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the grey havens 1343
cut it short before you can use it.’’ But if it’s to be a flowername,
then I don’t trouble about the length: it must be a
beautiful flower, because, you see, I think she is very beautiful,
and is going to be beautifuller still.’
Frodo thought for a moment. ‘Well, Sam, what about
elanor, the sun-star, you remember the little golden flower in
the grass of Lothlórien?’
‘You’re right again, Mr. Frodo!’ said Sam delighted.
‘That’s what I wanted.’
Little Elanor was nearly six months old, and 1421 had
passed to its autumn, when Frodo called Sam into the study.
‘It will be Bilbo’s Birthday on Thursday, Sam,’ he said.
‘And he will pass the Old Took. He will be a hundred and
thirty-one!’
‘So he will!’ said Sam. ‘He’s a marvel!’
‘Well, Sam,’ said Frodo, ‘I want you to see Rose and find
out if she can spare you, so that you and I can go off together.
You can’t go far or for a long time now, of course,’ he said a
little wistfully.
‘Well, not very well, Mr. Frodo.’
‘Of course not. But never mind. You can see me on my
way. Tell Rose that you won’t be away very long, not more
than a fortnight; and you’ll come back quite safe.’
‘I wish I could go all the way with you to Rivendell, Mr.
Frodo, and see Mr. Bilbo,’ said Sam. ‘And yet the only place
I really want to be in is here. I am that torn in two.’
‘Poor Sam! It will feel like that, I am afraid,’ said Frodo.
‘But you will be healed. You were meant to be solid and
whole, and you will be.’
In the next day or two Frodo went through his papers and
his writings with Sam, and he handed over his keys. There
was a big book with plain red leather covers; its tall pages
were now almost filled. At the beginning there were many
leaves covered with Bilbo’s thin wandering hand; but most
of it was written in Frodo’s firm flowing script. It was divided