"That was a fine afters, Sam, thank you," Frodo said, smiling, as he pushed himself away from the table, and Sam started to clean up.
"Glad you liked it, sir," a tired Sam replied with a small smile, carrying away the plates of crumbs and empty glasses.
"Guess it's back to the lessons, eh, Sam?" Frodo called with forced cheerfulness after Sam, turning to look at him, but seeing only his back, which suddenly stiffened. Frodo's brow furrowed.
"Yes, sir," came a resigned answer from Sam, as he resumed his course to the kitchen.
Frodo stopped where he was, thinking, long and hard. His head bowed down as he mulled over his thoughts, and then came quickly up again. From the look on his face, he seemed to have decided something. His eyes followed as Sam quietly came back into the front room, a subdued but determined look on his face as he took up his seat to continue the lessons. Frodo took the seat opposite him.
"Let's see where we are now, shall we?" Frodo said gently. Sam nodded and looked up at Frodo.
"It's plain the rain falls mainly on the Thain," Frodo enunciated with care to Sam.
"It's pline the rine falls minely on the Thine," Sam said, as carefully as he could, only to see Frodo's face screw up painfully, before he could hide it.
"Oh, dear," sighed Frodo. "Well, let's see again about your H's. Try this, Sam: In Hobbiton, Hayfield and Heathtown, hobbits happily habitate in hillsides."
"In 'obbiton, 'ayfield, and 'eathtown, 'obbits 'appily 'abitate in 'illsides"
Frodo bit his lip and looked down, as Sam's eyes filled with tears of frustration and embarassment at disappointing his master, as he had so many times that day. He pushed himself out of his seat, and walked away, staring into the fire.
"It's no use, sir. I just can't do it! It ain't - it "isn't" in me. It just don't -doesn't - make sense to me, why it's so bloomin' important how I say me "Ayes" and me "H's"! As long as people can understand me - and they can - why should I care?!", Sam cried out, throwing his hands down and hanging his head, sinking into the couch in front of the fire. The room was silent for the first time that day, except for the crackling of the fire in the fireplace. Frodo sat in his chair, his face pained but thoughtful as he watched Sam for several long moments.
Sam heard the soft sound of footsteps as Frodo walked over and sat next to him, but he did not look up.
"Sam," was all that Frodo said, softly. "Sam." A hand fell on his shoulder, and Sam slowly brought his head up. Frodo's face was calm again, as he looked at Sam with a clear blue gaze. "Just think of what you're dealing with. The elves have their Sindarin and their Quenyan. The beauty of their languages is enough - to bring me to tears at times... and you, too, Sam. I know how you love to hear tales of Elves and to hear Elvish spoken." Sam listened with unwavering attention. "Dear Sam - it is the same with ourselves. Our Shire Talk - it's our Sindarin and Quenyan. The nobility and grandeur of language is the greatest gift we have. That's what you've set yourself out to conquer, Sam - and conquer it, you will. I believe it." Frodo smiled. "And now... I've kept you up too long again, and I am sorry. Tomorrow, we can start again fresh," Frodo paused, "but only if you wish to." Frodo gave Sam's shoulder a squeeze, then walked over and bent down to take a spill from the fireplace. After that, he straightened up and started walking towards his desk, to fill and light his pipe for his before-bed smoke. Sam's face turned thoughtful.
As Frodo filled his pipe and prepared to light it, his back to Sam, he heard the soft voice of his gardener float across the room - clear and measured.
"It's... plain the... rain falls... mainly on the... Thain."
Frodo's hand stopped in mid-motion, the flame halfway to his pipe, as his head turned quickly back towards the fireplace.
"What - did you say, Sam?"
Sam slowly rose and turned to face Frodo, his face a study in concentration - and surprise at his own utterance.
"It's plain the rain falls mainly on the Thain."
Frodo shook out the flame and set his pipe down carefully on his desk, his eyes not leaving Sam's.
"A- again?"
Sam smiled, and repeated, with utmost assurance, "It's plain the rain falls mainly on the Thain."and smiled.
"In... Hobbiton?" Frodo prompted hopefully.
"In Hobbiton, Hayfield and Heathtown, hobbits happily habitate in hillsides," Sam enunciated carefully.
"Sam!!!" Frodo cried with delight, running over to face his friend. "You did it! By the Shire, you did it!"
Frodo grabbed Sam's hands and pulled him to his feet, as together they started singing, laughing, and dancing about the room, like a couple of silly drunks.
"It's plain the rain falls mainly on the Thain! It's plain the rain falls mainly on the Thain! " Frodo and Sam sang together, as loudly as they could, dramatically whirling and twirling each other, taking turns as "the lady" as they danced giddily between the furniture, finally ending up in front of the fire, heads spinning.
The two of them fell back together on the couch, holding each other and laughing until their sides hurt.
"Oh, Sam - I'm done in for the night, Shire help me!", Frodo gasped, "You did it, though, Sam - by the Gaffer, you did it!" Frodo clapped Sam on the back, smiling proudly.
Sam beamed in response, "But I'd never 'ave... 'have" done it without you, Mr. Frodo! Lor, but you've 'ad - had! - the patience of an elf!". The idea of Frodo as an elf apparently struck them both as the most hilarious idea ever, as both of them began straining their sides with laughter again, gasping for air, until they had to hold each other up, heads on each others shoulders, panting as they finally quieted down.
"Oh, Sam... it was your work all along. And - and I'm not very proud of the way I acted... to tell the truth," Frodo managed to say, once he'd gotten his breath back, pulling back a bit to look at Sam, his face apologetic.
"Whatever do you mean, Sir?" replied Sam, face puzzled and concerned.
"I... I pushed you harder than I meant to, Sam," Frodo's eyes dropped as he continued, his face reddening, "and ... I forgot to treat you... like a friend. Like the friend you are to me, Sam." When Frodo looked back up, it was difficult for him to see Sam clearly through the pools of water gathering in his eyes and threatening to overflow. But Sam was having the same problem himself, as Frodo's words sank in. He bit his lip, eyes unsure. "Do ye mean, that - a friend? Sir?" Frodo nodded, not trusting himself to speak. And Sam lost his fight with his tears, as they spilled over, unnoticed by himself. "Same here, Sir," Sam whispered, as Frodo smiled through his tears, and each reached out to hold the other. "Same here," Sam repeated, comforting Frodo, as a sob escaped his master. Seconds passed, or minutes - neither could tell. But eventually the tears stopped flowing, and Sam and Frodo each seemed to return to themselves, as they pulled away, and fussed and fidgeted and adjust their weskits and surreptitiously dried their cheeks on their shirtsleeves.
"Ahem... emmm.... I'm... I'm afraid I'm rather done in for the night," Frodo announced, to no one in particular.
"Emmm.. right you are, Mr. Frodo - I think I'm done in myself. I best be going - ahem - that is "I had better be going now" replied Sam, grinning regretfully, getting up, and then, with a teasing look on his face, turning and bowing with a grand sweep of his arm towards Frodo, "Good night, Sir!", he said, looking at Frodo, who sheepishly grinned back, and Sam turned and left Bag End, smiling.
Sam walked down the road from Bag End that lead to his Gaffer's house, smiling, and humming to himself, half-walking, half-skipping along. All at once, his face came up and his humming turned into a song....
Sam:
Bed! Bed! I couldn't go to bed!
My head's too light to try to set it down!
Sleep! Sleep! I couldn't sleep tonight.
Not for all the jewels in a crown!
I could have talked all night!
I could have talked all night!
And still have talked some more.
It's like I spread my wings
And did a thousand things
I've never done before.
I'll never know
What made it so exciting.
Why all at once
My soul took flight.
I only know when he
Began to talk with me
I could have talked, talked, talked all night!
(Sam arrives at his Gaffer's, opens the door with a broad smile on his face, then walks in and shuts the door.)
At the same time, Frodo is standing in the front room of Bag End, a bemused look on his face, speaking to himself as he taps out the unsmoked contents of his pipe and starts to blow out the lights:
Frodo: I can't believe how The night's been grand, now... It's time to go to sleep.
(Frodo blows out the last candle at Bag End - darkness)
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