Chapter Eight - Tending the Downtrodden

Later that same night, the sickle moon was starting it’s decent towards the horizon as the family slept peacefully in their little farm smial. Everyone was sleeping comfortably in their warm feather beds when out of nowhere, a child’s scream pierced the tranquility of the slumbering Tooks.

Eglantine was the first one to her feet and pulled on her night-coat. She took a lit candle, then quickly padded out to the hallway heading straight for Merry’s room--followed by a groggy husband.

Merry was sitting up in his bed, his face was scarlet from screaming and crying so fiercely. Eglantine sat down on the bed next to him, trying to soothe him back to sleep, but the boy fell back onto his pillows and cried all the more.

Silently Paladin watched the entire scene unfold. He knew that Merry was upset over his parents. No child should have to go through this, he thought.

“He’s had a bad dream and he’s upset,” Eglantine said, cradling him on her lap. “Poor little laddie.”

“Mummy,” Merry sobbed. “Where’s Mummy?”

“Shhh.” Eglantine rocked him there on the bed. “You’re safe with auntie, Merry.” That didn’t console him in the least. She noticed Pearl and Pimpernel standing in the doorway. “Go on back to bed, girls, he’s just had an ugly dream.”

“May I?” Paladin asked, holding out his arms towards the child; he wanted to try and quiet him.

“You can try while I put the girls to bed. I’ll return as soon as I am finished.” Eglantine gave him the crying lad as she got up from the bed, ushering her daughters back to their rooms.

Paladin held Merry in his arms. Surely I can calm a small boy from a bad dream, he thought. Paladin tried walking the room as he cradled him while talking softly to him, or holding the boy up to his shoulder as he hummed the naughty ditty from the day before. But nothing seemed to help. Paladin was visibly relieved when his wife returned a few moments later.

Eglantine smirked as she took the crying boy back from her husband. Paladin watched as Eglantine sat propped up against the pillows and rocked their little nephew, humming a lullaby. A few minutes went by before Merry began to slowly quiet down. Eglantine whispered to her gawking husband. “It’s the female touch,” she said with a wink.

Paladin watched the whimpering lad finally stop crying. It was his turn to smirk. “No, Tina,” he said, “I think it’s the touch of his fingers in his mouth.”

Eglantine took a bit of blanket and covered Merry, still cradled in her lap, whispering, “He can stick whatever fingers he wants to into his mouth at this hour of the night.” Merry stopped crying, though his erratic gasps would keep him awake for another few minutes.

Paladin handed her a handkerchief to clean Merry’s face. “I wonder if he’s had night terrors at home.”

“They can’t be like this one,” she said. “He misses his mother, dear. I wish Essie had heeded your advice.”

Paladin sat and waited with his wife, pondering what sort of activity he would plan for him and his nephew tomorrow. Something that will get Merry’s mind off of missing his mother. He had an idea. “I’ll take him on a camp out tomorrow,” he said, speaking in his regular voice.

Eglantine gave her husband a stern look as a sign that Merry was asleep. She whispered, “What are you talking about?”

“I’m thinking of ways to occupy him--to keep his mind off Essie,” he replied--in a whisper this time.

Eglantine thought about it, then nodded. “A camp out seems like a fine idea. I’ll pack your provisions right after breakfast tomorrow.”

* * *

“Shhh!” Paladin instructed Merry with his finger to his mouth. They crept in the dimness of dusk towards the pond. Merry peered over the high grasses and watched as his uncle pounced on the quarry, unaware of its predicament. Paladin held onto his prize as he and Merry ran out of the shadow of the trees to the fading sunset. Both crouched down on their knees for a better look at their prey.

Merry startled at the large green face and black eyes. His own were wide in typical child-like wonder. He looked at his uncle, “Can I touch it?”

Paladin smiled, marveling at his own renewed wonder. “Do you want to hold it?”

Merry was in awe, of the frog....and his uncle. “I can hold it?”

“Sure! Just don’t squeeze him.” Paladin handed the frog over to Merry to examine closer.

“It’s cold!” Merry held his breath as he brought it closer to his own face. “Can I keep it?”

“No, Merry, we can’t keep him.”

“Why not?” Asked Merry, still looking over the creature.

“Because he has a job to do here in this pond, just as we all have a job to do in the Shire.” He watched as his nephew turned the frog about. “Besides, what if it’s a she and not a he? She may have babies to feed.”

“I don’t like my Mum to be gone, neither,” Merry spoke to the frog, “So I’ll put you back.” Paladin gazed as the young boy walked towards the pond to release the captured prey.

After Merry ran back to Paladin, they returned to camp hand-in-hand towards their makeshift shelter; a blanket pinned to a low tree limb, then slanted and pinned to the ground with wooden pegs.

Merry jumped onto his bedroll and scooted under the blanket. He could see a few stars twinkling between the branches. “Uncle Paldin?”

“Hmm?” Paladin was busy arranging his own blankets.

“Where do the stars come from? Are new ones made every night?”

Paladin smiled; he was enjoying this little camping out as much as his little nephew. “No, Merry, they are the same stars each night, but they do change every so often, then come back at a later day.”

“But where do they come from?”

“Well,” Paladin said as he placed more wood onto their camp fire, “my great-great-grandfather, Gerontius Took--also known as the Old Took--told my father that the stars were made by the Father of the Elves.”

“The Elfs have a dad?”

He looked into Merry’s big eyes full of wonder. “Yes, but we can’t see him from here,” Paladin answered, then crawled underneath his own blankets.

“Oh.” Merry was taking in everything his uncle spoke.

Paladin snuggled close to Merry, “Do you know what else?”

“What?”

“Do you see that bright star? The one that’s towards the north?” Paladin pointed to where Merry could see it.

Merry had learned from Frodo that North was “up” and South was “down”. He followed up to where Paladin pointed. Merry gasped, “That one is bigger than all of them!”

“Yes, and do you know why?” asked Paladin. Merry shook his head. “The Father of the Elves made it brighter than all the rest because it is the one star that guides everyone who is lost. All you have to remember is that is sits in the north sky.”

Merry stared at the most brilliant star in the darkening sky. “You mean when I get lost, the bright star will take me home?”

“No,” Paladin grinned, “What I mean is that when you are lost, the star will be your guide to help you find home, but it won’t take you there. Just remember the star is in the north.”

Merry continued to gaze at it until weariness swept over him. The whole, long day he and Paladin went exploring, wading in the nearby stream, skimming rocks, or just traipsing along the little glen located no more than a mile from the back of Paladin’s Smial. As his eyes closed, he felt his uncle kiss his head. Merry fell asleep safe and secure in the loving shelter of his uncle.