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:
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.