The Courtship of Samwise Gamgee

To Curator, Mathom House, Michel Delving

Sir,
While spring cleaning I have found this dusty manuscript buried beneath several layers in the museum. Is this the sort of thing we want to keep?

Yours respectfully,
Lindelea
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[A/N: For the tune, click here: Music]

The Courtship of Samwise Gamgee

Words by Meriadoc Brandybuck
Tune by Peregrin Took

Come now all ye young lasses and lads, and lads,
Ye must listen to yer mums and yer dads, yer dads
If ye want to be wise, just open yer eyes
And I'll tell ye of Samwise Gamgee, Gamgee,
Of the courtship of Samwise Gamgee.

Well, Samwise was gone wi' his master, his master,
And he couldn't get back any faster, any faster,
He got back so late, but his Rosie did wait,
And she was so glad him to see, to see,
She was glad to see Samwise Gamgee

When young Samwise came back from the War, the War,
We all knew he loved Rosie full sore, full sore,
Though she waited a week,
He had yet to speak
And she worried he'd wait ever more.
She worried he'd wait ever more.

He'd crossed over rivers and peaks, and peaks,
But to Rosie he just couldn't speak, oh, no!
He could not meet her eye,
The poor lad was so shy,
So poor Rosie did wait and did wait, poor lass!
For her Samwise to find nerve to ask.

Mayor Frodo he had an idee, idee,
He said, 'Rosie, lass, listen to me, to me!'
With a wink of his eye, he said, 'Cook us some pie!'
'And we'll give your poor Samwise a tweak, a tweak,
'Yes we'll help him find courage to speak.'

Mayor Frodo and Peregrin Took, young Took
And handsome young Merry Brandybuck, yes, him too!
All sat down to eat, pie of mushrooms and meat,
And poor Samwise was eating that pie, that pie,
But he couldn't look Rose in the eye.

Then Merry he took him a bite, a bite
And his face was all spread with delight, delight
And he sang to the sky, with a gleam in his eye,
'Tis the finest pie ever could be, could be,
'Come, dear Rosie lass, marry me!'

Captain Merry, he turned then to Sam, to Sam
And he said, 'I'll advise ye, my lamb, my lamb!
'Better speak to her soon, beneath the full moon,
'Or soon she'll be married to me, to me,
'Better take warning, Samwise Gamgee!'

By the light of the harvest-time moon, the moon,
Ye can hear the band playing a tune, a tune,
They are making quite fine, with good food and good wine,
At the wedding of Rosie and Sam, poor Sam,
Rosie got him to speak, the poor lamb!

Come now all ye young lasses and lads, and lads,
Ye must listen to yer mums and yer dads, yer dads
If ye want to be wise, just open yer eyes
And I'll tell ye of Samwise Gamgee, Gamgee,
Of the courtship of Samwise Gamgee.

[A/N: For the tune, click here: Music]

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To Curator, Mathom House, Michel Delving

Sir,
In answer to your questions about the newly rediscovered manuscript...

Well, perhaps "manuscript" is not the exact term to use. It is more of a hasty scribble upon what looks to have been a good tablecloth.

Despite the wine stains, candle grease and small scorch, the text and musical notation remain surprisingly readable.

I am doing a little research to refresh my memory on the facts of the matter, and will report my findings to you, as to historical accuracy and that sort of thing.

Thank you for the lovely basket of mushrooms!

Yours respectfully,
Lindelea

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To Curator, Mathom House, Michel Delving
Sir, While researching I have found the following errors in the manuscript.

1. Samwise and Rose Cotton were actually married in the spring.
2. The official record left by Mayor Samwise shows that he had already proposed to Rose Cotton without necessary involvement from his friends.
3. The marriage took place some time after the travelers returned, a year later, in fact.

In dealing with these points, let me just say that, meaning no disrespect to the most honorable former Mayor Samwise, wherever he may be, that he is the author of the official record. Need I say more?

Considering the reputations of Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took up until they settled down to the proper serious occupations of Master and Thain, respectively, a few inaccuracies in the text are understandable. Poetic licence is a possible explanation, but I suspect they had already had a fair sight more than a whole half a pint by the time they composed and sang this at the wedding supper.

I would suggest that we keep it in the records.

Besides... it really is a catchy little tune.

Yours respectfully,
Lindelea

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A/N: Thanks to Imhiriel, for bringing to my notice that this hadn't been published here at SoA.