Race: Hobbits
Date of Birth: 2990
Date of Death: Sometime after the year 64 F.A.
Residence: Great Smials in Tuckborough
Parents: Paladin Took / Eglantine Banks
Siblings: 3 sisters - Pearl, Pimpernel & Pervinca
Spouse: Diamond of Long Cleeve
Children: Son - Faramir Took
Hair color: Almost golden
Sword: A sword of Westernesse, nicknamed "Trolls bane"
Galadriel's gift: Silver belt with gold flower-shaped clasp
Peregrin Took was just
in his tweens when he announced his intention to accompany his cousin
Frodo Baggins on his quest. Pippins youth and curious nature got him
into trouble on occasion, but his steadfast friendship and unquenchable
cheerfulness helped carry him and his companions through the darkest
times. During the quest, he grew up quickly and became an important
member of the Fellowship and a Knight of Gondor.
Pippin was born in
2990, the only son of Paladin Took and Eglantine Banks Took. Pippin's
father farmed the lands around Whitwell near Tuckborough, and he also
held the title Thain Paladin II. The Thain was master of the Shire-moot
and captain of the Shire-muster and the Hobbitry-in-arms. These titles
had become largely nominal dignities, but the Thain was accorded a special
respect among Hobbits. As the Thain's heir, Pippin was a young gentlehobbit
of rank and wealth.
In addition to their
wealth and social standing, the Tooks were also noteworthy for the adventurous
streak that ran in the family. This quality was apparent in Pippin,
who, along with his close friend Merry Brandybuck and Frodo's gardener
Sam Gamgee, conspired to uncover the cause of Frodos mysterious behavior
in the spring and summer of 3018. But it was more than adventurousness
that prompted Pippin to decide to leave the Shire with Frodo; friendship
and loyalty were equal factors.
"You do not understand!"
said Pippin. "You must go - and therefore we must, too. Merry and
I are coming with you. Sam is an excellent fellow, and would jump down
a dragon's throat to save you, if he did not trip over his own feet;
but you will need more than one companion in your dangerous adventure."
The Fellowship of the Ring: "A Conspiracy Unmasked," p. 114
In the Old Forest, on the first stage of the Hobbits journey, Pippin
and Merry fell asleep against a willow tree. A crack opened in the trunk,
and Pippin was swallowed up inside the tree while Merry was trapped
in the crack. They were rescued from Old Man Willow by Tom Bombadil,
but the experience was disturbing.
At the Prancing Pony in Bree, Pippin began telling humorous stories
about the Shire in the common room. He foolishly allowed himself to
get carried away by the attention - and perhaps by too much ale - and
he came dangerously close to mentioning Bilbos disappearance at his
birthday party, courtesy of his magic ring. Frodo tried to distract
the crowd with a song, but ended up accidentally putting on the Ring
himself and disappearing. A Ranger called Strider came to their aid
and hid the Hobbits in another room. The inn was attacked during the
night, but the Hobbits remained unharmed. They left Bree the next morning.
The next stage of the
journey was difficult. Frodo was wounded by the Witch-king at Weathertop
and seemed close to death. But at Rivendell, Frodo was healed and Pippins
high spirits returned, and even a lecture from Gandalf could not dampen
them. But after the Council, Pippin was dismayed when it appeared that
Frodo and Sam were going to continue the quest to destroy the Ring without
him.
"We hobbits ought
to stick together, and we will. I shall go, unless they chain me up.
There must be someone with intelligence in the party."
"Then you certainly will not be chosen, Peregrin Took!" said
Gandalf...
The Fellowship of the Ring: "The Ring Goes South," p. 285
When it came time for Elrond to select the members of the Fellowship
who would accompany Frodo, he was inclined to send Merry and Pippin
back to the Shire to raise the alarm.
"In any case, I judge that the younger of these two, Peregrin Took,
should remain. My heart is against his going."
"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."
The Fellowship of the Ring: "The Ring Goes South," p. 289
Pippin found an unexpected ally in Gandalf, who said that the Hobbits'
friendship should be considered in their favor. So Pippin was chosen
as the ninth member of the Fellowship, and departed with the Company
on December 25.
Outside the Gates of Moria, Pippin tried Gandalf's patience by questioning
the wizard while he tried to find the spell to open the door. Once inside
the Mines, Pippin again incurred Gandalf's ire when he dropped a stone
down a well and drums sounded in the deep as if in response.
"What's that?"
cried Gandalf. He was relieved when Pippin confessed what he had done;
but he was angry, and Pippin could see his eye glinting. "Fool
of a Took!" he growled. "This is a serious journey, not a
hobbit walking-party. Throw yourself in next time, and then you will
be no further nuisance. Now be quiet!"
The Fellowship of the Ring: "A Journey in the Dark," p. 327
Pippin was given the first watch that night and felt miserable, but
Gandalf took pity on him and relieved him. Two days later, Gandalf fell
into shadow confronting the Balrog on the Bridge of Khazad-dum.
The Fellowship passed through Lorien, where Galadriel's people offered
them assistance and clad them in grey cloaks with leaf-shaped brooches.
The Company proceeded down the Anduin to Amon Hen, where Frodo went
off on his own to decide what to do. Pippin was concerned about his
friend.
"We must stop
him," said Pippin. "And that is what he is worrying about,
I am sure. He knows we shan't agree to his going east. And he doesn't
like to ask anyone to go with him, poor old fellow. Imagine it: going
off to Mordor alone!" Pippin shuddered. "But the dear silly
old hobbit, he ought to know that he hasn't got to ask. He ought to
know that if we can't stop him, we shan't leave him."
The Fellowship of the Ring: "The Breaking of the Fellowship,"
p. 419
When Frodo did not return, Pippin and Merry went off haphazardly to
look for him and ran straight into a band of Uruk-hai who had been sent
to find halflings. Boromir tried to defend the Hobbits, but he was slain
and Pippin and Merry were carried off toward Isengard.
Pippin was able to remain alert despite the hardship of the forced march.
While the Uruks of Isengard and the Orcs of Mordor were fighting amongst
themselves, Pippin cut the bonds tying his hands. Later he broke free
momentarily so he could drop his leaf-brooch to mark their trail. When
the Rohirrim attacked the Uruks, Grishnakh of Mordor seized the opportunity
to take the Hobbits himself. Pippin realized that Grishnakh knew about
the Ring and pretended that he and Merry could help him in order to
contrive a means of escape. Grishnakh carried them away from the battle
but was killed by a Rider of Rohan, and the Hobbits were able to crawl
to safety in Fangorn Forest.
In Fangorn, the Hobbits
met Treebeard, an Ent who guarded and cared for the trees of the forest.
When the Hobbits told Treebeard their story, he was roused to take action
against Saruman, who had been destroying the trees of Fangorn. He called
an Entmoot to decide a course of action. An Ent named Quickbeam kept
Merry and Pippin company while the Entmoot lasted. At last the Ents
decided to go to war, and Merry and Pippin went with them as they marched
on Isengard.
While Isengard was
flooded, Pippin was stunned by the arrival of Gandalf the White.
" 'Gandalf!' I
said at last, but my voice was only a whisper. Did he say: 'Hullo, Pippin!
This is a pleasant surprise!'? No, indeed! He said: 'Get up, you tom-fool
of a Took! Where, in the name of wonder, in all this ruin is Treebeard?
I want him. Quick!' "
The Two Towers: "Flotsam and Jetsam," p. 175
The Hobbits were also reunited with Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli who had
searched for the Hobbits long and hard. The Hobbits provided their friends
with food and pipe-weed from the ruin of Isengard, and Pippin had a
spare pipe to share.
When Gandalf confronted Saruman, Pippin picked up the palantir that
Grima threw down from Isengard. Pippin was consumed by curiosity about
the strange globe and later took it from Gandalf while he slept. When
Pippin looked into the palantir, he saw Sauron who demanded to know
who he was. Pippin answered, "A Hobbit," and thus his act
of mischief had an unexpected beneficial effect: Sauron thought that
the Ring-bearer was in Isengard, and he concentrated his attention in
the West as Frodo moved East toward Mordor.
Pippin was shaken by
his experience, and Gandalf took him up on Shadowfax and rode with him
to Minas Tirith. There Pippin met Denethor, the Steward of Gondor and
the father of Boromir. Pippin pledged his fealty to Denethor and became
a Guard of the Citadel. He was given black and silver livery and a winged
helm. Beregond, a Guard of the Third Company, instructed Pippin on the
duties and passwords of the Guards.
Denethor's younger
son Faramir returned to Minas Tirith and was amazed to see Pippin. Faramir
related his encounter with Frodo in Ithilien, and Denethor was angered
that Faramir had not brought the Ring to him. Faramir went forth to
stop Sauron's forces from crossing the river, but he was brought back
to the city gravely wounded.
As Sauron's forces
laid siege to Minas Tirith, Denethor despaired. He had used a palantir
and had been shown the full might of Mordor by Sauron. Denethor summoned
his servants to light a funeral pyre for himself and his son, who yet
lived, but Pippin told them to delay until he could get help. He asked
Beregond to go to Faramir's aid and then found Gandalf at the Gate.
Gandalf and Beregond were able to save Faramir, but Denethor chose to
die.
After the Battle of
the Pelennor Fields, Pippin found his friend Merry wandering dazed and
badly wounded after his confrontation with the Witch-king. Pippin brought
Merry to the Houses of Healing, where Aragorn was able to revive him.
When the Host of the West went forth to the Black Gate, Pippin accompanied
them. He saved Beregond's life at the Battle of the Morannon by slaying
a Troll-chief, but he was crushed under the creature's body. Gimli later
saw his foot sticking out from under a pile of carcasses and rescued
him.
When the Hobbits returned
to the Shire and found that Saruman's minions had taken control, Pippin
went to rally the Tooks. He and Merry commanded the Hobbit troops at
the Battle of Bywater and rid the Shire of ruffians. Their names were
at the top of the Roll honoring those who had fought in the battle.
They were hailed as heroes by their fellow Hobbits, and looked quite
princely as they rode through the Shire in their livery. The Ent-draughts
they had drunk in Fangorn had caused them to grow taller than four feet,
five inches - the record Hobbit height previously held by Bandobras
"Bullroarer" Took.
Pippin and Merry traveled
to the Grey Havens to bid farewell to their friend and companion Frodo
in 3021. Pippin lived with Merry at Crickhollow for a time. He married
Diamond of Long Cleeve and they had a son whom they named Faramir. On
his father's death, Pippin became Thain Peregrin I and Aragorn, King
Elessar, made him a Counsellor of the North-kingdom. Pippin frequently
visited King Elessar at the northern capital of Annuminas. At the Great
Smials, Pippin established a library of historical books and records
which later housed The Thain's Book.
Pippin retired to Gondor
in the year 64 of the Fourth Age after turning over the office of Thain
to his son Faramir Took. He and Merry lived out the rest of their days
there, and when they died they were laid to rest in Rath Dinen among
the great of Gondor. When King Elessar died in 120, it is said that
the beds of Pippin and Merry were set beside his.
Pippin
Family Tree
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