I shall tell you something about myself now, but be warned that it is at times a sad story..
My given name is Peregrin Barno Bristlebrush, but all call me Peppy for short. I know that in Hobbiton the name Peregrin is sometimes shortened to Pippin, but I was born and raised in Stock and folk there say Peppy, not Pippin. So, yes, I grew up in Stock together with my sister Yola.
My father was a Stoor and my mother a Harfoot. They had a happy marriage, but my Gammer of mother's side had always disapproved of the relation. She was opposed to her daughter marrying a non-Harfoot and continued to utter these objections even years after the wedding. My father just shrugged when she uttered accusations and disapprovements again and learned to live with the fact that there was no pleasing his mother-in-law. This situation left my mother very sad, but she was unable to do anything about it. She loved my father very much and stuck up for him at all times.
From the marriage two children were born. Yola was the first-born. She took after her mother and grew up to be a pretty lass with dark hair and skin, all Harfoot characteristics! Then I came into this world. I took after my father in looks and character: pale complexion, bushy hair, taciturn, avoiding conflict. I was a real Stoor. Yola, ofcourse, was Gammer's favourite grandchild and she always brought presents for Yola and then found that she had "forgotten" to bring something for her grandson. But Yola always shared her gifts with me as soon as Gammer had left.
My father often played his clarinet for us and we, the children, danced and cheered. One day he started to teach me to play too and I loved making music. In fact I never stopped doing it! Yola got her clarinet lessons too, but I, being very ambitious, tried to teach myself to play the lute as well. Yola was always outdoors, playing with the other children and pulling pranks to the grown-ups. I would on the other hand rather sit in front of the house, overlooking the Brandywine and playing my lute. So for many years we lived in Stock, a happy family.
But then fate struck. And hit us hard!
One day Gammer came to our house to mind us, as my parents had to make a trip out of bounds, beyond Bree even. They would return within a week, but they never did.. They had a terrible accident with their cart and were both killed at the spot. That's what they told us: an accident has killed your parents and you are now orphans. Later I heard rumours that goblins may, or may not, have been involved in their demise.
Yola was in her late tweens at the time and almost ready to leave home and start her own adult life. But I was still too young and had to be fostered. And as I had feared, Gammer took this task upon her. She would yet knock some sense in that stubborn lad, she claimed. First thing she banned was clarinet and lute playing as it would come to no good, and would only distract us from things more important. This was the worst thing she has ever done to me: take away my music! Also she blamed my father (and indirectly me, it felt) for the death of my mother. Yola was sent to tailoring school, which she liked very much. I was sent to a woodworking shop, where I learned to make furniture. O, I hated this! With all respect to woodworkers, this was no job for me. The only advantage was, that they told me, that I would be able to make my own lute eventually. But I did not want to make lutes, I wanted to play them!
Then one day, I refused to go to the workshop, I just wanted to be in bed and sleep a dreamless sleep. Gammer got furious, as she felt she was losing her grip on me. It went on for days, I stayed in bed, refused to eat even. Yola was very worried about me and very caring, but could not help me either. I was in such a melancholy state, that I could not get out of it anymore. Help was sought and came from "special healers". I was brought by them to a place far away. I now know this place to be Rivendell. These healers there, got me out of my state of inertia. Music was a main part of the healing method. They played for me, but encouraged me to play for them too! And they gave me proper basic minstrel training. I was very happy again, but became homesick for the Shire and Yola. I stayed many years there, honing my musical skills, and then, when reaching adulthood, I returned to the Shire.
The house in Stock had been sold by Gammer. She had given Yola her share of the inheritance, but kept my part in custody, claiming that I was not of sound mind and could not be trusted with that much money. But Yola was able to buy a home in Bramblebury and she invited me to live there with her. I gladly accepted, but felt this arrangement would hamper her own development one day. So I set up a trade to make money for to buy my own home one day. Gathering ore, watching the marketprices fluctuate, and setting the right price at the right time became second nature to me. I can honestly say that I became a succesful tradesman.
I have changed for the better at the hands of the Rivendell healers, but I am still a somewhat quiet, easily flustered, bashful lad, who avoids larger crowds if he can. When we were together I usually depended on my sister to do all the talking. One day, urged by Yola, I payed a visit to the Green Dragon on a friday. And there, per chance, I met a person who has since changed my life considerably. It was Amorey ofcourse and we became very good friends.
In fact, meeting her turned my life around completely. It soon became appearant that we felt more then normal friendship for one another, it was love, true love! One day she was so sad and feeling so insecure for fear of me leaving her. And there and then I proposed to her. It was a rainy day and we had taken shelter in the Ivy Bush. I am so afraid of you leaving me, she said and I took her hands in mine and said to her: Will you marry me, Amorey? And the world started spinning around us, when she said yes to me.
So that is my present situation: I share my life with Amorey and we will be married in Yule. We make music together in Hobbit Heart and try to contribute the best we can to the hobbit community. Meanwhile we cherish and nurture the love between us, so it may grow and become strong enough to withstand any storm. Life is not easy at times, but rewarding every minute of our days.
