Where to Next?

The day after Miss Silmarien and all the rest joined back up with our Fellowship, we held a meeting to decide where we would be headin' to next.

"As leader of this company," Elenatintil spoke.  "I say that we follow our intention of tracing the footsteps of the original Fellowship and make the trip up to Redhorn Pass."

Vila raised her hand.  "But what about the feast in Moria, that the Dwarves are holding?  It's already been quite a while since Dior met up with us with the invitation."

Elenatintil turned to Dior.

"First of all," Dior glanced sidelong at Vila, "the invitation was for the royalty, the nobles of Rivendel, the Greenwood and Lothlorien, not annoying little elves like you."

I stiffed a chuckle as both Lira and Vila shot glares at Dior. 

"Though, of course, you are all invited," Dior continued.  "As for the matter of getting there, it was expected in advance that it would take some time to send out the invitations to the elves and allow them to travel to the Mines.  Also, as we are not all that far from the Mines, it would be perfectly fine if your company was to continue on their way before going to the mines."

Elenatintil nodded.  "Thank you, Dior."  She paused.  "Our company?  You will not be coming with us?"

Dior shook his head.  "I will travel on, and inform the others of your imminent arrival."

"Very well then."  Elenatintil looked around the group.  "Any more questions?  Objections?"

There were none and we prepared to break camp.

~  Samdo

What to do?

I sat with Elanor near our campfire, occasionally getting up to stir at the stew I was making for dinner. I looked around again, everyone had been a bit quiet today, what with Miss Ella's disappearance, Miss Rosriel gettin' all mad at Legolas, Miss Lira still bein' unwell what with her broken arm and all. Yes, very quiet indeed.

Legolas had gone after Miss Rosriel - before Miss Turwethiel had come back an' told us that she'd wanted to be alone - and neither of them had come back yet. I figured that once they did though, we'd all sit down to talk about what to do next.

We all looked up as Legloas walked out of the trees, alone I noticed. Aldarion stepped forward.

"Rosriel, where is she? Did you find her?" he asked tersely.

Legolas nodded, his brow furrowed. "Yes I did. She said that she wished to be alone a while longer." He glanced back at the forest, as if puzzled about something. "She should be here soon, in the mean time, I believe we should discuss what to do."

"What is there to do?" Elena spoke. "From the sound of the note, it sounds as if Ella wanted to leave, and did not want anyone to follow her."

I nodded in agreement, and saw a few others nodding too, but Legolas' face had a stubborn look to it. "I cannot just let her wander about Middle-Earth alone!"

"I think she can take care of herself," Elladan voiced his oppinion.

"What did Rosriel think? Did you ask her what she wanted to do? She is Ella's sister after all." Anarion looked questioningly at Legolas.

Legolas hesitated, "She said she did not wish to look for Ella."

That puzzled me. Why wouldn't Miss Rosriel want to look for her sister? I shrugged, and spoke up slowly, "Well then, if that's what Miss Rosriel said, than I think it would be fine to not look for Miss Ella. Miss Rosriel is her sister and should know what her sister would want and could do. And seein' as Miss Rosriel has the closest connection with Miss Ella, if she's fine with lettin' her go then it seems as if we should be fine with it too."

Elena smiled. "Never argue with good hobbit sense." She looked keenly around at the rest. "I propose that we let Ella go and continue on her way."

Legolas looked frustrated, but complied. "Very well then. As soon as Rosriel returns then we will go on." He walked off to sit by himself.

I got up to put more wood on the fire, casting a glance at Legolas' stiff back. "It's as plane as the nose on your face Samdo Took that Mister Legolas doesn't plan on lettin' Miss Ella go off on her own, but there'd be no use in pointin' that out just yet," I muttered to myself. "Well, maybe when Miss Rosriel gets back she'll talk him out of it."

And so we waited for her to return. And waited, and waited, and waited, but there was still no sign of her. At last Aldarion turned to Legolas. "Legolas, did she say she would be gone this long? The sun is nearly setting!"

Legolas looked worried, "She said she would be along shortly, maybe."

"Maybe?" Aldarion looked closely at Legolas.

"Those where her words," Legolas spoke. "Could she have gone to look for Ella herself?"

"Yet you say that she said she did not want to follow her," Elena pointed out.

Legolas nodded, "She did, and very firmly too. No, I do not think she went after Ella. I know Rosriel well enough to know that when she speaks firmly, she just as firmly intends to stay by what she says."

"Then something must have befallen her, we must look for her." Aldarion stood up. "I will go, Legolas, you will come with me and Elladan as well. The rest of you should stay here." He looked to Elena who nodded.

"Be careful."


~ Master Samdo

Oh dear....

Reach Hollin Ridge. Large holly trees mark ridge. Day camp on Hollin Ridge. They plan to stay overnight, but after the crebain fly over, they leave at dusk. 232 miles from start. 12 miles since last location.


When I awoke today, I was a bit uneasy, so to speak, though I couldn't see rhyme nor reason why. I looked around some, but like I said, I couldn't see nothin'. So I just shrugged it off and went to join Elanor by the campfire where she was cooking breakfast.

She gave me a sweet little smile as I came up. "An' how are you this morning Samdo?"

"Oh just fine Elanor, and since I've seen you it's been finer!" She swatted at me playfully with her hand. "Hey now, I meant it!"

She laughed. "Here, take this knife and chop up these vegetables for the stew and then the morning will be finer yet!"

"Yes ma'am!" I nodded to her as I took the instructions and began to carry them out. I looked up slyly at her. "You've been getting in the habit of ordering me around, when we ain't even married!"

"Well, as I recal, you did propose!"

"Not properly."

"Well then?"

"My dearest Elanor Brandybuck of Buckland, would you do me the great honor of becoming my dearly beloved wife, just as soon as we can find a proper place to be married?"

Elanor smiled happily. "Samwise Meriadoc Peregrine Frodo Gandalf Took of Tukborough grandson of Peregrin Took I accept!" Applause broke out from the rest of the fellowship as I gave her a kiss and then there was laughter as she shooed me back to the vegetables.

Anarion rose to his feet. "Three cheers for our happy couple!"
"Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray!" all exclaimed.

Laughing and blushing we both turned back to our chores. I shook my head with a smile, thinking about the first time I recalled having seen Elanor. I had only been about 3 or 4 years at the time, and she slightly younger. 'Twas at someone's birthday celebration, naturally. She'd been crying due to some hobbit knocking over her cup of cider and I went and helped her refill it. I laughed, she'd not let me out o' her sight after that.

I picked up my knife to start choping when I noticed that the blade wasn't as sharp as it ought to have been. I ran my finger along the edge and nodded ruefully. This wouldn't be safe to work with till it was sharpend. Settin' it down to sharpen after I had finished my job I took out Sting to use instead. My laughter at using such a famous blade to chop up vegtebles was cut short by a site that made my blood run cold. Sting had turned a pale, glowing blue, which as I knew all to well on account of the stories could only mean one thing. Orcs. Ohhhh dear....

~ Master Samdo Took

Happy Birthday Bilbo and Frodo!

Today, as Elanor reminded me, was Bilbo and Frodo's birthday. I promptly reminded everyone else by hopping up on a rock and giving Bilbo's birthday speech, which I had memorized by readin' it so many times in the past.

"My dear people,
My dear Bagginses and Boffins, and my dear Tooks and Brandybucks, and Grubbs, and Chubbs, and Burowses, and Hornblowers, and Blogers, Bracegirdles, Goodbodies, Brockhouses and Proudfoots!"

"Proudfeet!" Elanor yelled out.

"Proudfoots." I continued. "Also my good Sackville-Bagginses that I welcome back at last to Bag End. Today is my one hundred and eleventh birthda: I am eleventy-one today! I hope you are all enjoying yourselves as much as I am.
"I shall not keep you for long. I have called you all together for a Purpose. Indeed, for Three Purposes! First of all, to tell you that I am immensely fond of you all, and that eleventy-one years is too short a time to live among such excellent and admirable hobbits. I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve!
Secondly, to celebrate my birthday. I should say: OUR birthday. For it is, of course, also the birthday of my heir and nephew, Frodo! He comes of age and into his inheritence today. Together we score one hundred and fourty-four. Your numbers were chosen to fit this remarkable total: One Gross, if I may use the expression.

"This is ridiculous", Legolas remarked, with a smile.

"It is also, if I may be allowed to refer to ancient history, the anniversary of my arrival by barrel at Esgaroth on the Long Lake; though the fact that it was my birthday slipped my memory on that occasion. I was only fifty-one then, and birthdays did not seem so important. The banquet was very splendind, however, though I had a bad cold at the time, I remember, and could only say "thag you very buch". I now repeat it more correctly" Thank you very much for coming to my little party".

"Oh dear, now he shall give a speech, or some silly song", that was Elena.

"Thirdly and finally, I wish to make an ANNOUNCEMENT. I regret to announce that - though, as I said, eleventy-one years is far too short a time to spend among you - this is the END. I am going. I am leaving NOW. GOOD-BYE!" With that I made a show of slipping on my gold ring and quickly darting behind a tree. I've practiced it, so that I almost did vanish like, and I did hear one or two who hadn't seen it afore cry out. But when I stepped back out again, of course no one owned up to it.

After that, we cooked up a fine birthday feast, then those of us who have instuments and can play them - meaning me, Anarion and Vila on fiddle and flute - played several hobbitish melodies, including "Flaming Red Hair", which is supposed to have been played at the Birthday Party.* The rest of them all danced and clapped, and we sang "The Road Goes Ever On and On", and "The Man in the Moon" in fine style.

That night, we magically saw fireworks, away off in the distence. We don't know where they could have come from, or who could have been settin' them off, since Gandalf is gone, but it was a pretty sight all the same and a nice ending to a great day. And it was a very nice feelin', knowin' that somewhere, someone else might have been a rememberin' Bilbo and Frodo's birthday too.

~ Samdo

Of Herbs and Roasted Potatoes

Goodness me, there has been sparks flying around here and no mistake! An' I don't mean just the love ones. It's the dwarf Dior and Lira, Lady Rosriel too. Something is going to explode there or I'm a hobbit! No wait... I AM a hobbit. I meant "or I am a dwarf"!

Besides that... it is getting pretty obvious that Elladan doesn't particularly care for Aldarion. Can't figure out why though. Elena has an idea, I expect, so I shall leave those to to her. Do not meddle in the ways of those taller then you," my granddad Pippin once quipped. "For they are tall and will over power you easily." But Dior isn't much taller, so I shall see if I can make some head ways there, because as I understand it, he is the one that started it all.


I suppose that I should start be winning his friendship first. That should be easy, I thought. The way to this dwarfs heart is certainly through his stomach! I had forgiven him from stealing my earlier pot of stew, because he admitted he was very hungry and the stew had smelled so heavenly. He also said that the stew tasted even better then it looked.

I heard footsteps approaching as I bent over my makeshift grilling iron, and glanced up. Lo and behold, it was Dior approaching. He looked ready to heat a cow, as usual.

"And what are you making there today young hobbit?" He asked, sniffing the air appreciatively.

"This," I nodded towards the oven. "Is called Savory Herb Roasted Potatoes. Invented my my grandpa Samwise Gamgee."

"Is it indeed?" the dwarfs eye brows went up. "That and the fact that his cooked by his magnificent grandson, "he bowed low, and I returned it," I have no doubt that it shall be excellent!"

I grinned and shook my head. How that dwarf could be so complimentary to me, and yet so antagonistic towards those elf maidens was beyond me. I soon, however had another admirer.

"What did you say that recipe was called again?" Legolas asked, walking up.

"Savory Herb Roasted Potoatoes."

"Is it really?" Legolas exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. "The same kind Sam used to make?"

"The very same!"

Legolas grinned annd, grabbing a plate, sat down near the grilling iron. "I get it first!"

"You most certainly do not!" Dior protested. "I was here! I get it first!"

"You master dwarf, most certainly do not!"

Fearing that another rift between dwarves and elves occur, I said "Well, how about I serve you both at the same time? And..." I added. "What if I was to give you both the recipe?"

Both parties more then welcomed that suggestion, promising never to share the recipe with anyone ever. Grinning to myself, I wrote it down on scraps of paper.

Savory Herb Roasted Potatoes

SERVINGS: 4-6

METHOD: Grill (gas or charcoal)

TIME: Prep: 15 min. Grill: 25 min.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds red potatoes, cut into wedges (about 6 medium)
• 1-1/3 cups FRENCHES (r) original or Cheddar French fried Onions*
• 1/4 cup minced parsley
• 6 garlic cloves, halved
• 6 sprigs thyme or rosemary
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 ice cubes
• 1 large foil oven roasting bag*

Directions:

Toss first nine ingredients in a large bowl. Open foil bag; spoon potatoes into bag in an even layer. Seal bag with tight double folds. Place bag on baking sheet. Place bag on grill over medium-high heat. Cover grill and cook 25 minutes until potatoes are tender, turning bag over once. Return bag to baking sheet and carefully cut top of bag open. Sprinkle with additional French fried onions if desired.
Oven Method; Bake at 450° for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Yield: 4-6 servings.

* Of course Samdo didn't use one of these, but I am including it for the modern day chefs out there.

~ Master Samdo, 58 miles

Will You?

Would you imagine that! Legolas has joined our Fellowship! I can't say that I've ever been more pleased. He's been telling us stories about the first fellowship, and about my grandad's and Elanor's grandad Merry. And of Frodo. I wish now more then ever that I'd been able to meet him. Legolas says that I look very much like my gradfather Pippin, though I sound like grandpa Sam.

I sure do miss them both. Elanor, whom Legolas says reminds him very much of Merry, is still worried that her grandpa won't be alive when we get to Gondor. I've been trying to cheer her up by bringing her flowers now and then and doing small things for her. I really do enjoy her company, very much so.

We are spending the night in what Legolas says is the very same hollow the first Fellowship stayed in. Whilst Elanor and I were making dinner, we had a chance to talk together, somewhat by ourselves.

"What do you think of this place?" Elanor asked, looking around. "Imagine, the first fellowship stayed here!"

"Yep, though they weren't allowed a hot supper like we are," I added.

She laughed. "It is a very nice place, so pretty. I should like to stay here."

"All by your self?" I asked, dropping slices of potatoe in the stew.

She shook her head, "Of course not! I'd want friends to stay with me. But then," she added thought fully, peeling a carrot. "While I love seeing the world, I think that the only place I'd ever truly be happy is in the Shire."

I nodded silently, and for a while we chopped and peeled in silence. Then I asked, "So, since you want to live there, how do you think you'd like to spend your life, once we finish this and get back to the Shire?"


She looked up "Well," she said. "I guess I'd like to spend it raising a family, and living with the people I love, and who love me." She smiled. "And what about you Samdo? How do you want to spend the rest of your life?"

I took a breath, glancing up at her face. I set my knife down on a rock and shyly took her hand. "Well," I said. "I don't know much about the details of it, but" I paused, then went on. "I'd like to spend it with you."

She looked down, blushing, but before she could answer, Vila and the rest of the girls ran up and asked her to come pick flowers that were blooming nearby. She went with, but before she left, Elanor gave me a smile that made me happier then I'd been in a long time.



-- Master Samdo, 36 miles

Small Conversations

Well, it has been a few days since someone last wrote, so I’ll just mention briefly what happened after Miss Ella fell out of the tree.

Needless to say, we were all rather startled when she came crashing down on us un-expected. She jumped up right away, flushed, and apologizing for ‘dropping in’.

“Please forgive me for dropping in on you like this, I am so sorry, I was not spying upon you, well, I was, but not for any bad reasons I was just looking, to see what kind of people you were and then I fell.” Her eyes darted around a bit fearfully.

Elrohir stepped forward, and the elf maid’s eyes darted to him. “Ella? What are you doing here?” he asked. “I thought you were safe back in Rivendell.”

“Elrohir! Please do not be angry with me!” she begged. “Can I please come with you? Where are you going?”

Elrohir laughed. “Yes, you may come with, if it means you will stop climbing trees and falling out of them!”

So that is how we acquired our latest companion on this journey we’re all making. So, as I reckon it, there are now eight of us officially in the Fellowship: Lady Elena, Lady Rosriel, Miss Lira, Miss Vila, Elanor, Miss Ella, Miss Raewyn, and myself. Then we have five companions, Aldarion, Anarion, Elladan, Elrohir, and the dwarf Dior. Speaking of him…

As we walked along today, I recalled the soup pot and stew that had gone missing a ways back in the road. Meaning to ask our dwarf companion about it, I excused myself from Elanor’s company and strode as fast as my hobbit legs would carry me to catch up with him. He was up ahead, conversing with Lady Rosriel. When I got closer, I overheard their conversation.

“Ah! From Mirkwood are you?” I heard Dior say. “Yes, you would be one of the folk that held Thorin and company captive on their journey to the Lonely Mountain.”

She gasped. “What do you mean, ‘held them captive’?”

He laughed, sounding slightly sarcastic. “After they ‘molested’ your folk in the forest, you locked them up in a dungeon, little food and water.”

“I will have you know, dwarf,” Rosriel retorted, “that we treat our captives very civilly.”

“Ah! So you admit to captives!”

“I said captives in general! Not the dwarfs!”

“But they were captive.”

By this time, I had caught up and was walking even with them. I could see that Rosriel was getting a bit red in the face, which if you know her well enough is a sure sign she’s mad. Dior look mad as well, but when I looked closely, I could see a hint of a smile and a gleam in his eyes that told me sure enough that he was teasing her and trying to make her mad. Shaking my head, I continued listening.

“I was only 53 years old then! Hardly involved!” She exclaimed.

"53? Oh how young!" Dior said, somewhat mockingly. "I notice you say hardly. Not 'completely uninvolved."

Rosriel bristled visibly, and was on the point of replying, when I thought it was best to break in. "And so begins another friendship between an elf and a dwarf, one to rival even that of Legolas and Gimli." I commented. "Lady Rosriel, if you wouldn't mind, I had a question to ask your friend here. Why don't you walk with Aldarion? He looks lonely." She seemed only too happy to leave and did so immediately. I shook my head wearily at Dior. "You were aggravating her a purpose weren't you? I thought I heard somewheres that you came to offer friendship to the elves."

Ignoring the question, Dior laughed. "Playing the matchmaker are we? " I must have had a blank look on my face, so he asked, "There was something you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Yes I did." I replied, laying the former matter aside. "You see, there was a pot of stew I made a while back that went missing..."

--- Master Samdo, 27 miles

Moving On...

Well, after they had all recovered from my little joke I played on them (I'd been planing that since I got the invitation for this trip!), Aldarion said we should be moving on. Lady Rosriel protested a bit, saying she'd promised her cousin Lady Elena that we'd all stay right here, but Aldarion says that since she is with his brother and Elrond's sons, she should have no trouble catching up with us. So now we've reached the west of the river and have got to a steep sided canyon, and we is camping out here for today.

After we had made camp and got the supper cooking over a fire, Aldarion told us about the first and only hobbit ranger.

"A ranger that was a hobbit?" exclaimed Elanor. "Why I never knew that! What was his name? Where did he live?"

Aldarion smiled. "He was called Trotter by many. His real name, if I recall correctly, was Peregrine Boffin."

"Peregrine Boffin!" I said. "Why I remember hearing tales of him! They say that one day he vanished off into the blue and was never seen again."

"He was indeed seen again, but not by any of the hobbits in the Shire." Aldarion continued, "He went about wandering the lands north of the Shire. He was lean and lanky for a hobbit, not to mention brave and hardy, so when he met up with some of the Rangers, he fit right in with their style of life. Eventually he wandered over the Misty Mountains, and traveled down toward what was then Mirkwood, and the hidden fortress of Sauron."

"Indeed it was," Rosriel spoke up. "That part of the forest in now finally clean and beautiful again. Now that hear this tale, I remember hearing of a hobbit named Trotter, though he never came to the home of the elven king."

"He did not," Aldarion agreed, "for he was captured by Sauron, then known as the Necromancer. It is not known exactly what happened to him, but when he was finally released, he began to wear wooden shoes on his feet, something hobbits never do. It has been said that he was tortured, or even that the shoes were actually replacements for his feet."

"But what happened to him then?" I inquired eagerly. "Where did he go to? What did he do?"

"He traveled about Middle Earth, doing the duties of a Ranger, until he perished in the Mines of Moria."

We all sat there in quiet, thinking about the tale we had just been told.

"Well, that's a proper eye opener and no mistake," I said. "I had no idea that a hobbit had ever been on of those Ranger folk. That was sad though, how he came to a sad end in the mines. I wish he'd been able to settle down again someday, or come back to the Shire."

"He died living the life he loved, the life of a Ranger." Aldarion spoke quietly.

I shook my head. "Well, thank you for that story sir. I bet my granddad Pippin would love to hear it. He is in Minas Tirith now." I looked up smiling. "If we make it as far as there, I'll tell it to him, if he ain't heard it already."

Aldarion's face became grave. "Samdo," he spoke quietly. "Come with me. There is something I must tell you."



--- Master Samdo, 16 miles

Staying put...

Well, looks like we'll be spending a few days here. Lady Elena told us she was off to look for those elvish twins, that are supposed to be following us. She looked right mad, and I hope she gives those two a talking when she meets up with them. Fancy following us, supposing with the intention of looking out for us, and then letting Lira get taken by that dwarf!

Lady Rosriel said that we wasn't moving until she gets back, which caused a bit of grumbling. Miss Vila thought we should go looking for her sister and let Elena and the twins catch up, but Lady Rosriel put her foot down and said we weren't going nowheres. Said that the dwarf wouldn't be going far, since we seemed to be his source of food, and what if Elena couldn't find the twins, ended up hurt or something, and we weren't where we were when she left? Everyone agreed to that, so here we are.

This morning I woke up with an uneasy feeling. Can't figure why, but I feel as if somethin' is just not how it should be. I sure hope that nothin' has happened to Elena, or Lira. Or maybe my feeling is that something bad will happen soon. I expect Lady Rosriel is a bit anxious too, she's done nothin' but pace around and look worried. The rest of our fellowship is a bit depressed as well. Every face is gloom and doom.

This won't do at all! We can't all just sit around and look glum. The expressions on these faces is enough to scare the sun away. I know what I'll do! I cook them up a nice batch of scones with honey sauce, and recite something for them!

There once was a bee,
Named Princess Mee,

She ended up at the bottom of the sea!

How could this be?

Asks you to me.

She wears fine things

and golden rings

Weighted down with jewels and things,

All the day she gaily sings,

The gold all clacks and chings.

On a fine day she wed

Mr. Wasp Harry Med

With tons of gold upon his head.

"For alive or for dead"

Is what they said.

Out in the moat

They went in a boat.

We pray and hope it stays a float!

All the gold is more then a goat

with a collar on its throat.

A wave came by

Up went the boat to the sky!

Came crashing down upon a fly

Who got a sliver in his eye!

That's how Harry and Mee did die.

So now you know

I've told you so,

Don't wear gold when you go

Out a boating with your beau

Or to the watery depths you go!

---Master Samdo 12 miles

There are worse things then sounds in the dark...

Such as a missing pot of stew! Would you imagine, someone , or something, as gone and run off with that pot of stew I made last night. I finished it late so we'd have something warm to eat this morning (they have been a bit chilly) left it over a low fire to cook all night, and I wake up before the crack of dawn and it's gone! I woke up Miss Vila, who had been on watch, but appearently fallen asleep, and she said when she was awake, she hadn't heard or seen anything. Which was why she fell asleep.
Miss Elena chose this morning to tell us that a few days back she'd seen some queer sorts of footprints, and I'm thinking that they were the ones that stole the soup. We checked our packs, and nothin' else was gone, so least they just must have been hungery. It gives me a turn though, because if they were hungery and friendly, why didn't they show themselves? And if they weren't friendly.... why are we all still alive? Miss Elanor though thinks it might have been Elladan and Elrohir, who took the soup, but shouldn't they have brought their own?
This is a mighty queer turn of events and that's no mistake!
We're now at the Ford of Bruinen, where Frodo made his stand against the Ringwraiths. It also is the edge of Rivendell.

---Master Samdo, 8 miles

Rivendell Behind = Many Long Miles Ahead

We're off! Isn't this exciting? Finally, after days of wandering around Rivendell - not that it wasn't interesting - we are finally gone! Following the path of the Fellowship of the Ring! I surprised the group this morning by producing my Grandfather Pippin's cloak, the one given to him by Lady Galadriel, and Uncle Frodo's sword Sting! He kept it until he left Middle-Earth, but then gave it back to Grandpa Sam, who in turn gave it to me before he left. I do believe the Ladys all thought I was one - or both - of my grandfathers. Though I must say, I am not big enough for both. Grandfather Pippin and Great-Uncle Merry are both in Godor currently, visiting King Elessar. I hope they are still there when we arrive, so I can show Grandfather that I still have his cape.

The feast last night was excellent, though a bit lacking in the beer department. Elves just don't drink beer like hobbits do, I suppose. No pipes either. Good thing I packed plenty of pipe-weed before I left the Shire!

Did you know, Lady Rosriel told me that she had been around during the War of the Ring? She really gave me a start when she said she remembered old Bilbo and the Dwarves stopping in Mirkwood on their way to the firey mountain. That was 148 years ago! I about fell over when she said she was still young, because she was not yet 260. I had forgotten that elves live to be that old.

Well, time to get dinner. I had planned on making a proper hobbit dinner - complete with beer! - for tonight, so I best get started.
The road goes ever on and on, down from the door where it began...

---Master Samdo

Inroducing Master Samwise Took of Great Smials

Greetings to you all! May I introduce myself as Master Samwise Took. If you must know, my full name is Samwise Meriadoc Peregrin Frodo Gandalf Took. I am the son of Strider (Elessar) Took, son of Peregrin Took and Daisy Gamgee, daughter of Samwise Gamgee. I have my mother to thank for my name. Samwise is fine, but Gandalf? Mostly, I go by Samdo, which is just fine. My father always laughs when he hears my many names, saying that mother has always been one for names and history. He says she would have named me after all the members of the Fellowship, but he stopped her saying that being named after that many heros was more then one hobbit could bear!

Needless to say, I have much to live up to! In other words, I am expected to be brave, daring, very tall, and have great adventures. Luckily, I am brave, daring -I am a Took! - but tall I am not. That's the Gamgee side coming out in me, I suppose. My mother claims occaisonally that you'd never know I was a Gamgee, for the way I run around pulling pranks, having wild adventures on the river and the like. But my father claims I am very much a Gamgee at times, solid, dependable and hardy. The best of both worlds, eh?

As for having great adventures, so far I have done nothing remarkable. I grew up hearing tales of the Fellowship, and of the War of the Ring from grandfathers Samwise and Pippin, and from Uncle Merry (who is actually my 2nd cousin once removed - I think.) Mother and Father both say that their stories are the only things in the world that can make me sit still for more than half an hour. I could sit for days and days listening to the remarkable things they did! It fills me with pride to be related to such wonderful and valiant hobbits; I leave the fireside filled with a burning desire to follow in their footsteps.

Which brings me to the presant. I have received an invitation from the Lady Elenatintil, whom I hear is kinswomen to King Elessar, to join her and a fellowship of others in travelling from Rivendell to Lorien in the footsteps of the Fellowship! I gained permission from both my parents to go, and set off on March 25th for Rivendell. (Prophetic date, don't you think?) I took my time in getting here, but now that I am, half of me feels as if I never shall leave again. The other half wishes to begin the journey right away. I wonder if that is how the hobbits felt? Of course though, they had the element of fear in them, as they were setting out to destroy the ring. I am glad that task was not left to me!

I have met the Lady Elenatintil, the Lady Rosriel and Miss Elanor Brandybuck, who is my 2nd cousin twice removed? Or mayhaps she is my third cousin. At any rate, I am related to her. It will be nice to have another hobbit along. A very pretty one too...

Well, I shall leave you all now. My father always said I was one for going on and on and never stopping.
Garo arad vaer! Have a good day!