Fellowship
Recaptured!: 26. The Show
"Your Royal Highness, My Lords, Ladies, Knights of
Rohan, Elven folk, Dwarven kind, Wizards of the Istari and especially Halflings
of the Shire, welcome to Grand Spectac – the Greatest Show in Middle
Earth." Spandif stood upon a stage clad in a costume of white britches and
red spangled tailcoat, topped off with a shiny black stovepipe hat.
The curtains behind him swished open to reveal hastily but
gaudily painted scenery, but there was scarcely a moment to take that in as the
stage was quickly filled with brightly costumed performers. Lasses were dancing
in a row with big high kicks. Two clowns were juggling, while a troupe all
dressed in the same tight and sparkly costumes were tumbling and acrobatically
lifting each other off the ground. A trapeze strung high above the stage was
being used as a swing by a pretty lass dressed all in flowers. In the front of
the stage was a small band and they were playing lively music.
Merry sat between King Théoden and Éowyn, who both took
turns in describing what was happening on the stage to the blind hobbit. Just
beyond them, Pippin was perched on several cushions next to Legolas, as the elf
had promised to tell him anything funny that was said, as well as the words of
the songs.
The whole hall was crowded with people, all excited and
delighted to be entertained in such style and for no charge.
After Spandif's sentence had been passed, it had become
clear why Théoden had only given the showman two days. The King had finally
agreed that the day after the show the Rohirrim would ride to battle and every
available rider would be in the vanguard with the King at its head. The
Fellowship would accompany them, although they planned to leave Merry and
Pippin in the keeping of Éowyn.
Grima Wormtongue was still arguing against the plan, but
Théoden's mind was made up, Gondor must be assisted in its battle with the
forces of Mordor.
The show raced along at a lively pace. Pippin thought the
clowns were very funny but kept glancing anxiously at Merry to see if he
understood what was going on. He had the benefit of Legolas repeating the jokes
for him, but some of the funny things, Pippin thought, needed to be seen.
Merry loved the songs, he was especially fond of poetry and
one of the reasons he spent so much time with Bilbo and Frodo was their love of
words which he shared. He was sad that Pippin could not hear the tunes, which
were often unfamiliar to him and either very lively or very haunting and
melodious.
The show was, as had been demanded, excellent although there
was nothing too out of the ordinary as yet. But Spandif was, like all good
showmen, saving the best until last. The curtains pulled shut and he walked in
front of the drapes to introduce the next act. "And now, for your delight
and pleasure, I present to you the only Show Within a Show ever
seen in Middle Earth. The one and only, spectacular Marionette Playhouse!"
The curtains opened again to reveal a smaller stage inside
the big stage. This stage had curtains pulled across the front that looked
exactly the same as the main stage drapes. There was a fanfare and a string
puppet, dressed identically to Spandif, pranced in front of the curtains.
Pippin's eyes nearly popped out of his head. He turned excitedly to Legolas,
pulling the elf's hands down to touch his face, his way of saying I need to
talk.
'legolas! legolas! what it is? – that!'
'It's a puppet, watch carefully, there will be more.' Legolas
smiled at Pippin's enthusiasm, puppet shows had obviously never made it as far
as the Shire.
The small curtains pulled apart to reveal a scaled down
marionette version of the show they had just seen. The wooden puppets danced
and juggled and mimicked everything that had happened on the big stage, even
the scenery was the same. Pippin jumped up in excitement scattering his
cushions – he thought it was the funniest, cleverest thing he had ever seen.
Then a sudden pang shot through him. He turned to look at Merry, his own
animation in such stark contrast to his cousin's quiet demeanour.
'legolas! merry not go see!'
'I know, Pip, but the King and Éowyn are telling him
about it.'
'no! he got go see it!'
Pippin was so frustrated. He loved the puppets but he could
not bear the thought that Merry could not see them too. There had to be
something he could do. Then he remembered something Strider had done to Merry,
when his fever was so bad and he was upset. He got an idea.
Merry was listening very carefully to Théoden's description
of the marionettes but he found the concept too hard to grasp and impossible to
visualise. Small wooden people moving on strings. How could that be?
The audience was roaring in appreciation and Merry knew
there was something special that he did not understand because he could not
see. A feeling of sadness for his lost vision suddenly overwhelmed him, he thought
of the fields and the flowers and the trees, of all his friends but mostly he
thought of his dearest Pip. At that moment he would have given all those other
things just to see his cousin's sweet innocent face again. Then he thought
about how he could not even hear Pip laugh any more and how sad it was for him
not to be able to hear him or anyone else. Two large tears sprang from his blue
eyes. 'That's all they are good for now' he thought 'eyes that can do
nothing but cry. I might as well pluck them out.'
Suddenly Merry felt his hand grasped, he knew at once it was
Pippin and brushed his tears with his sleeve. He was about to ask Théoden if
the show was finishing, when he was pulled off his chair and was suddenly
trotting after Pippin's lead.
Legolas called to Pippin. 'Where are you going, little
one? Come back it is not finished yet!'
Pippin heard the cry and called back 'i got go get show
my mer!'
As the words had automatically left his mind and the
answer had come back, the elf suddenly realised with amazement that he had
reached Pippin without being in physical contact with the hobbit – something he
had never accomplished before with anyone else.
But Pippin was too excited and intent upon what he was doing
to pay any heed to the phenomenon. He pulled Merry behind him, making doggedly
for the platform. Aragorn and Gandalf noticed simultaneously what was
happening. The ranger made to go after the impudent hobbit and haul him back
before he could climb up onto the stage, but Gandalf put his hand on his arm.
"It doesn't matter, this show is really for Merry, let him enjoy it."
Pippin clambered up onto the stage dragging Merry behind
him. As the pair climbed into the marionette theatre the puppeteers were
momentarily surprised and the audience laughed with glee. The two hobbits were
just the same size as the marionettes and Pippin danced up to the clown puppet
and bowed low.
Spandif waved frantically to the puppeteers to play along
and the clown bowed back. Pippin did a little dance with the puppet, performing
a step then waiting as it mimicked his moves.
The audience hooted with laughter, slapping their legs and
applauding. Pippin bowed once more.
Merry had been waiting where Pippin left him at the side of
the stage, not too sure what was going on. His cousin now pulled him forward
and placed his hands on the clown's wooden face. Merry felt the grain of the
wood, but also traced the outline of the features and found the opening and
shutting eyes. The clown suddenly put its arms around the hobbit and Merry jumped
with surprise, then reached out to feel the arms and the joints that allowed
them to move.
The audience had laughed at Pippin's antics but the whole
hall seemed to hold its collective breath as Merry felt his way around the
puppet, learning for the first time what it was that made everyone else so
excited and pleased. He found the strings and as he ran his fingers along the
taut lines, the puppeteer brought the attached knee joint, up to meet the
hobbit's curious touch. Merry then went back to exploring the puppet's face,
which was level with his own. He held it cupped in both hands and ran his
fingers over the ears and the cheeks and the lips.
Finally, he smiled and in a voice filled with wonder said,
"it's a doll as big as me that walks and dances." He pulled the
wooden face forward and planted a kiss on the painted lips.
There was a gust of laughter and applause, breaking the
silence from the audience.
Pippin then caught hold of Merry's hands and swung him round
in a dance that they had done many times before, sometimes with the local
lasses at hobbit celebrations, sometimes with assorted relatives at family
gatherings and sometimes with each other at the local pub, balanced
precariously on the table, whilst full of ale. Pippin knew Merry could do this
blind drunk, so he could easily do it blind as well.
The band struck up to the right rhythm and, as the hobbits
performed the lively foot stomping dance, the marionettes joined in, as the
puppeteers quickly learned to mimic the steps. The audience applauded and
laughed until their hands and throats hurt.
When the dance was over Pippin bowed graciously to the
puppets and solemnly shook hands with the Spandif marionette. Then held Merry's
hand and this time they both bowed to the puppets and to the crowd.
Spandif himself then came onto the stage and lifted the
hobbits out of the marionette theatre and made them take another bow on the big
stage. The impresario clapped his hands and as if by magic the two clowns
suddenly appeared on the stage.
"Meriadok Brandibuk, on behalf of the Grand Spectac we
would like to present you with a small token of our esteem." Spandif bowed
to the clown, who presented Merry with a little silver flute. It was not a
complete guess as the showman had made enquiries and Gandalf knew that Merry
could play a flute quite well.
The next gift, however was a guess, "and for your noble
companion," Spandif had not learned Pippin's name, "we hope he will
enjoy this." The other clown gave Pippin a small drum that would hang
round his neck and two drumsticks. Aragorn gasped in horror.
"So Master Merri," Spandif squatted down to be on
a level with the hobbit, "am I forgiven?"
Merry mischievously played a pretty little catch on the
flute, a light fluffy sound full of fun. "That's a song about a circus,"
Merry whispered. "That's the tune. My cousin Bilbo taught it to me and I
helped with some of the words."
"You know a circus song?" Spandif's exclamation
carried to the whole audience. "Then we must hear it!"
"It's only silly really," Merry was embarrassed
now. "I don't know if it's good enough to be sung on a stage though."
"Of course we all want to hear it." Spandif
encouraged the audience. "Sing the song! Sing the song!"
"Sing the song! We want the song!" The audience
chanted back.
Pippin could see that everyone wanted Merry to do something
so he joined in by rat-tat-tatting on his new drum, until Merry caught his
hands and then he sat down cross-legged and watched and waited. Merry played
the little air on his flute again and the band picked the tune up quickly. It
was a simple melody and, like Frodo's song about the cat and fiddle that he had
sung in The Prancing Pony, not many of the words are remembered these days, but
the song grew famous in its time.
Bilbo's Circus Song
The circus band, travelled the land,
Living from day to day,
They danced and sang, and the woodlands rang,
As they went along their way.
Never alone, carrying their home,
Dwelling beneath the clouds,
They sang and played, and the people paid,
'twas pleasing for the crowds.
Hark, hark, the dogs do bark,
The beggars are come to town,
They give you cause, to lock your doors,
And roll your shutters down.
Peace, peace, tell the geese,
They're just the travelling folk,
From strange lands, they'll read your hands,
Or make a funny joke.
Alarm, alarm, beware of harm,
The gypsies are here today,
They'll empty your purse, or even worse,
Steal your soul away.
Come, come, everyone,
Come and see the show!
They'll juggle and dance, tumble and prance,
You'll love them before they go.
So the folk played, wherever they stayed,
In many a distant land,
But always were fated, to be hated,
By people who don't understand.
Because they roam, so far from home,
Their ways seem odd and strange,
Still they dance and sing, till the woodlands ring,
Pray Valar that they never change.
As the song finished Spandif led the riotous applause as
Pippin led Merry in another deep bow. The showman suddenly realised what a
great opportunity he had missed by putting Meriadoc in a cage, rather than on
the stage.
