On a rainy night the hobbits reached the Shire and to their dismay found the Brandywine Bridge under lock and key. Banging at the gate they were eventually answered by hobbits with lanterns who seemed quite uncomfortable with allowing anyone in after nightfall. Luckily Merry recognized one of them who explained "the Chief" (Lotho Sackville-Baggins) had rules and the rules didn't allow for anyone to entire the Shire after sundown. Indeed, the guard hobbits were concerned they might awake the Chief's big man. Men, or hooligans better put, had been enforcing the rules in the Shire. Merry and Pippin had enough and scaled the Gate and scared the guards. A horn sounded. Soon a man came up yelling threats to the intruders; it was Bill Ferny. "'Bill Ferny,' said Merry, 'if you don't open the gate in ten seconds, you'll regret it. I shall set steel to you, if you don't obey. And when you have opened the gates you will go through them and never return. You are a ruffian and a highway-robber'" (p. 278, The Return of the King).
Ferny quickly unlocked the gate, threw the key, and ran away as Bill the Pony gave his former master a nice kick to help him along. Coming inside the returning adventurers took lodging in one of the guard-houses, ugly houses built carelessly by men, and learned more about the situation. There were many "Rules" and it was plain that none of the hobbits liked them but wouldn't do anything about them either. Furthermore, the Chief knew all the happenings in the Shire and everyone was afraid to break the Rules. The next morning Merry, Pippin, Frodo, and Sam set off. They saw a great deal of smoke as if burning was taking place in the Shire, furthermore the ugly houses had begun to dot the landscape, and the inns were closed. As they came upon the good inn The Floating Log they were met by a large number of Shirrifs who listed several Rules the four newcomers had broken. They were to be handed to the Chief's men and taken to the Lockholes.
"To the discomfiture of the Shirriffs Frodo and his companions all roared with laughter. "'Don't be absurd!' said Frodo. "I am going where I please, and in my own time. I happen to be going to Bag End on business, but if you insist on going too, well that is your affair'" (p. 280, The Return of the King). Frodo and his friends journeyed on their ponies while the Shirriffs that had arrested them followed behind. Sam's recognized one of them and got more information as to what had been going on in the Shire. "'If I hear not allowed much oftener,' said Sam. 'I'm going to get angry'" (p. 281, The Return of the King). The next day they travelled on as Merry made the arresting Shirriffs go in front of Frodo and his friends. Many hobbits watched but were unsure if they were allowed to laugh or not.
When the Shirrifs tried to deal with the inquisitive onlookers Merry ordered them off and set their ponies on a nice trot to keep the Shirrifs moving at a pace they hadn't known in some time. By three o'clock the Shirriffs were too hungry and sore to go on and let the four friends go by themselves. As they travelled on and the sun began to set they reached Frodo and Sam's homeland. Reality set in. "Many of the houses that they had known were missing. Some seemed to have burned down. The pleasant row of old hobbit-holes in the bank on the north side of the Pool were deserted, and their little gardens that used to run down bright to the water's edge were rank with weeds. Worse, there was a whole line of the ugly new houses all along the Pool Side, where Hobbiton Road ran close to the bank. An avenue of trees had stood there. They were all gone. And looking with dismay up the road towards Bag End they saw a tall chimney of brick in the distance. It was pouring out black smoke into the evening air" (p. 283, The Return of the King).
Sam was hot and worried about his Gaffer. No one in their homeland had greeted them. At The Green Dragon, now run down, they were greeted by six men with clubs. Merry noted they looked like the men he had seen at Isengard. The men threatened these new uppity hobbits while Merry bantered with them. They made frequent reference to their boss, Sharkey, who had come recently. Frodo informed the men they were behind the times, that the King had returned and Isengard was destroyed. The men laughed it off saying they feared no messenger of the King. This was too much for Pippin. "'I am a messenger of the King,' he said. 'You are speaking to the King's friend, and one of the most renowned in all the lands of the West. You are a ruffian and a fool. Down on your knees in the road and ask pardon, or I will set this troll's bane in you!'" (p. 285, The Return of the King). This surprised the men who were used to bullying unarmed hobbits and they turned to run blowing their horns.
The four friends gathered their thoughts. Most were angry at Lotho but Frodo was sure Lotho had not meant for things to get so out of hand. Merry and Pippin turned to thinking of battle. Frodo was hesitant for any to be killed, even the men, and strictly commanded that no hobbit was to kill another hobbit. The like of such acts had never been done in all the Shire before. They knew they wouldn't be able to scare the men a second time and by the horn calls figured more would be arriving. Pippin thought of taking cover and Sam thought Farmer Cotton would take them in. Merry was resolute; hiding was what the hobbits had been doing and it couldn't continue. He wanted to raise the Shire. He asked Sam to round up Farmer Cotton to help. Bill the Pony almost turned back when he heard the horn of Rohan loosed by Merry. Sam had to urge his friend away from the battle call. "Then he heard Merry change the note, and up went the Horn-cry of Buckland, shaking the air. Awake! Awake! Fear, Fire, Foes! Awake! Fire, Foes! Awake!'" (p. 286, The Return of the King).
Sam saw lights sprouting up and dogs barking; the hobbits were answering the call. Sam found Farmer Cotton and his sons already ready. He quickly explained what was going on. The farmer was quite pleased, ready for something to happen since the new year. He hadn't done it himself because of his wife and daughter Rosie. "What about Mrs. Cotton and Rosie?' said Sam. "'It isn't safe yet for them to be left all alone.'" (p. 287, The Return of the King). With a grin Farmer Cotton said Sam could look after them as he and his sons ran up the road. Sam did check in. Rosie was a little put-off saying she had looked for Sam since the spring and couldn't understand why he would leave Frodo now as things got dangerous. "This was too much for Sam. It needed a week's answer, or none. He turned away and mounted his pony. But as he started off, Rosie ran down the steps. 'I think you look fine, Sam,' she said. 'Go on now! But take care of yourself, and come straight back as soon as you have settled the ruffians!'" (p. 288, The Return of the King).
When Sam returned to the others he found nearly the whole village had been roused. Farmer Cotton was detailing how many men they were up against and what kind of weaponry they had. He let Pippin know that his dad and the rest of the Tooks had been holding out in the Great Smials and they had shot three of the ruffians who had trespassed on their land. Encouraged, Pippin took a few with him to the Smials to rally the Tooks. Once again Frodo made it known he wished no one be killed but it seemed this would be impossible. Merry laid out his plans just as the scouts reported a score or more of men coming toward them. Most of the hobbits hid indoors while Farmer Cotton and a few others stayed. The men simply laughed at the barrier in the road and a few hobbits opened it for them as the strode forward. They didn't notice that the hobbits who opened the way followed quietly rather than ran away.
They questioned Farmer Cotton who was warming himself by a fire. Before long they realized this solitary hobbit wasn't alone and they were surrounded. But, not realizing their danger, the leader of the men wouldn't stand down to Merry's warnings. Merry explained they were covered by archers and had been drawn into the light. The leader raised his knife and charged Merry and soon fell dead with four arrows in him. The other men gave up instantly. Merry figured the next attack wouldn't come until the morning but even with their victory they had only dealt with a small percentage of the ruffians. Sam, anxious to see his Gaffer, took a couple of hobbits to fetch him. Merry set up a perimeter around the village and they settled in for the night. Farmer Cotton gave them a proper explanation of what had been happening in the Shire. Lotho had been buying up all sorts of property with money from selling Longbottom Leaf. Men came to pick up goods he sold but when winter came the men didn't leave. Lotho had the men build and tear down many things. For example, Ted Sandyman's mill was bought, torn down, and rebuilt twice as big with many wheels and gears. Sandyman went from owning his own mill to simply cleaning it for the men; though he didn't seem ill-pleased by it. Before they knew it the men were taking over.
It seemed that the only hobbits to protest were the Mayor and Lobelia Sackville-Baggins and both were thrown in the Lockholes. As they spoke Sam came back with his Gaffer who was quite upset with Frodo for selling Bag End and starting the mess. The Gaffer accepted Frodo's apology and sentiment to make amends. Frodo told him that Sam was now one of the most famous people in all the lands though the Gaffer had trouble believing it. "Sam blushed, but he looked gratefully at Frodo, for Rosie's eyes were shining and she was smiling at him" (p. 293-294, The Return of the King). Messengers came in the morning. The Tooks were coming but so was a force of men 100 strong. The Tooks arrived first adding another 100 hobbits to the defense. Once again Merry made a plan. The men came up Bywater Road which had high banks on either side with hedges on top. They were stopped by overturned carts. Hobbits pushed more wagons out behind them and they became aware of hobbits lining the hedges. Merry called of them to lay down their weapons and surrender or risk being shot.
The men decided to fight, many were focused only on killing not escaping. The fight was short but fierce with Merry slaying the leader of the Men. "Nearly seventy of the ruffians lay dead on the field, and a dozen were prisoners. Nineteen hobbits were killed, and some thirty wounded" (p. 295, The Return of the King). It was known as the Battle of Bywater and all the hobbits that participated were ever known by Shire-historians. Merry and Pippin were chief among the renown. Frodo was present but did not fight, rather he made sure the men who surrendered were not harmed. When they had rested and ate they decided to go to Bag End and deal with the Chief. When they arrived they were shocked: everything was gone even the Party Tree where Bilbo had given his birthday speech long ago. They encountered Ted Sandyman who laughed but quickly realized the men he had been allies with were no longer in control and he fled.
They arrived at Bag End looking for Lotho but he did not answer. Frodo lamented that what had been done was the work of Mordor for Saruman had been doing Mordor's work whether he realized it or not. To their surprise Saruman came out and greeted them. Frodo realized instantly Saruman was Sharkey. Saruman gloated over the hobbits and reveled in the destruction of the Shire. Frodo would not allow him to be killed and ordered Saruman to leave. Saruman called to Wormtongue and began to leave but as he passed Frodo he pulled out a hidden knife and stabbed him only to have the blade break against Frodo's mail shirt. Sam and other hobbits tackled Saruman to the ground and drew their swords. Still Frodo would allow no harm to come to the former Wizard. "'He was great once, of a noble kind that we should not dare to raise our hands against. He is fallen, and his cure is beyond us; but I would still spare him; in the hope that he may find it'" (p. 299, The Return of the King).
Frodo's kindness and mercy created a mixture of hate and respect in Saruman who did not appreciate being indebted to mercy. Frodo called out to Wormtongue saying that he did not need to follow Saruman. Saruman revealed to the hobbits that Wormtongue had killed Lotho. In an instant of rage, Wormtongue jumped on Saruman's back and slit his throat. Three hobbits shot Grima down before Frodo could even speak. "To the dismay of those that stood by, about the body of Saruman a grey mist gathered, and rising slowly to a great height like smoke from a fire, as a pale shrouded figure it loomed over the Hill. For a moment it wavered, looking into the West; but out of the West came a cold wind, and it bent away, and with a sigh dissolved into nothing" (p. 300, The Return of the King). The hobbits stood in shock and disgust. Merry hoped this was the last stroke of the War; Frodo never imagined that it would happen at his doorstep of Bag End. Sam simply hoped that the Shire could be restored.
Middle-earth timeline: Third Age, 3019, October 30th-November 3rd
Today's reading comes from: The Return of the King, pages 277-300
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