbo about our adventures, but I wonder if I could get it all down properly, at that!’

 ‘Ask them!’ Freddy said promptly. ‘They visit you often enough. Make them sing for their supper!’

 ‘I hate to make them relive any of that,’ Frodo said slowly.

 ‘Sammy,’ Freddy said. Samwise had just entered with another platter of sausages.

 ‘Yes Mr Freddy?’

 ‘Sam-full-wise, for I refuse to say “Samwise”, has it been painful for you to relive the Quest, as Mr Frodo’s been writing it down?’ Freddy said. ‘I know there are parts you had to tell him, for he didn’t remember them himself, some very nasty parts to put it mildly.’

 ‘I can see our journey home will not be a boring one,’ Odovacar said as Sam stopped to think.

 ‘It has not been easy, Mr Freddy,’ Sam said, ‘but I think it’s been needful. This story oughtn’t be forgotten, you know. It’ll be one o’ the Great Tales one day, and we who lived it are the only ones to make sure the facts are set down right and proper.’

 ‘You see, cousin?’ Freddy said meaningfully. ‘Sam here lived through the worst I can imagine, as did you, and yet he thinks it worth writing down, as you must or why would you have put all this work in? Would you do your cousins any less honour?’

 ‘Ah, Freddy, you’re right,’ Frodo said, ‘though it grieves me to remind them of all they went through.’

 ‘I think they would remember without your help,’ Freddy said quietly.

 ‘You’re right,’ Frodo said again. ‘I will write what Sam and I can remember, and have them fill in the rest.’

 ‘I will look forward to reading it,’ Freddy said. ‘Since they will be passing by Budgeford on their way to and from Bag End, they can serve as messengers!’

 ‘You’ll continue to correct my spelling?’ Frodo chuckled.

 ‘But of course!’ Freddy said. ‘Who better? And besides, it will give me something to do with my time.’ He smiled at Odovacar. ‘Since Uncle Rudi has become my father’s heir, I am freed of all sorts of tiresome responsibilities.’

 ‘I’m sure Rudi would be happy to share the load,’ Odo said, returning Freddy’s smile.

 ‘Ah,’ Freddy said. ‘I’m afraid I will be otherwise engaged. Cousin Frodo’s writing requires much work, you know.’

 ‘Perhaps you ought to write the story, then, cousin,’ Frodo said.

 ‘No, writing is much too much work!’ Freddy said. ‘You may do all the perspiring, Frodo, and I shall add polish and rub gently to bring out the grain.’

 ‘Very kind, I’m sure,’ Frodo said.

Odo finished his last sausage and declined another cup of tea. ‘Excellent breakfast, Sam,’ he said. ‘Thank you, but we really ought to take our leave. I imagine Sandy has the ponies hitched and ready by this time.’

 ‘Yes sir, Master Bolger, he does indeed,’ Sam said. The coachhobbit had breakfasted earlier with him in the kitchen. ‘The coach is loaded, the ponies are hitched, and he is ready to depart whenever you are, sir.’

 ‘Very well,’ Odo said, rising from the table.

 ‘I will see you in March, Frodo,’ Freddy said, throwing down his own serviette, rising and embracing his cousin.

 ‘March?’ Frodo said.

 ‘If not before,’ Freddy answered, releasing him. ‘Your pantry ought to have recovered from my depredations by then, I figure.’

 ‘I don’t know,’ Frodo said. ‘The way Pippin eats, it may still be suffering from shock by your next visit.’

 ‘Just keep those chapters coming and I won’t complain,’ Freddy said. ‘Take good care of your master for me, Sammy!’

 ‘I will, Mr Freddy,’ Sam said.

 ‘I’ve no doubt,’ Freddy answered.