Once upon a time, when the world was full of much calmer things, and Summer was just beginning. Spring cleaning was long over and every animal had come out of its’ Winter time hiding. All the hobbit children were running about the lawns, the lasses with daisy-crowns, and the lads with mud- stained palms. The breeze had warmed up considerably over the past month or so and short sleeved dresses had been brought out. The boys mostly just rolled up their sleeves and tossed away their coats for a colder time. Anxious young hearts looked for the coming of Mid-summers Eve, for the Thain would have a splendid party, inviting most everyone, and those left out would show up anyway. So long as they didn’t mind all the festivities and chaos that would go on out on the lawns of Tuckburough. But what, you may be asking, brings us to tell this story in the first place? Is there even a point? Well I suppose I shall have to just get on with this then, though I was quite enjoying explaining what was going on in The Shire, seeing as how there is no newspaper that is printed for all the inhabitants to receive. Oh but you say, I can go on telling of Summer, and it’s simple pleasance? Very well then I shall procede, but no more interuptions if you please! It is most difficult already you see, for I am not in The Shire right now, no I am afraid I am not there yet, on my way actually. So as you can imagine it is somewhat hard to tell you of the Summer. Now don’t misunderstand me, the tale that I am going to tell you (soon enough, soon enough, have some patience), has already taken place, long ago yes, but taken place nonetheless. I said I was trying to descibe the Summer in The Shire, and that is what is difficult, not telling a story that has happened. Now you see, I am straying from business, the business of making sure that this story is related to you as it was related to me and so on.
As I was saying, the Mid-Summer’s Eve parties were always exceptionally nice, and very very long ago (long before you or I were ever born in fact, so long ago that everyone has lost track) Gandalf, yes Gandalf! Used to bring fireworks to the parties. But that was back when the Old Took was still alive, and as I said that was very long ago. Even though Gandalf has not been around in quite some time, many years now that I think of it, the parties are still grand for there is good food and fresh ale, plenty of Old Toby, and games beyond count. It wasn’t much longer that the young hobbits would have to wait, for June 22nd was when it was, and it being mid May it wasn’t more than a month away. But enough of the party that is to come, it hasn’t come yet this year but when it does I shall tell you a full account, to the best of my abilities, as it is told to me by others who will be there.
For I shall not you see, I am what hobbits call a Big Person, and I do think it would be rather rude to intrude on their party near the borders of the woods where the grass is green and soft.
Anyway, the sun was bright and the day was warm, warm enough to go swimming if it was something Hobbits enjoyed doing. And everywhere birds were chirping and flying around on the cool breeze that swept from Hobbiton to the border of Buckland and as far west as the Far Downs. There would be handfulls upon handfulls of days like this left in the Summer and early Fall, it wasn’t something that one was easily going to be able to miss getting out and enjoying. But to Peregrin Took and Merry Brandybuck, every opprotunity to tromp around The Shire and have fun, was most vital to their existance, they simply must sieze hold of the Summer days, every last one of them that is beautiful, or, well they didn’t really know what but they must. Just like every Summer, Pippin would go down to Buckland and stay with Merry, and Merry would come to Tookland and stay at Tuckburough the day before Mid-Summer’s Eve and stay a few weeks.
Pippin had taken his leave early of his duties at the Smials as the Thains son and had already gone to stay with Merry. As always his mother went with him to visit relatives and keep an eye on Pippin. Merry being the only child had a mother who was used to keeping track of him, but when Pippin was there that was a different story. It took both their mothers to take care of them. And even between the two of them, it was a hard job to conquer. When separated the two boys got into enough trouble and did enough damage on one’s nerves as it is, now put them together for most of the summer, and there you have it, an extremely hard job for two mothers. But oh! Throw their friends into the mix as well, well it is something of a challenge, if you take my meaning.
Now it was nearing the end of May as I have already pointed out, and a beautiful morning to be out on.
“Meriadoc Brandybuck get out of bed this instance!” Merry’s mother called.
As Merry rolled over in his bed that he shared with his stubborn and bedhogging cousin he was most surprised to be completely woken by rolling off onto the floor and landing with a thud.
“No, no it’s ok Merry,” Pippin mumbled in his sleep motioning a hand guesture at Merry. “I’ll just take four more scoops.”
Merry stood up and brushed himself off. Pippin sighed and turned over. “Sugar’s fine then I suppose.” Merry pulled the pillow out from underneath Pippin’s head.
Pippin giggled. “Don’t tell mum…heh-mph…”
Merry raised the pillow and it came down hard on Pippin’s head with a loud fwap!
“Merry, I will not call for you again! Get yourselves out of that bed this instance, or I will-” Esmerelda opened the door and with her hand still on the handle looked about the room.
Pippin was sitting up all blury eyed and scratching his head. Merry was sitting innocently at the other end pretending to not notice.
“Merry!” Esmerelda almost shrieked. “There’s feathers!! Everywhere!” She composed herself. “That is it young man, your father and I are just going to have to have a talk about you. Clean up this mess!” She snapped. “And then come eat breakfast!” With that she turned on her heal and smartly shut the door.
Merry began giggling as Pippin frowned at the feathers and ruffled them out of his hair.
“Should’ve seen the look on her face, Pip, think I might just DIE!” Said Merry, before bursting out laughing hysterically.
“Don’t see what’s so funny about feathers.” Replied Pippin, and crawled out from the covers that were wrapped all around him. “Ugh! Gosh Merry, what’d you do? Wrap me in a cocoon?”
“Huh? No, you did it yourself last night. Took away all of the covers and wouldn’t give me any at all!” Said Merry, becoming suddenly serious.
Pippin gave him a, “I’m serious.” look that failed and Merry burst into laughing again.
Feeling that his cousin was prehaps utterly hopeless Pippin got out of bed and stretched then left without saying a word. Outside the door Merry heard his mother’s voice.
“Is he up yet?” Came a muffled question.
“Yeah.” Pippin replied then walked away.
Merry quickly jumped up and ran out the door easing past his mother whom he nearly toppled over as she was standing in the doorway ready to yell at him again.
Pippin was already eating when Merry sat down and he cooly slid into the chair across from his cousin and began serving himself. Pippin seemed to be extremely absorbed in his food and completely
oblivious to all else. Merry stared intently at him hoping he’d notice so that they could talk.
“Pip.” Said Merry frustrated and kicked Pippin’s leg under the table.
Pippin looked at him blankly. “What?”
“Ugh, ‘what’?” Merry rolled his eyes. “Never mind, you are obviously not paying attention.”
Pippin shrugged and went back to stuffing his face.

For the remainder of breakfast the kitchen was empty and the two boys saw no other signs of life and so Merry forgot then that he was in trouble, though he had never been sure for what. And by the time they were finished they ran off and began playing immediately.
“No, no, and then I’m all like, shoush, and the arrow hits you in the back!” Pippin said running after Merry and pretending to shoot an arrow.
“Nu-uh!” Replied Merry, pretending to fire an arrow at Pippin. “I ducked and it went over my head.”
The two boys stopped and faced each other.
“Frew!” Merry sang and motioned the arrow going behind his back.
“Well I fired two and you didn’t know about the second one and it hit you right there.” Pippin pointed right in the middle of Merry’s forehead.
“No you didn’t, I saw the one arrow and there was only one.”
“Ping, blaesh!” Said Pippin poking Merry’s forehead again. “And then blood is all squirting everywhere and I’m all like, ‘Oh no, I killed him! I mean, yes! I killed him, now I own his princess!”
“I don’t have a princess!” Merry said.
“No, yes you do because I just now invented that you have one, goush, goush, ahh help me, help me!” Pippin said in a high pitched voice while pretending Merry got shot in the head with an arrow.
“My, that’s not good Pippin,” Eglantine said coming into the room and sitting down on one of the chairs. “Gonna hafta get a bandage and fix his head before everyone sees that you killed him.”
Pippin’s face became solumn. He looked at Merry and then at his mum.
“Is Merry gonna die now?” He asked anxiously.
Eglantine laughed and Merry snickered.
“No!” His mother said and held out her hands to hug him. He went up to her and let her put her arms around him. “But,” She looked down at her son and he looked up at her. “You and Merry do have some explaining to do.” She looked at Merry and then back at Pippin. “And we’ve been looking for both of you since we came and found all your empty dishes on the table. So you’d better go to your parents room Merry.” She paused. “Pippin
you too.” She stood him up and patted his bottom in the direction of the hallway.
They walked in silence for most of the length of the hall. Pippin leaned against the wall as he walked and ran his finger along it.
“Wonder what we did this time.” Said Pippin aloud.
“Yeah…” Merry replied staring at the floor.
“Bettya we get paddled.” Said Pippin.
“Yeah…”
They stopped at the open door to Merry’s parents room and stared in. Taking a deep breath they entered the airy and sunlit room.
Esmerelda was sitting at her desk writing a letter and Merry’s father was staring out the open window smoking a pipe. Cautiously they entered and waited by the bed.
“Should we say anything?” Pippin whispered to Merry.
“Shh! No.” Merry replied staring at the bedspread.
“Just a minute Merry, and Pippin dear.” Esmerelda said absent mindedly.
Merry’s father sighed. “Have a seat Merry, Pip you too.”
They both quickly obeyed and climbed up on the bed and turned around and sat down. Saradoc turned and put his hand behind his back and continued smoking his pipe.
“Merry, you’re what? 18? 19?”
“19.” Merry replied quietly. He still had no clue as to why his parents where so calmly furious with him and was nervous because of that.
“Mhmm, and you cause alot of trouble around here, that’s just a fact son, I’m not yelling at you for it.” He put his pipe in his mouth.
Esmerelda got up and stood in front of the boys.
“So should I, or you?”
Merry and Pippin looked at each other confused.
“No, go ahead dear.”
“Well, it has come to our attention; that there has been some abused use of some of the kitchen supplies.”
“We didn’t-”
“I’m not done Merry,” Esmerelda cut off. “Now, I know you boys like to have snacks on and off through the day, and that is fine, not like we can’t spare the food, but…” She paused. “We found a
stash of food under your bed yesterday afternoon.”
Merry and Pippin looked at each other from the corners of their eyes.
“And there were ants everywhere.”
“Heh…” Pippin said. “Sorry.” He mumbled.
“Yeah I bet sorry is right. So for starters there will be no food in any other room other than the kitchen or dining room, unless you are an adult. Understood?”
“Yes M’am.” The two said in unison.
“Now that that is over with, there is something else. Merry, you left your daddy’s tools out and now they are rusted. And your father and I are most displeased.”
Merry looked up guiltly at his mum.
“You will not have any allowances until we’ve replaced them. And, you will sew up the pillow you two broke and put all of the feathers back in it. Am I clear?”
“Yes, ma’am.” they replied together again.
“Good, now go play and no more pillow fights or hiding food in the rooms.”
Merry and Pippin looked at each other like, that was it? But then jumped down and raced off down the hallway and out the door before anyone else could stop them.
“I thought for sure we were gonna get paddled.” Merry said as they pushed open the door and went out into the wide outside.
“Yeah, me too.” Pippin replied.
As they walked along in silence they began to wonder how it was they had managed to get out of spankings and didn’t notice someone run up to them and nearly walked into her.
“Heya Pip!” She said breathless from running. “I was just coming to see if you were here, Mr. Holbo says you’ve come early this year so I ran over as fast as I could.” She wiped her forehead with her arm. “Whew. How long you been here?”
“I don’t know,” Pippin mumbled looking down at the grass and kicking an
imaginary rock. “Couple days.”
“That’s good. So Merry has your mum said anything about you having to take tea lessons?”
“What?” Merry’s head shot up. “Tea lessons?”
“Mhmm.” She nodded.
“No! That’s absurd! What are ‘tea lessons’ anyway? How stupid.”
“Yeah, she says you and Pip both get ’em starting soon. Rosie Cotton is gonna teach ya ’cause mum says Rosie is a perfect lady.”
“Psh!” Pippin rolled his eyes. “I will never sit threw something so revolting. My tea drinking habits are quite remarkable.”
The little girl smiled at him and turned a little red.
“So have you thought about…oh never mind.”
Pippin shifted his weight nervously. Merry folded his arms and sighed sounding slightly annoyed.
“Well Prisca we’ve got to go now. You know lots of important BOY stuff to do.”
Merry patted Pippin’s back and started walking away. “So see ya later!”
Pippin remained silent until he let out a sad sigh.
“Oh gosh, what now?” Merry said.
“Nothing. Just since last Yule she thinks…oh nothing.”
“Thinks what?”
“Thinks nothing.”
“Tell me.”
“There’s nothing to tell.”
“Meanie.”
“Ugly.”
“Pig!” Merry yelled shoving Pippin.
“Cow!” Pippin yelled back.
“You just think she likes you or something and feel bad ’cause you like Kat!”
“I do not Merry!” Pippin pushed Merry down into the grass and they began wrestling and arguing back and forth with, “Do to!”, “Do not!”, “Liar!”, “Stinky troll!”
And soon they both had grass and leaves in their hair and green stains on their clothes and dirty hands and arms. It was now almost noon, they had only just begun their day and would have to run
home for luncheon before long. But not wanting to waste the opprotunity they continued fighting. When they finally did settle down, (Pippin finally giving in to Merry who was stronger and bigger than Pippin was) they were both panting and
glaring at each other.
“Look what you did now,” Merry panted. “it’s time to go home for lunch. Fat waste of time arguing with you.” He stood up and brushed off his behind.
“Oh sure, blame it on me.” Pippin said getting up.
Merry rolled his eyes. “You’re so ridiculas.”
Pippin stared hard at Merry pursing his lips into a tight frown. “Whatever.” He said before stomping off.
Merry waited a moment convinced Pippin would stop and turn around and ask if he was coming. Which indeed he was, if only Pippin had asked. But his young Tookish cousin was twice as stubborn as he and kept walking with his nose in the air. The sun was at it’s highest in the sky and it burned down on Merry making him sweat.
“Stupid Kat.” Merry said kicking a rock.
Finally he sighed heavily and ran off after Pippin.
During luncheon Pippin ignored Merry and sat as far away from him as possible. But it was hard for him to not forget their quarrel over such an excellent lunch. There was fresh made bread and scones and also roast. The carrots had just been steamed that morning and the water had never tasted so sweet.
“Pippin, I have the most perfect idear,” Merry said excitedly leaning over the table trying to be quiet as to not be heard.
“Really?” Pippin sat up then stopped and looked away. “Hmph!”
“Oh come on Pip,” Merry pleaded. “You can’t be still mad at me?” Merry smiled. “You know it’s just a big pretend, you being upset about what I said?”
Pippin tried to not look in front of him while glancing down at the bread he was buttering. The smell of blueberry pie wafted through the open kitchen. Merry pulled the smell in and grinned.
“Mum’s made pie!” Merry whispered across the table to Pippin.
“Anyone who has a nose could have told you that Meriadoc.” Pippin replied smartly.
Merry’s shoulders dropped. “Pip, just listen up for a minute,” Merry leaned across the table more to whisper to Pippin but was startled back to his seat when his father clapped him on the shoulder.
“Hullo Merry son,” He sat down next to Merry. He smiled at Pippin who stared back at him cautiously while moving his food around his plate with his fork. “Just came in from talking with Mrs. Hornblower down the lane,” The two boys glanced at each other briefly. “Seems someone has run off with her new rake. Why she needs a rake in summertime,” Saradoc chuckled. “Who knows? Anyway son she insisted on my asking if you took it? Told her you wouldn’t do that sort of thing but,” He laughed again while taking a bite of carrots. “You know Mrs. Hornblower, always so suspicious of you boys.”
Pippin sat up and cleared his throat.
“Well I,” Merry gulped. “I didn’t, I mean we didn’t take her rake…the red one? We didn’t take it, we don’t – we don’t take other peoples stuff…just each others.”
“So you did take it?” Pippin asked.
“Huh?” Merry replied looking at him.
“I asked you if you took the smooth rock Bilbo gave me and you said, ‘no we don’t take each other’s stuff, just other peoples.'”
Merry pretended to choke on something and grabbed his water, he glanced at Pippin over the rim of the glass. He coughed again as he set his glass back down. “Uh, no, no I didn’t take it Pip…don’t know who did. Maybe you lost it? Who knows?”
Much to Merry’s relief Saradoc had not seemed to have noticed the conversation that Pippin had so stupidly started and instead was absorbed immensely in quickly clearing his plate.
“Esmerelda,” He called to his wife while still bent over his food. “Be sure Merry cleans the flower bed this afternoon, I’m going to be too busy to have it done.”
“What?” Merry said.
Saradoc looked over at Merry. “Clean the flower bed, weeds will take over it if you don’t.”
“But, it wasn’t my idea to have a flower bed, why should I have to clean it?”
“Because Merry, I said so.”
Merry sulked back into his chair and folded his arms. “Just perfect, my whole summer is ruined, I’ll be stuck cleaning flower beds every day for the rest of my life.”
“It’ll be every week if you don’t watch it.” Saradoc warned.
“How about never every week?” Merry suggested.
“Nope, sorry son, you need to do more around here, besides it’ll build character.”
“Why does everything I don’t want to do build character?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that’s true.” Saradoc smiled at Merry.
“Yes. You always say that, I don’t even think chores really build character, I think that’s just what you say as an excuse as to why you can’t do it.”
“Prehaps, Merry lad, prehaps.”
Merry sighed and looked at Pippin.
“Well, I did have the most perfect idea…flowers ruined it though.”
Pippin looked down at his food and tried not to smile.

It wasn’t until after luncheon and after they were done cleaning the flower bed that Merry and Pippin were able to run off and have fun. Or rather be the cause of mischief. By then Merry had forgotten his idea and instead they went down to the dock and skipped rocks. Pippin every so often would just stare suspiciously at Merry wondering what his cousin had done with the rock he had…and whether Merry would dare consider the attempt of skipping it across the river. The sun gleamed off the top of the water and whenever a rock hit it the gold split into a million pieces and slowly gathered together again. When it did one could catch a glimpse of the green waters below, where the plants swayed in the current that which is the Brandywine. One can imagine that after ten minutes or so of this practice, skipping rocks, it can become quite boring; unless you are having a lovely conversation while you are absent mindedly throwing the rocks across the top of the water. Merry and Pippin were not having a lovely conversation though, Merry continued skipping the rocks and then for some reason got carried away and just began throwing them into the water as hard as he could, Pippin stared at the Old Forest across the water and wondered what kind of fun one might find in there.
“Merry, why don’t we ever play in there?” Pippin asked picking up a rock.
“In where?” Merry replied never taking his attention off what he was doing.
“In the Old Forest?” Pippin said.
“Because, I shouldn’t like to anyways. It’s quite scary you know.”
“Why? Are there monsters and such?”
“Mm, probably. Never explored it, so I wouldn’t rightly know, if you take my meaning Pip.”
“So then if you’ve never been in there what is it that makes you not want to go in?”
Merry stopped and looked at his cousin, who stared back innocently.
“Oh, no, Pip, no no no no. My answer is no. How could you come with that sort of idea?”
“Come on Merry, I bet there’s all sorts of adventures to be had in there.”
“In where?” A voice said from behind.
Merry and Pippin both turned around. It was Ilberic, Pippin’s arch enemy. And Merry’s as well most of the time.
“Where are you two talking about?” Ilberic smiled wickedly.
“The Old Forest.” Pippin replied glaring at Ilberic.
“Scary place, I’ve been there before.”
“Have not.” Pippin countered.
“Have so. But it’s not the sort of place you would want to go. Only the bravest hobbits dare to go.”
“I do so want to go!”
“Ha, you wouldn’t last two minutes in the Old Forest, much less a couple of hours.”
“Bet I could, bet I could last a whole night.”
“You couldn’t even Pippin.” Merry said picking up a rock and throwing as far as he could across the river. It landed with a solid plop.
“Yes I could!” Pippin said stamping his foot. He looked hard at Merry and then back at Ilberic.
“Alright then prove it!” Ilberic’s mouth curled into a smile.
“Fine I will! I’ll spend the whole night in there all by myself! I don’t need either of you two to have adventures!”
Pippin ran off nearly in tears. How could Merry side with Ilberic like that? How could he betray his best friend? Pippin wasn’t really upset about that though. He was upset that he would be going alone. Merry wasn’t going to be coming, but then what was Merry good for anyway? – Pippin thought, He was always getting Pippin into trouble, but then again he was always there to get Pippin out of it. And now Merry had gotten him into trouble once again, and if something happened Merry wouldn’t be there to get him out. But Pippin wasn’t going to let Merry win, he was going even if Merry did try and talk him out of it. Which he would, as Pippin well knew, Merry would come and find him in a little while and try and convince him that it’s a stupid dare; and it doesn’t matter anyway. But Pippin was well old enough now to make his own decisions and besides Merry had been all about making him angry today.
“Well that’s that!” Pippin stomped his foot as he stood in the doorway back at Brandy Hall; for he was thinking to himself and quite forgot that he wasn’t alone.
“What’s ‘that’ dear?” Esmerelda asked.
He started. “N-nothing…” He replied hastily. “Just thinking about…well just was…I mean that is…well you see I…and…Oh…nevermind.” He ran off to the room he shared with Merry to get ready. He’d have to sneak out just after bed, and of course that would mean him having to stick around and face his cousin. But at least he knew he could trust Merry not to tell anyone; for even though Merry might threaten (and threaten he certainly would) Pippin already had something to use against Merry. So really the only thing he had to worry about was not letting Merry’s apologizies and ramblings change his mind. But he was after all a Took, a stubborn family who even if were foolish…well didn’t let some cousin talk them out of their plans.
Merry stayed out right up until dinner and came in dirty and sweaty. Pippin smiled and pretended to not be extremely jealous knowing that Merry went out and found fun while he was getting ready to
go. But he ate quickly and took off before Merry had barely sat down, washing his hands gave Pippin the advantage of eating before he came to the table.
Pippin completely avoided Merry; spending time with his mother and playing games. Merry saw him again when he went in to go to bed and saw Pippin all dressed in pajama clothes jumping up onto his own bed smiling brightly up at his mum.
“Tell a story,” Pippin exclaimed.
Eglantine laughed. “A story? What sort of a story though I wonder?”
“Any story. Like a Bilbo story!”
“A ‘Bilbo story’? I don’t know how to tell those one’s I’m afraid love.”
“Oh…” Pippin frowned. “Well then what stories do you know how to tell?”
“Well, I think I know how to tell Shire stories.”
“What sort of stories are those?” He asked intently. “Are they like Bilbo stories?”
“I don’t know dear.”
“Well do they have swords and dragons?” Pippin stood up and made believe he had a sword in his hand and was stabbing some random monster, such as a dragon. “Do they have goblins and elves and magic?”
“Oh, no. I’m afraid they don’t.” She laughed.
“Oh.” He flopped back down to the bed.
Looking past Eglantine he saw Merry staring at him and his smile turned to a glare and he stuck his tongue out at Merry. Merry gaped but said nothing and then turned and went over to his dresser and found some night clothes.
“Well if they’re not Bilbo stories I just don’t want to hear them.” Pippin said matter of factly.
“Is that so?”
“Yes, goodnight mum.” He laid back and got under the covers.
“Would a dog story suffice?”
“How about a wolf story?” Pippin said brightening up.
“No, a dog…”
“No wolves?”
“No…”
“Well, I don’t like dog stories…so goodnight.” He pulled the covers over his head in a playful manner.
She pulled the covers back off him and started to tickle his stomach and he giggled and kicked about. Merry sighed heavily and forced his gaze away.
Eglantine heard Merry sigh and stopped.
“I suppose I’ll be going now. Goodnight Pippin dear. You too Merry.”
She got up and Merry waved his hand at her while pretending to be very involved with whatever was in his drawer. As soon as she had shut the door Merry glanced at Pippin who was glaring at him. But as soon as Merry looked back Pippin stopped glaring and laid down and put the covers over his head.

The lights in the room had been out for nearly an hour and Merry still couldn’t sleep. He tossed and turned and kept waiting for Pippin to sneak out. For that was Pippin’s plan you see, and Merry knew him well enough to know it. Finally he sat up some and looked over at Pippin who was still under the covers.
“Can’t go.” Merry stated.
“Can too.” Came a muffled stubborn reply.
“No, you can not.”
“Yes, I can so.”
Merry sighed annoyed. “Well what do you plan on doing anyhow? Sneaking out? It’s getting all late…”
“It isn’t even. The sun’s only just setting which means it’s barely late at all.”
“Well you can’t go anyway.” Merry said plainly.
Pippin threw the covers off his head and Merry could see his eyes glaring at him with the light from outside gleaming off the whites.
“I am going, right now in fact.”
Pippin got up out of bed and began changing. Merry quickly sat up all the way.
“I’ll tell!” Merry knew this wasn’t true but it seemed he should say it at any rate.
“You do and I’ll tell about you stealing Mrs. Hornblowers rake!” Pippin retorted.
Merry’s face went pale but he said nothing and watched as Pippin finished dressing and got ready to climb out the window.
“Farewell Merry,” Pippin said bitterly. “I’ll be seeing you tomorrow.”
Merry stared at Pippin who climbed out of the window with a small pack on his back. He looked back at Merry one last time before turning and running off in the direction of the woods behind Brandy Hall. Merry felt the sinking feeling of fear and regret in the pit of his stomach. He laid down but did not sleep. For the rest of the night he tossed and turned worried about Pippin; but too proud to go after him knowing that that would show to Pippin how much of a coward he really was. A coward for not agreeing to go in the first place; for agreeing with Ilberic in the beginning.

The sun had been gone for nearly an hour and the air was already cool, a small breeze blew across Pippin’s forehead beaded with sweat from nervousness. He had heard a few stories about the Old Forest, but those were only fireside stories after all…stuff made up by the adults to scare the young people; Pippin wouldn’t fall for it though. As he came to the border of the wood he began to have second thoughts, but who wouldn’t? The forest was dark and the trees grew in knots around themselves. Here the oldest of oaks sat and rotted away with knarled trunks worn from winter upon winter; year after year of freezing cold and then thawing again in the spring. There was a path though, or once was, that supposidly ran straight through the old forest. Straight indeed! The path had become as crooked and twisted as the trees themselves. Folks had said there was something in the woods that made the trees come alive, and move about in unnatural ways. Yet for all Pippin’s believing those to just be the tales of an old hobbit he was cautious. Standing on the edge ready to take the official step in; for the forest seemed to be a place you crossed over into as if it had been cut, or the forest itself had grown that way.
“Go on now old fellow! Just get in there and get it over with.” He said to himself.
“But what if I get lost?”
“No one said you had to go far, just right there on the border, make your pallet and lay yourself down for the rest of the night. Nothing to it you see; then Ilberic can’t be thinking you’s a coward anymore. Brave hobbits indeed! You’ll show him.”
“It’s dark in there…”
“Just go already.”
“I think maybe this was a stupid idea…”
“Nonsense! You don’t want Ilberic to win, or Merry for that matter do you?”
“Well no.”

Pippin’s thoughts went on like this, battling back and forth whether or not to go through with the plan. But after a minute or two his foolish side won and he went into the woods with his heart racing furiously and glancing about in a suspicious way half expecting something to jump out and either grab him and chew him to pieces of scare him to death. In which case he will die either way. And by the fifth step he was most certain he was going to die.
“Then we’ll see what Merry thinks of that won’t we? Awful sad he’ll be to be all alone for the rest of the summer. My what a trick that would be to pull on him, make him think I’m dead.” Pippin smirked despite his fear and bent down on his knee. He took a small lantern out of his pack and with a slightly shakey hand lit the wick. The light casted an eerie glow around him and it seemed the trees circled around him wearing menacing grins. He shivered and looked around for a wide patch of clear ground to lay down upon.
Once he had found his spot and laid down first a blanket then a pillow and then another blanket he got under the second cover and pulled it up to his chin. He kept the lamp lit and since was too scared to close his eyes stared up at the trees wishing he could see through their tops better. For the branches seemed very close together and so he could only see small patches of the night sky, which thankfully did not seem nearly as dreadful as the forest itself, and this was a small comfort to him, though not enough of one to put his rising fear at ease. As time slowly crept along his mind began to play tricks on him and whispering stuff and nonsense to him. Stuff about nonexistant monters and trees that would suddenly have mouths and eat him as a snack. He thought he heard a twig snap nearby and felt like someone was watching him. In the shadows he knew there was the shape of a person, or a something. Nothing in this forest could be friendly, he told himself, so it’s something bad. The trees rustled in a sudden breeze and he quickly pulled the blanket up over his head all the while his heart beating faster than a race horse.
“Suppose it’s a ghost? Or a goblin? Could be, there just might be a goblin living in the woods and that’s why they’re so evil. He must have some sort of powers that he uses to control the trees and make them wake up. Only they wake up as evil things because he used dark magic. Or maybe it’s a ghost, a ghost of an evil wizard, not like Gandalf. He might have no eyes or prehaps he pocesses the trees. Maybe he has pocessed the entire forest!” This is how his thoughts helped in making his fear worse and worse by the second. Conjuring up make believe monsters and the image that they hold. The light from the lantern was the only thing that kept this fear at bay, kept it from turning in madness. But he was paralyzed by the time his first hour was up and had he been without light the whole time he would have begun screaming and never stopping till someone found him or till his throat went hoarse.
However with the fact that he dared barely move came the desire to close his eyes. And so he shut them tight and as the night went on his body relaxed more and he began to recognize some of the noises that had seemed so frightening. The cricket and the wind and the rustle of the leaves. The creak of the trees bending from the breeze. He tuned in on the crickets chirping and soon thoughts of sleep took over his thoughts of monsters and goblins and trees that would eat someone. When he was suddenly jolted from his sleep he didn’t bother to try and calculate how long he had slept as it was because of a twig breaking that he did. Once again his heart sped up tremendously but he stayed with his head under the blanket.
“Would rather be killed by whatever it is than see it before I do.” Was what he thought to himself.
Through the fabric he could see his lamp had grown low of oil since the light was so dim. It was then he was certain he heard voices whispering back and forth to each other. Then he could take it no longer and threw the covers off him. It must’ve been four in the morning, he figured for it wasn’t as dark as it was when it’s still dead of night. He glanced around and still did not see anything except the trees. Again he thought he could make out someone’s shadow and this time was certain he saw it move out of the corner of his eye. A bird squawked and flew up into the sky. Pippin sat upright and gripped his blanket. At that moment then there was a loud crash and he could bear it no longer. He screamed
and jumped up. The shadow moved again and he screamed still and then it suddenly jumped out. He turned and ran only realizing after he was out of the forest that it was a squirrel. And of course that he had left his stuff. But there was no way that while it was still dawn he was going to go back for it. No, it could wait until after he got home and forced Merry to go get it in the bright sunshine of mid-day. Pippin ran in through the backdoor and slammed it hard.
It was getting lighter and lighter and he was very glad that the blue light shown through the windows so that the hobbit hole was not at all dark anymore. He padded quickly down the hall and went into Merry’s room where he found Merry asleep on his bed. He jumped up onto the bed and woke Merry up in the process of doing so. Pippin got under the covers and pulled them up over his head and curled up into a ball.
“Merry! Merry! Merry wake up!” Pippin said nearly ready to sob.
“I am awake silly.”
“Good.”
The room was silent for a few minutes then Merry heard the faint sound of crying and pulled back the covers on Pippin and found him holding himself and
crying quietly.
“Are you alright?” Merry asked.
Pippin shook his head no. “I can’t sleep ever again.”
Merry frowned.
“I’ll have nightmares. There was goblins and ghosts. And the trees had teeth and they were going to eat me.”
“Were they?” Merry asked.
Pippin sat up and wiped his eyes. “Yes.”
Merry smiled. And Pippin began to giggle.
“I left my stuff.”
Merry started giggling as well. “You just ran all the way home?”
Pippin nodded. “There was a squirrel.”
At this both of them began laughing and Pippin forgot all about his fright for the time being, though the experience he never forgot. And at times he wonders what it was that was so frightening about it, and has thoughts about spending a night in the woods again…but no, he never will for he remembers it was terrifing, and that the trees were not ones to be triffled with. That was their land, and he didn’t have premission to be on it.
Once Merry and Pippin had settled down and quit laughing Pippin laid down onto his pillow and soon fell fast asleep, where he didn’t have any dreams and when he woke Merry was no longer in the room but he smelled breakfast and he was hungry.
When he came out to the table he found Merry eating and looking at small wooden box with an even smaller key. The two didn’t talk through breakfast and left right afterwards. They walked in silence towards the woods. This time there was no hesistating on the edge Merry walked right in and began looking around for Pippin’s stuff.
“How far in did you go?” He asked walking a few paces away from Pippin and casting his gaze this way and that across the forest floor.
“Not far, it was just right in here actually.”
The two of them looked and looked but could not find his stuff anywhere. When at last they gave up and left the forest they stopped and looked back at it.
“I don’t know what was so frightening about it Merry. Maybe it was just all the stories I’d heard.” Pippin said solumnly.
“Prehaps. By the way, I wanted to tell you I was sorry…for getting you into this whole mess.”
“It’s alright. I’m not angry at you anymore.” Pippin smiled. “It’s a stupid forest anyway.”
Merry nodded in agreement and they turned and walked back to Brandy Hall. They never returned to the Old Forest that summer or the summer after either. And when they did venture back in they did it in broad daylight and it was many years later. But they never were certain what was it about the Old Forest that was so queer, and they never found Pippin’s stuff.

!!!!THE END!!!!