*~Samwise the Brave~*
“Samwise the Brave”; the phrase rolled in his mind
as impossibility. Never in all of his life had Sam desired to be brave.
He had never thought he was brave; Frodo must have been joking. Surly his
tearful display before the men of Gondor was proof enough of his fear and
doubt. Yet Frodo had called him brave; in all the years he had known him
Frodo had never told him an untruth.
“I want nothing more than a home and hearth; and
good tilled earth he thought.” A dark cloud entered his mind reminding him
of the task at hand. He did want more he supposed. He wanted Frodo safe
and happy back at Bag End, he wanted an end to this quest. Sam turned his
head toward Frodo knowing by the sounds of his breath that his master finally
slept. Frodo lay wrapped in his cloak his breath soft and slow; it was
rare to see him so peaceful. Sam took in the scene and breathed a soft sigh;
he released his worry over his master for the moment. Frodo had finally
escaped into sleep at least for a little while.
Sam sat up with his back against a tree. He would
guard all night if need be. Frodo’s rest was more important, he would make
due. Gollum the creature was no doubt still nearby and Sam still did not
trust him.
He allowed his mind to wander and drift as the
phrase came back to him. “Samwise the Brave”, he wondered is that how he
would be viewed in the end of the days? “ More aptly I’ll be Samwise the
ninny-hammer, or the fool, meddler in the affairs of Wizards. More than
likely as not he was already forgotten in his own land. And no doubt Ted
Sandyman was spreading rumors of Mad Baggins and his wayward manservant.
As he pondered on these things the thoughts ran
together and Sam’s slow mind gradually added things up. He did not desire
to be known as Brave in fact he didn’t care if anyone in the Shire knew what
he was doing. He certainly didn’t care what they thought of him fool or
no. He thought Frodo far braver than himself. It was Frodo who lived with
ridicule everyday in the Shire. It was Frodo who bore such a burden that
even the wise dared not bear it; Frodo who left everything to take on the
Quest.
No he was not brave he decided, he settled against
the bark of the tree and pressed his fists into is eyes forcing himself to
stay awake. “I just have something to do before the end is all. If that’s
what they wish to call bravery then so be it.” He yawned broadly and sighed.
He looked again at his master sleeping and shook his head…I’m not brave
master…I am just Sam, just plain-old Sam…….
