Return of the King Book 6, Chapter 9

The cleanup takes a lot of work but not as much time as Sam thought it would. Frodo returns to his home and the mayor is set free from prison. Frodo acts as his deputy for a while. Merry and Pippin hunt down the rest of the men over the next few months. All the brick houses are torn down and new holes are dug. The trees are the worst loss, but after some time, Sam remembers the dust he was given by Galadriel. Frodo refuses to advise him how to use it. Sam plants a sapling for every tree that was cut down and puts one grain as its rot. He throws the remaining grains into the air and they spread over the Shire. He plants the silver nut in the middle of a field. The next spring the trees grow with unbelievable speed and the silver nut grows a great silver tree. Tobacco and fruit grow the next summer like never before. The beer that year is especially good.

In the spring, on the anniversary of the destruction of the ring, Frodo falls very ill and slowly recovers. Sam marries Rose Cotton and they move in with Bilbo. Merry and Pippin become very popular in the Shire as Frodo slowly begins to drop out of public affairs. In the fall, Frodo falls ill again and he is sick yet again the following spring. Rose has a baby girl even though Sam was hoping to have a son to name after Frodo. Frodo decides to return to Rivendell. He gives the almost finished book to Sam. A few pages are left empty for Sam to complete.

"'On September the twenty-first they set out together, Frodo on the pony that had borne him all the way from Minas Tirith, and was now called Strider; and Sam on his beloved Bill. It was a fair golden morning, and Sam did not ask where they were going: he thought he could guess.'" Book 6, Chapter 9, pg. 343

Sam and Frodo set out and begin to look over the landscape. They remember when they first left so many years ago. Suddenly, there are elves around them. Elrond, Galadriel and Bilbo are among the crowd. Galadriel greets Sam and Bilbo tells Frodo that he is 131 years old. Sam realizes that they are all leaving together. Frodo gently tells him that he cannot come across the sea: he has a family. He promises Sam that his life will be well worth it. They all ride for some time through the night and the next day. They arrive near the edge of the sea and find Gandalf waiting there. As they stand greeting him, Merry and Pippin arrive to bid Frodo farewell. Frodo kisses them goodbye and they board the ship. It slips over the sea. Sam is silent as the three companions ride back to the Shire. He enters his house and takes his children into his arms.

Topic Tracking: Love and Loyalty 12
Topic Tracking: Metamorphoses 13