Peregrin Took a.k.a. Pippin

Peregrin Took a.k.a. Pippin, born in T.A. 2990, was a member of the Fellowship of the Ring. He was named a Counsellor of the Northern Kingdom and made the Thain of the Shire. He was also known as Ernil i Pheriannath, which means the “Prince of the Halflings”.

In many ways his fate and character are similar to those of Merriadoc Brandybuck’s. He constantly shows signs of impatience and strives to poke his nose into other hobbit’s and not only hobbit’s business. Pippin likes to wake up early (see an episode of the journey through the Shire) and never loses an opportunity to toss off a glass of beer. When talking, Pippin is somewhat eccentric, able to demonstrate his thoughts not only through words but also through his facial expressions and gestures. At first, like the other hobbits he is terribly frightened by the Black Riders, but, nevertheless, he looks artificially cheerful and his voice trembles a little.

Pippin’s excessive curiosity shows itself in Moria in an episode with the well. He desperately wants to get himself acquainted with anything unexplored, but quite often it is full of danger. He is disobedient to the extent that it even drives Gandalf crazy.

However, Peregrin is faithful to his friends and wants more than anything to defeat the enemy. Like Merry he is not selected to accompany Frodo on his quest at first. “Then, Master Elrond, you will have to lock me in prison, or send me home tied in a sack,” said Pippin. “For otherwise I shall follow the Company.” Faithfulness turned out to be more important than anything else and Took became a member of the Fellowship of the Ring.

In “the Lord of the Rings” a great part is dedicated to Pippin and Merry’s escape from the orcs and their meeting with Treebeard. Eloquently Pippin convinces the Ents to participate in the war against Saruman at Isengard, thus helping Rohan’s company.

His inquisitiveness and carelessness resulted in the theft of the Palantir from a sleeping Gandalf. And if Bilbo in “the Hobbit” is shown as an excellent house-breaker using his talents for the good and not for the bad, then Pippin is shown as an excellent thief. Noiselessly and stealthily he approaches the wizard, so that the latter doesn’t discover the loss at once. This is how Pippin’s voice of reason co-existing with stupidity and recklessness characterises him: “You idiotic fool!” Pippin muttered to himself. “You’re going to get yourself into frightful trouble. Put it back quick!”

It is true that the Palantir turned out not to be a glassy toy but a means of communication between Saruman and Sauron. The hobbit accidentally speaks with the enemy and with a frightening cry awakens all the camp. The cat is out of the bag and Pippin has to bear full responsibility for his act. Luckily Took doesn’t have time to tell Sauron much and honestly says that to Gandalf. That proves that Pippin can accept his mistakes and apologize for them.

Took’s thirst for new tidings eventually gets on Gandalf’s nerves: “Mercy!” cried Gandalf. “If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you.” Pippin wants to satisfy his curiosity and would like to know about “the names of all the stars, and of all living things, and the whole history of Middle-earth and Over-heaven and of the Sundering Seas…” The wizard could do nothing but take Pippin with him to Gondor to satisfy his craving for adventure.

In Gondor Pippin is made a member of the Guard of the Citadel. It is his duty to talk with Denethor and sing hobbits’ songs to him. It frustrates the young hobbit as he came to fight and not to amuse the Lord of Minas Tirith. This is how Tolkien depicts Pippin in his service to Denethor: “Pippin soon found himself arrayed in strange garments, all of black and silver. He had a small hauberk, its rings forged of steel, maybe, yet black as jet; and a high-crowned helm with small raven-wings on either side, set with a silver star in the centre of the circlet. Above the mail was a short surcoat of black, but broidered on the breast in silver with the token of the Tree.

His old clothes were folded and put away, but he was permitted to keep the grey cloak of Lorien, though not to wear it when on duty. He looked now, had he known it, verily Ernil i Pheriannath, the Prince of the Halflings, that folk had called him; but he felt uncomfortable.” Pippin saves the life of Faramir, a son of Denethor. Also there is a victory over a troll at the Gates of Mordor on his account.

After the end of the War of the Ring Pippin, honoured with a position of the King of Gondor’s messenger and a knight title, together with Merry travels to the Shire. There he takes up arms against the ruffians of Sharkey-Saruman. Like Meriadoc, Pippin is considered to be a national hero of the Shire.

He married Diamond of Longcleeve in 4th A7. Together with Merry, in 4th A64 he handed over his offices and traveled to Rohan and Gondor and was laid to rest in 4th A65 in Rath Dinen.

Pippin and Merry came into the history of Middle-earth as the two tallest hobbits ever. Thanks to the Ent’s drink, their height reached 4 ? feet.

The thirst for adventure is in the Took’s blood. Any minute any of them could do something outrages. Also that is true to Bilbo, who happens to be a Took from his maternal side.

Pippin is an interesting hobbit. Without him being naughty, the journey of the Fellowship would not have been that interesting. Compared to Merry, he is more frivolous, but he is well balanced by a more level-headed Merry. In “The Lord of the Rings” Pippin plays his own special mission which he easily accomplishes. His talents are demonstrated both on the battlefields and at the feasts. Although he gets a lot of experience during the journey and becomes respectable in Middle-earth, nevertheless, he remains a child and a great inventor. To remain young at heart during one’s life is, undoubtedly, a great task too.