Ferdinand Took was the only grandson of Paladin Took II’s grandfather Hildigrim’s brother, Hildibrand. He was only a few years younger than Paladin, so they had been good friends during childhood. Or at least good acquaintances, as Paladin never recalled them being quite as close as Ferdinand remembered their childhood. Whatever the case was, once Ferdinand had learned of Paladin’s plans of taking his family on a tour to visit friends and relatives in Bree-land he had urged Paladin to go see how his only son, Ferdibrand, was faring in Staddle, where he had moved into a few years after the infamous Bilbo Baggins’ 111th birthday party, in spite of Ferdinand’s most vehement protests. Ferdinand couldn’t understand why Ferdibrand, the one and only light of his remaining years, had chosen to brave dangers to relocate in Staddle of all places, as far as any hobbit could go from civilized lands as far as Ferdinand knew. Paladin, who had known Ferdinand most of his life, perhaps understood young Ferdibrand’s choices much better than his father, but could not decline Ferdinand his wish. They were relatives after all, and Paladin also felt a little pity for Ferdinand. Ferdinand had been very lonely since his wife Hanna, Ferdibrand’s mother, had died many years ago and even lonelier now that his only son had left home.
Naturally Ferdinand himself couldn’t come along for the adventure. He had better things to do, as he explained it. In reality Ferdinand didn’t have an adventurous bone in his body and wouldn’t take a step beyond the Brandywine if his life depended on it. Which is why his son (Paladin speculated, and correctly) had chosen to move to Staddle in the first place.
So, one day in the fall Paladin had taken his wife Eglantine and their children Pimpernel, Pervinca and Peregrin (or Pippin, as the good-for-nothing friends of his youngest son called him, though Paladin himself despised the nickname) along for an adventure of a lifetime. The experience would do good for young Peregrin too, Paladin hoped, as his youngest son seemed to possess a far more adventurous spirit Paladin would have preferred, so it was best to get it out of his system soon. Their oldest daughter Pearl was already an adult and had chosen to stay in the Shire, a fact that had made Paladin feel oddly relieved. He would have never admitted it to Eglantine or anyone else for that matter, but Pearl had always made him a little uneasy. No matter how angered he felt by the malicious rumors around Lalia Claychanger’s tragic death, there was a hidden part in Paladin’s heart that wouldn’t have been surprised to find out that there was a grain of truth to them. Pearl had been a most unusual child ever since she was born, and Paladin had always felt a little nervous around her.
The road from Tuckborough to Staddle had been long and dangerous, and Ferdibrand’s hobbit-hole had proven very small to house such a big family (even without Pearl’s presence), but it was surprisingly comfortable and they had all enjoyed immensely their stay in Staddle. Paladin had thought Staddle would be riddled with brigands and other unsavory characters, but had found the village rather cozy and entertaining after all. Perhaps the most entertaining to Paladin was the little pond of Little Staddlemere, a local fishing spot. Paladin was an enthusiastic fisherman, and the only thing he regretted now was that they hadn’t taken this trip earlier in the summer. Winter was coming, and it was too cold for swimming now, but Paladin could just imagine his children swimming and Eglantine sunbathing as he was trying to catch the biggest perch in the pond. If only…
”Paladin!” Eglantine’s shrill call pierced the mid-morning sky. ”Come inside, you blockhead, can’t you see it’s raining? We’re having sausages for elevenses!”
Paladin sighed. He had barely noticed the foul weather, though he had hoped Eglantine might have missed his absence from elevenses. Strangely Paladin wasn’t even feeling hungry, even if he had only had a light breakfast in the morning. Only about six or seven pork chops and a few fried eggs and a panful of wheat cakes with groats and meat juice and a small bowl of peaches with cream, so he should have been starving by now. But… Tuckborough didn’t have a pond like this, after all.
After elevenses, Paladin decided. No matter what Eglantine or anyone said, he would come back to the pond, rain or shine. And this time, they would have perch for lunch! And dinner too, if he could help it.
