CHAPTER 9

While Pippin gaped, Menelcar looked over at the new arrival. “Good evening, Master Baggins. Won’t you join us?”

“I believe that I will, Master Menelcar.” He reached for a chair, and sat down next to his younger cousin, without moving his hand from Pippin’s shoulder.

Pippin turned a betrayed look at the bard. “Menelcar?” he said, sad reproach in his voice.

The Man flushed and shrugged his shoulders, not meeting the lad’s gaze. He had been afraid Pippin would take it that way.

Frodo took his hand off, and signaled Master Toby to bring them ale. “Don’t be that way, Pippin. What did you expect? You did not tell Master Menelcar that you had a secret to protect, and then you sent him right to me at Bag End. The minute he mentioned he had a potential travelling companion, I knew that it was you.”

Toby brought ale over to the table, and Pippin drank his half thirstily, not attempting to make it last, as he usually did.

Wiping his mouth, he turned to the minstrel. “I’m sorry,” he said, flushing.

“You’re sorry you got caught,” said Frodo bluntly.

Menelcar found himself looking back and forth between the two cousins: the stern older hobbit, the sullen younger one. He decided this was a family matter.

“Excuse me,” he said, “I think that the room is full enough.” He took his harp to the front of the room, and drew the attention of all as he began to play.

Frodo and Pippin listened briefly, attracted by the stately air. Then Frodo turned to his young cousin.

“I’ve only this to say for now, Pip, and then we’ll leave it alone until we get to Bag End where we will have a bit more privacy. You owe Menelcar a massive and sincere apology.”

Pippin refused to meet Frodo’s eyes. “I did *not* lie to him,” he told the table, as he drew patterns in the moisture from his mug with his finger.

“No, but you did not tell him the truth, either. *Think*, Pippin. Your father commands the Shire Muster. What do you think would have happened when he learned one of the Big Folk had carried you off with him?”

Now Pippin looked up startled. His eyes grew wide with fear, and his face was ashen. He stared at Frodo for a moment, and then slumped. “I am such a fool!”

“You do foolish things sometimes, dearest. This one, I think, more foolish than most. You have disappointed Menelcar, and you would have gone off and broken all our hearts. How do you think Merry would have felt?”

Pippin dropped his gaze again. “Father says I’m a burden to Merry. He would have been better off without me, maybe.”

Frodo stared, and then rolled his eyes. Sometimes Paladin knew *exactly* the wrong thing to say. “Pippin, that is so wrong I don’t even know where to begin. But I told you it can wait until we get back to the smial. This is a public place, and we don’t need to discuss anymore of our family business here. Besides, I think your friend is getting ready to sing.”

Pippin nodded. He had noticed the change in the rhythm and melody--it had grown faster, and more cheery--and he looked up at Menelcar, who had drawn attention throughout the inn, and now raised his voice to sing.

"Whate’er we see, where’er we go
Who wanders daily to and fro;
The boats that on the river do swim,
And all the things the land within,
Say what you will, do what you can,
Are for one end to be used in hand--
So, joy to him, where’er he dwell,
Who first found out the leather bottel."

There was much laughter among the assembled hobbits at the last line. Hobbits loved songs about drinking, and this one was quite clever.

"Now what do you say to these cans of wood?

Oh no! in faith, they cannot be good,
For if the bearer fall by the way
Why, on the ground your liquor doth lay;
But had it been in leather bottel,
Although he had fallen, all had been well.
So, joy to him, where’er he dwell,
Who first found out the leather bottel."

There was more laughter, and many of the hobbits had taken to clapping or tapping their feet. Pippin’s mood was lightened, as he saw the success his friend was having. Frodo watched his cousin’s face. Pip really did like this Man, it was a shame that he would not have more time to spend with him. But it was *not* a shame that he’d been found out. If he could have followed his plan, it would have been a disaster.

“Then, what do you say to these glasses fine?
Oh they shall have no praise of mine;
For you chance to touch the brim
Down falls the glass and the liquor therein;
But had it been in a leather bottel,
And the stopple in, all had been well.
So, joy to him, where’er he dwell,
Who first found out the leather bottel.

Then what do you think of these black pots three?
If a man and his wife should not agree,
Why they’ll tug and pull till their liquor doth spill;
In a leather bottel they may tug their fill,
And pull away till their arms ache,
And yet their liquor no harm can take.
So, joy to him, where’er he dwell,
Who first found out the leather bottel.”

By now the crowd was singing along with the refrain as it came up.

“At noon the haymakers sit them down,
To drink from their bottels of nut-brown,
In summer too, when the weather is warm
A good full bottel will do them no harm.
Then the lads and lasses begin to tattle,
But what would they do without this bottel?
So, joy to him, where’er he dwell,
Who first found out the leather bottel.

And when the bottel at last grows old,
And will good liquor no longer hold,
Out of the side you may make a clout,
To mend your shoes when they’re worn out;
Or take and hang it upon a pin,
‘Twill serve to put hinges and odd things in.
So, joy to him, where’er he dwell,
Who first found out the leather bottel.”

A couple of hobbits looked a bit puzzled at the reference to shoes, but shrugged and went on to sing with the last two lines, and then demanded they be repeated again!

“So, joy to him, where’er he dwell,
Who first found out the leather bottel.” (1)

All were singing along by the end of the last refrain. Then with a few skillful notes from his harp, Menelcar managed to change the mood to something a bit more wistful.

“Early one morning, just as the sun was rising

I heard a maid sing in the valley below
‘Oh don’t deceive me, oh never leave me,
How could you use a poor maiden so?
Remember the vows that you made to me truly
Remember how tenderly you nestled close to me
Gay is the garland, fresh are the roses
I’ve culled from the garden to bind over thee…” (2)

The sad song of a heartbroken lass finally came to an end, and once more, Menelcar changed the music to notes that were very familiar; he looked up and glanced at Pippin in invitation, and Pippin glanced at Frodo, who nodded smiling. Grabbing his fiddle, the tweenager fairly bounced to the front of the room, to join Menelcar as they began to sing “Nob O’ the Lea”. The hobbits in the room went wild with cheering to hear one of their favorites, and as Menelcar and Pippin alternated verses, the crowd joined in on every refrain.

Frodo glanced over to the side door, where he saw Sam leaning against the doorpost. With a grin, he gestured the gardener to come and join him. Sam made his way to the table. “All is well, now, sir?”

“For the moment. I’ll have to chide him more when we get home, but look at him now.” Frodo grinned fondly at the two performers. Pippin fairly glowed, and Menelcar was watching him with a smile, rather than the audience. When the words to the song finished, Pippin and Menelcar played through the tune once more on their instruments. Then, signaling with a few notes, the two began to sing “The King Under the Mountain”, followed once more by “The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late”--which was even more popular in The Green Dragon than it had been in The Leaping Hare. From the first words, everyone was singing along. This was a favorite among those in the Hobbiton-Bywater area, and there were still those who could recall hearing it sung by old Bilbo himself.

When the song drew to a close, Menelcar indicated to Pippin that he should sing alone. He launched into a Tookland favorite:

“I hunt all day midst the curing hay,
Just to catch a brace of coney dinner,
For a coney pie brings a gleam to eye,
Such a pie is sure to be a winner!
And I’ll sing you a Hey!
If you make it this way:
With a crust as flaky as can be!
Hey, ho! Bake it up this day,
And I’ll ask you--hey!
Pretty lassie, will you marry me?” (3)

This song was not so well known as some others, being more popular in Tuckborough, but there were several more verses, and it did not take long until the audience knew the chorus, and by the last verse, were not only singing along, but a few of the younger lads who were there had begun impromptu dancing. As the song ended, Pippin began another, this one very well known:

“O where are you going this fine day?
Singing hey, my laddie, laddie, ho!
That’s for me to know and none to say,
Singing ho, my laddie hey!

Took a look at him and I am betting
That come next Spring there will be a wedding,
Come and pluck the goose for the feather bedding,
Singing hey, my laddie ho!” (3)

After this, Menelcar sang again, a rather rousing song about when the King returns. Of course, everyone knew that though it was devoutly to be wished, it would never happen; still it was a catchy tune that none had heard before. And by the time he came to the last verse, even hobbit hearts were lifted with the thought that someday in the distant future there might be a King again.

“…Then fears avaunt, upon the hill
My hope shall cast her anchor still
Until I see some peaceful dove
Bring home the branch I dearly love
Then will I wait
Till the waters abate
Which now disturb my troubled brain
Then for ever rejoice,
When I’ve heard the voice
That the King enjoys his own again
Yes, this I can tell
That all will be well
When the King enjoys his own again.” (4)

Though Pippin had not known the words, he soon picked up the tune, and had joined in with his fiddle.

Finally, Menelcar began a song he had found that afternoon in Bilbo’s writings, which Frodo had been kind enough to hum the tune for. It was a favorite among the cousins, though not as well known among other hobbits, and at the familiar words of “Upon the Hearth the Fire is Red,” Pippin quickly joined in.

Watching the performance, Frodo found himself wishing that it could indeed be possible for Pippin to try this life. It obviously suited him. But there was no way that could be. He rather hated himself for having to squash his young cousin’s dreams.

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(1) Folksong “The Leather Bottel” found at http://www.contemplator.com/england/bottel.html

(2) Folksong “Early One Morning” found at http://www.contemplator.com/england/earlyone.html

(3) Both of these from “The Shire Songbook” by Lindelea, found on Stories of Arda, and used by permission.

(4) Folksong “When the King Enjoys His Own Again” found at http://www.contemplator.com/scotland/kingjoy.html