The Secret of Bungo Baggins

Note, this is not an authorised Lord of The Rings short story, but a fan written piece of fiction.

The secret of Bungo Baggins.

“She’s a good-looking hole Bungo,” Hob Gammidge said as he brought the wheelbarrow to a stop. This latest load of ropes was destined for the mill and this was the last delivery of the order, so Hob could take his time delivering it. Besides, this new hole Bungo was building was far more interesting than the mill.

It was getting late in the day as Bungo used the sweat stained rag from his pocket to wipe the dust from the back of his neck. He always had time for Hob. They’d known each other since they were kids and had their own fair share of mischief when they were younger.

“Will be when she’s done, still got a way’s to go yet”

Hob wandered over to the plans on the table to get a look at what Bungo was planning.

“Looks like your building a hole to match them Took’s, this place is huge!”

“My Bella’s worth it, besides, it’s what she’s used too and we’re gonna need the room when the youngins start coming along.”

“Ah, big families breed big families as the say.”

Bungo could only smile at this. Everyone knew he and Bella had only just gotten engaged and they were still the talk of the shire. A rich Took getting engaged to a well to do Hobbiton. It only made sense they would settle down where it was quiet.

“Well, I’d better get these ropes delivered before they close up at the mill. You coming down to the Dragon later?”

Bungo was tempted but he knew how much was still to be done on the new Bag End. ‘Probably not tonight, still got a lot to do before I finish for the day.”

What Bungo didn’t mention was the room that wasn’t on the plans. the ‘Mathom’ room. This room was located a level below the living level and could only be accessed via the artfully concealed stairs at the back of the pantry. The entry concealed with a dwarvish trick stone masonary he had learned from the blue mountain dwarves. While nowhere near the level of craftsmanship seen at Moria or Erebor, there were a few tricks he had been able to use to conceal the entrance. In this case you needed only enter the room 3 times in quick succession and in complete darkness and you would begin to see the outline of hatch on the floor. You see, Bungo was a collector of sorts. Now all hobbits had ‘Mathom’s, stuff that had no further use but that they didn’t want to get rid of. But for Bungo it was more than a simple collection of useless stuff. Bungo had a passion for trinkets and things that were bright, not for their value but for their look and the memories they held. His neighbors knew that he would often head to Tookland to visit Belladonna. As no Took ever knew when he left and no one in Hobbiton knew how long he stayed, no one ever questioned the weeks he was away. Weeks in which he could adventure undisturbed. However, Bungo had also developed a reputation as a hobbit that was ‘practical, never having any adventures or doing anything unexpected’. If any hobbit ever saw his collection, they would know the weeks he was away held secret adventures and so he could never share his passion with any other hobbit. Even Bella rejected the adventurous Took side of her nature, preferring the comfortable and predictable life of Hobbiton. It was during these times of adventuring that he would use the name ‘Underhill’ hiding his identity carefully. Although he suspected the gray wanderer knew more about his identity than he let on when they spoke. It was the memories of these adventures which were held in this ‘Mathom room.’ Even Bella, never knowing his secret passion, was never told of the room, he held it so tight.

So the years wore on and Bag End was finished. Bungo and Belladonna were married in Shire Reckoning 1280 and moved into Bag End while Bungo laid the finishing touches to the cellars and the backroom.

While they had planned on a large family, Bungo being one of five children and Bella being a Took from a large family, it was never to be. They only ever managed to have one child, Bilbo Baggins and as the years past, the secrets of the Mathom room remained hidden.

“When he comes of age, I will tell him” Bungo would often think to himself. “It will be a great coming of age present and maybe, young Bilbo will find the Took part of him is ready to surface.” He would dream of the adventures Bilbo would have. Adventures with dragons and monsters. Eating with elves and befriending men and dwarves. And he dreamed that he would be able to spark that fire he knew was in his son.

Many were the nights that Bungo would sit outside Bag End, pipe in hand, smoke rings flowing down over the field to break up on the sapling growing at the end, while he thought about how he would share the stories of those Mathom’s. The intricate necklace made of silver and the mountainous tunnels he walked through to find it. It was not made of any silver he had ever seen before because this necklace still looked as pure as the day it was forged, never tarnishing, and so hard it never scratched.

He thought of the numerous rings he had down there and how each one came from an adventure resulting in a friendship and a loss. There was even a magic ring, or at least he thought it was magic. He had heard of magic rings before and how they would turn the wearer invisible. This one didn’t do that, but when he wore it, he felt he understood the needs of the animals around him better.

There were boxes of coins, silver and gold, each type kept for it’s unique styling and fine carving rather than it’s value. Some smaller than a finger nail, some bigger than the palm of his hand. Bungo and Bella were already rich in their own right, so there was never a need to cash them or explain them.

The day of Bilbo’s coming of age arrived. Bungo had now seen 77 winters pass and he was proud to see the Hobbit his son had become.

Bella had been growing increasingly concerned lately of the cough Bungo had developed over the past year, blaming the pipe weed for it. But that was nonsense. Admittedly the cough was worse in the evenings when he smoked, but the air was colder in the evenings and the cold air always made him cough.

Bilbo was getting ready for one of his parties, he was already getting a reputation for throwing some of the best parties in Hobbiton. As Bilbo passed Bungo called out. “Bilbo my lad, take a moment to talk to your father, there is something I need to tell you.”

He had thought long and hard on how to share with Bilbo about his collection. He had the whole speech planned to justify the value and the nature of what lay in that Mathom room. He would tell Bilbo that while there is still life in his old bones there was still the hope that someone would appreciate the sentimental value of his collection. He would tell Bilbo that the monetary value is not important, it is the collection of the memories, of life, of adventure that is important to be remembered.

As Bilbo sat down next to his father Bungo looked him in the eye and began the long-rehearsed speech.

“Bilbo my lad, I am proud of the hobbit you've become and I want you to always remember, while there is life, there is hope……..” but before he could continue Bungo was taken by such a coughing fit that he was unable to finish the sentence. Being concerned for his father, Bilbo called his mother immediately.

Bungo was rushed into the warmth of the house and sent him to bed by an overly concerned Bella. Even though Bilbo was due to be at the house of the Tooks for the next few weeks, he never forgot the advice his father gave him. ‘While there is life, there is hope.’

Over the next few years Bungo tried to get his son alone to share with him the secret of Mathom room but his health was failing and his shortness of breath increasing. This combined with an overly protective wife and Bilbo having to take on Bungo’s duties as the head of Bag End left little time alone to talk of secret rooms.

Three years after that first conversation with Bilbo, Bungo realized his time was coming to an end. He had just celebrated his 80th birthday, a fair achievement for a hobbit, but knew that he was becoming weaker with each day. Bungo knew he wouldn't live forever and both Bilbo and Bella could see that he didn’t have much time left. Bella had just left, taking Bungo's soup bowl to the kitchen, gone were the days he could enjoy cheese and cold meats, and he found himself alone with Bilbo. He had almost given up trying to tell Bilbo of the Mathom room but knew that he had to say something now while he still had the strength to talk or he may never get the chance again. Bilbo needed to know that entering the pantry for the third time in darkness reveals the entrance. He needed to know how to find the legacy of the room.

“Bilbo, I must tell you this.” Knowing that time is short and his strength failing rapidly, he goes right to the important point. “The third time pays for all, always remember when you enter the darkness.” But this time a final coughing fit takes him which saps the last of his strength and he passes into sleep again. In his mind Bungo had rehearsed the conversation so often that he had forgotten to tell Bilbo that the ‘third time’ and ‘darkness’ was the entrance secret for the Mathom room. And though he had hinted often at a secret within the walls of Bag End, he had never been able to bring himself to talk openly of the Mathom room.

The next day arrangements were made for the passing of Bungo Baggins. A hobbit of high esteem in the community of Hobbiton.

Bilbo was given the honor of sharing about the great things his father did. How he never turned away a hobbit in need. How he was always generous with his wealth and always had a kind word no matter the hobbit. About how his father was always a hobbit who was held in high esteem in the whole of the Shire and never did anything unexpected. And while he never went on any adventures he succeeded in the greatest adventure of all, the adventure of life.

Years later a young hobbit by the name of Sancho Proudfoot would begin an excavation in the pantry looking for Bilbo's mysterious treasure. But he too would be stopped never knowing that he had come so very close to discovering the truth of the Mathom Room.”