Little Middle Earth Short Stories

Little Bilbo

"Bilbo!" Bilbo looked up from the book he was reading and swung down from the tree's branch. Giggling, he walked up to his father and stared up at him innocently, hiding his hands behind his back. Bungo raised his eyebrow and smiled knowingly. Holding his hand out Bungo nodded and Bilbo shuffled his feet showing his father his hands. "You've been up in that tree haven't you?"

Nodding slowly, he bit his lip anxiously. Bungo laughed and grabbed him, making him shriek in both fright and surprise. Grabbing onto his fathers curls, he scrunched his eyes and nose. "How about we keep this to ourselves eh?" Clapping his hands in delight, he nodded in agreement and began hiccupping uncontrollably.

"Sssshhh lad," he whsipered pretending to cover up his mouth, "Or you're mother will know."

"What will I know."

Bella stood in the doorway, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. Shrieking, bilbo wriggled free from his fathers grasp and hid behind him. Rubbing his neck sheepishly he replied, "Nothing, I was just about to give Bilbo his present." Bilbo giggled and held his hands out to his father, waiting for the gift. Laughing, she nodded and Bungo smiled handing him a tightly wrapped gift.

He stared at it in amazement and looked up to his father, "Thank you." Laughing, he began running around with the object; waving it back and forth. "Hey slow down," bungo laughed placing a hand on his son's shoulder.

Crouching he began to peel back the wrapping paper, but as he did, Bilbo scowled and tried to wrench it from his grip. "You broke it," he excalimed angrily as his father looked at him in confusion. Bella laughed and grabbed at her son, picking him up and tickling him.

"Don't worry," she murmered softly, "your father is only showing you what is on the inside." Bilbo looked in confusion as his father ripped off the last piece of wrapping paper. Grabbing his son, and lifting him onto his shoulders, bungo showed him the slingshot. "What does it do?" he muttered, trying to reach for it. "Here I'll show you." P

icking up a smooth stone he placed it in the soft rubber pad and aimed for a nearby tree. That's when Bilbo lost his balance and tried to grab at his father's shirt. Bungo yelled in surprise and grabbed at his son's leg. He staggered and fell backwards, the slingshot knocked clean from his hand.

Bella watched on and laughed as Bilbo climbed onto his father's stomach and clapped his hands in delight. "You sure have a good aim," she muttered under her breath, biting her tongue trying to suppress a laugh. Groaning, Bungo rubbed his head and joined in the laughter, as he watched Bilbo stumble after his mother, in search for a roll of bandages.

"Here," he said handing the slingshot to Bilbo. He smiled and nodded enthusiastically but before he had the chance to look for stones Bungo held him back and said sternly, "You must promise not to aim at birds or other creatures." Bilbo looked up at him innocently and placed a hand on his chest, "May the hairs on my feet fall off, if I ever do. you have my hobbit's word father."

Smiling, he ruffled his curls and winked. Running off, Bilbo found many stones and kept them in his pocket until it became too heavy to cart around. Leaning against the tree, he studied the slingshot curiously. The sun began to set and bilbo stretched and yawned, curling up into a tiny ball.

His grip tightened around the slingshot as his eyelids began to close; within moments he was asleep, despite the fact that it began to rain. Bungo found him, propped up against the tree and it warmed his heart to see his son, sleeping with a smile plastered on his face.

Careful not to wake him, he picked him up and began walking back to Bag end. Bilbo sighed happily and grabbed at his fathers shirt with his free hand; his soft curls fell over his forehead. Bungo smiled and planted a kiss on his forehead and mumbled softly, "You will make a fine adventurer one day, I just know it."