Just after noonsies on a glorious Thursday, Minnto Boffin was relaxing with his two closest friends Heshte and Gergo, as only hobbits can. The sun was beating down, the air was calm and all was well in The Shire. "Where shall we go first then?" Gergo asked. "Don't mind really" Minnto replied, "how about we take a walk up to Needlehole?" The snoring from Heshte's direction told the boys that the walk was going to be delayed a while! "May as well have second dinner before we go then", Minnto lit a fire and began to cook up some fried mushrooms to fortify the adventurers for the impending journey.
The aroma of cooking food seemed to have the desired effect and Heshte jumped to her feet. "Is there any left for me?" she remarked, "I'm sure we can spare a platefull" replied Gergo, grudgingly. The three of them sat down and tucked into a well deserved second dinner, after all sleeping does take it out of you. Finishing the meal, the three intrepid adventurers set out for Needlehole with full bellies and hopeful hearts.
As they arrived in the little hamlet of Needlehole, Gergo spied Fillbert Bolger looking rather distressed. "Gracious me, am I glad to see you! You see, my cow Daffodil, she's gone missing, and I suspect some foul play!" blurted out Fillbert. The trio gathered around as Fillbert explained "'Yesterday, a dwarf came by my farm. Olwir was his name, and he wanted to buy my Daffodil. Well, I couldn't sell her...she's the only cow I got. He didn't seem to take that well. I think he may have come back and stolen her! Now, I don't know where he might have taken her, but I do remember that his boots were caked in mud. I'll wager he was out tromping about in Rushock Bog! Maybe that's where he took her! " Heshte put a comforting arm around Fillbert as she tried to reassure him "Don't worry Fillbert, the boys and me will go and look for Daffodil for you. You stay here and get her food sorted, she'll be hungry when we get back". Fillbert seemed a little easier with this and wandered off muttering to himself.
"Come on then!" ordered Heshte "no time to waste". The group headed off into Rushock bog, the boys trying to keep up with the brisk pace Heshte was setting. "Where shall we look first?" puffed Minnto, "Lets try over by Troll Knoll" Heshte replied, already a goodly way ahead of the others. Splashing through the bog, the three hobbits arrived at Troll Knoll. "I'm glad its still daylight" whispered Minnto, "I don't fancy bumping into Krankluk the Troll at night. Look at the size of him!". Minnto pointed to the towering stone figure atop the knoll. The three of them cautiously climbed the bank, keeping a watchful eye open for Daffodil or the dwarf Olwir. As they reached the crest of the hill Gergo gasped "Oh my! Is that Daffodil there?" Ahead of them, at the foot of the stone troll, lay a cow. Flies were buzzing around it. "Oh no!" exclaimed Heshte, "It sure does look like Daffodil, but I really hope it isn't". The hobbits moved closer. "It is Daffodil" Minnto whispered "and she looks ........ well, not alive". Heshte walked up to the obviously deceased bovine and knelt at its die. "What will we tell Fillbert?" asked Gergo. "We'll have to tell him the truth" replied Heshte as she gently removed Daffodil's bell from her neck. "I think its best if we take this back to Fillbert, at least he will have something to remember her by". The friends set off, back to Needlehole, none of them looking forward to seeing Fillbert with the news they had for him.
As they arrived in the hamlet, Fillbert was stood by the gate, anxiously awaiting news "Have you found her? Is she with you?" He peered past the trio as they walked over the bridge. "Where is she then?" "I'm so sorry Fillbert" Hesthe said as she approached the distraught hobbit "we did find Daffodil, but I'm afraid we have some bad news". Fillbert went silent. "We have brought you Daffodil's bell back, so you have something to remember her by" said Gergo softly. Fillbert's eyes filled with tears. "Who did this?". Minnto stepped forward "We don't know Filbert, we really don't know". Fillbert looked at the three hobbits, "Would you try and find out for me? Please? Perhaps if you were to speak to Bounder Chubb, tell him what has happened, he may know what to do". Heshte agreed and set off to find him.
Bounder Chubb was straightening his hat when Heshte found him "Good afternoon Heshte, what brings you to Needlehole?" he asked as she approached. "The boys and me, we found Daffodil, Fillberts cow, over by Troll Knoll. She was dead!" The Bounder's eyes narrowed, "Dead you say? Are you sure?" "Yes" replied Heshte curtly "very dead and we think we know who did it too! Olwir, a dwarf, wanted to buy Daffodil from Fillbert but he didn't sell her. Then she went missing. It has to be him" The bounder listened intently "If this is so, then you had best speak to Ulfar up at the dwarves place". Bounder Chubb pointed up the small slope, "He will know what to do". Heshte thanked Chubb and headed up the slope to talk to Ulfar.
to be continued............................
