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“Hun? I’m nearly finished with the dishes. I’m sending you the boys!”
“Ok! Unleash the savages!”
Loud thumps and high-pitched giggles in the stairs instantly followed, and soon enough a tiny human tornado stormed into the small bedroom under the form of two wee lads.
“All right, guys! What do you want me to read tonight? A fairy tale? Pirates stuff? Your choice, boys.”
“Tell us about Fili and Kili when they were children, mum!”
“Again?” The tired mother sighed. She wasn’t in the mood and she would have preferred to read a quick story and kiss her boys good night so she could rest a bit.
“Yeah!!! Again!” came the enthusiast response. She had no choice but to comply.
“All right then. But first, I want silence.” The boys instantly stopped shouting and sat on their beds, their avid eyes fixed on their mother.
“So, what do you want me to tell?”
“Kili playing pranks to Balin!” shouted Max. The six-year-old boy was bouncing on his bed with excitement.
“Fili and Kili hunting in the woods, and they get lost, and they cry in the dark and Dwalin finds them!” cried out his three-year-old brother Gabe.
“Oh, I know! Pirates!” overbid Max.
“Yeah, pirates! And knights!”
“Trolls!”
“Dragons!”
Goodness, this is getting out of hand…
“Wow, wow, wow! Stop it, kids! Are you sure you want knights and pirates in Middle-earth?”
Gabe’s little voice rose timidly “Can we have Playmobil in the story?”
His mother chuckled. “I don’t know. Max, what do you think?”
Max furrowed his brow while he was seriously considering having Playmobil going on an adventure with Fili and Kili. He finally decided against it and proposed Legos instead.
“Ok, let’s go for Legos…”
“Mum, show us the map!”
“Show us the map what?”
“Show us the map, please?”
“Ah, that’s better. So, where do we begin?” Saying this, she unfolded a large map of Middle-earth on her lap and pointed a place with her forefinger. “These are the Blue Mountains, where Kili and Fili were born. You see? It’s near the Shire, where their friend Bilbo lives…”
“Bilbo is stupid,” said Gabe, surprising everybody with his sharp tone.
“No, he’s not! Bilbo is brave!” protested Max.
“Why do you think Bilbo is stupid?” wondered his mum.
“Because he forgot his handkerchief when he packed his bag for his adventure with the dwarves.”
“That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think?”
“If I’d go on an adventure, I wouldn’t forget my handkerchief!”
“Good point, even if you always blow your nose in your sleeves... All right, where were we?”
“In the Blue Mountains!”
“Thanks, Max. So, Kili and Fili were born in the Blue Mountains. They had a mum called Dis, and a father but one doesn’t know his name…”
“Why?”
“Because the writer of the story hasn’t written it. So, Kili and Fili were princes and nephews of the future king, Thorin. Fili was the eldest, and he was serious and fair, always looking after his little brother, Kili…”
“… because he was always getting into trouble!” Max grinned as he evoked Kili. He was his model and hero in mischief. His mother affectionately ruffled his hair and continued the story.
“Fili and Kili had decided to go hunting in the woods near their mountain to bring some game to their mum and dad because they wanted to make their parents proud of them. So, they saddled their ponies and went away. Fili held a spear, and Kili had his bow and a quiver full of arrows. They rode outside the mountain and entered the woods. The forest was very thick and they had trouble to find their bearings because they almost couldn’t see the sun. Soon, they lost the path they were following but they didn’t want to come back with empty hands so they kept on riding.”
The lads were perfectly silent now, hooked by the story. Their mother smiled inwardly and continued her tale. It was going to be fun, after all.
“Kili was looking at the soil on the ground when he spotted the fresh prints of a deer’s hooves. He turned toward Fili and put a finger across his lips to ask for silence while motioning at the prints. The two princes dismounted discreetly and began following the deer’s trail.”
At this point, both boys were hugging their blankeys and mimicking Kili’s “shhh” gesture, their shoulders hunched and their eyes were sparkling with excitement. The mother got closer to her sons and adopted a conspirator tone.
“Kili and Fili went further into the woods. There were so many tall trees that the place was very dark and looked eerie. Suddenly, one heard a rustle in a bush nearby!” The boys started at the same time and their mum had to will away the giggle forming in her throat to maintain the suspense.
Gabe whispered: “What’s in the bush, mum?”
“I don’t know, dear. I guess we should come closer to find out.”
“Ok.”
“Shall I continue?”
“Yes” came the murmured answer.
“The two princes froze and stared at the bush. Fili held his spear tightly while Kili bent his bow, ready to shoot a deadly arrow at what could jump out of the bush.”
The kids were holding their breaths. The mum paused a bit for dramatic effect.
“The princes came closer but the rustle resumed so they stopped again! What was inside?”
If the lads’ eyes could grow bigger, they would.
“Whoosh!”
The kids started and yelped in surprise.
“A big rabbit flew out of the bush just under their noses and ran away! Fili and Kili got so surprised they didn’t kill it. Kili stamped his foot in anger and Fili laughed. They must find back the deer’s trail if they want to come back home with some game. They went further and further into the woods and everything was getting darker around them because the night was close. Fili, being the wisest, suggested to go home but Kili was stubborn and proud. They argued a little, yes guys just like you, and by the time they stopped the night was already here. The ponies were getting nervous and so were the princes because they had understood they were lost. They tried to remember what Thorin always repeated them. Should they move or not? Kili wished he’d paid more attention during his classes. Fili did his best to reassure his little brother but he was a bit afraid too.
The night stretched the shadows and the nocturnal life animals made noises that scared the young princes.”
“Are they going to die?” asked Max, his voice full of anguish.
“No, my pebble, they won’t die. Shall I continue?”
“Yes”
“So…. Fili and Kili were lost in the woods. They were thinking they wouldn’t see their mum and dad again when they spotted a light moving in the distance. Kili was afraid of it. He thought it was an evil spirit from the forest. But Fili disagreed. They hear cries as the light came closer. Someone was crying out their names! They shouted “We’re here! We’re here!” And suddenly, Dwalin appeared holding a flaming torch. The princes were so relieved they cried a little, but not too much because they’re both very proud. Dwalin took them home, and…”
“Is Dis angry?” asked Gabe with a worried voice.
“No, she isn’t. She’s so relieved to have her sons back she doesn’t think about scolding them.”
“But they’re back empty handed!”
This time, the mother couldn’t hold back her laugh. Between two giggles, she says “Oh, Gabe, you’re so down to earth sometimes. Ok, just let me finish the story, all right? So, Fili and Kili were back safe and sound. The princes thanked Dwalin and Dis gave them mugs of hot honeyed milk and biscuits, and they were all happy to be together again. The end.”
“What? Is it already over?”
“Yes, Max, the story’s over. Did you like it?”
“Yeah, yeah, kinda.”
“Kinda?”
“Ha ha! I’m kidding. I loved it! I wonder what will happen to Fili and Kili tomorrow.” His voice was already trailing off, and Gabe yawned softly.
“We’ll see, we’ll see. Good night, pebbles! Sleep and dream well. See you in the morning” and the mother tucked her boys in their beds before kissing them good night.
*~~~~*
“Are the little savages in bed?”
“Yup.”
“Great! Do you want us to watch a movie?”
“Oh, hell yes. I need to relax. A lot.”
“How about The Hobbit, then?”
“Sure”.