Fairy Tales of Middle-Earth

Tolkien Fan Fiction^>Fairy Tales of Middle-Earth
By:DrummerWench

Prologue - Sam's Book of Tales

~~~

Fade In:

A brown leather book fills the frame. The plain black lettering reads "Fairy Tales of Middle-Earth".

We hear the ratcheting sound of someone winding a music box as a work-worn brown hand opens the book's cover.

In a square, utilitarian hand, the title page reads:

"Fairy Tales of Middle-Earth
Being a Compendium
of
Folk-Tales
of
Diverse Peoples and Places
Suitable for the
Instruction and Amusement
of
Persons of All Ages
As Compiled by
Samwise Gamgee
the Gardener"

A soft click sounds, a tinkling music-box melody begins.

Slow zoom out:

Sam and Rosie sit before the fire in a large parlor at Bag End, surrounded by their children and their friends. Elanor, a hobbit-lass in her mid-teens, steps back from replacing the music-box (real Dale-work!) on the mantel.

Sam: "What story shall I read tonight? Elanor-love?"

Elanor: "I like "The Swans", Da, but you know I've heard them many times. Let one of the little ones pick."

Sam: "Frodo-lad?"

Frodo-lad: "Huh, I'm not so little!" He makes a face at Elanor. "I want to hear "Birds and Feathers". It makes me feel like I'm swooping throught the air."

Rosie-lass: "I want to hear "Spiderwebs", with all the colors. It makes me think of the Queen and her pretty ladies."

Merry-lad: "How 'bout "Cloak-Ties", and I can kill the orcs. Grrrr-aagghh!"

He mimes stabbing Pip. They tussle on the rug.

Goldilocks: "Is the story of "Lady in the Water" wrote down yet?

Sam: "Now you know as Mrs. Maggot's a busy lady. She'll send it along when she gets the time."

Homm (a neighbor child, friend of Pip) tugs on Sam's sleeve.

Homm: "Mistuh Gard'nuh, Mistuh Gard'nuh!"

Sam: "Yes, Hommie?"

Homm: "When we was workin' in the flowerbeds, you said as I could pick sometime."

Sam: "Why, so I did. And so you shall, lad. Where shall I start?"

Homm: "At the beginnin', please, sir."

Sam: "What better place to start than the beginning."

Zoom in to Sam turning to:

"The Sorceress"

Sam (reads): " The King of the Mark had three sons. The eldest, his father’s heir, was wise and just, and loved by all. The second son, who would be his brother’s war-leader, was a doughty fighter and a great leader of men. But the youngest son was fair and brave and gay and adventuresome. … "

Fade out.