serai

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A little something for the Birthday.

"Begging your pardon, my Lord," said Sam, "but I don't believe you."

"Sam!" Frodo turned to look at him.

"Well, I don't, Mr. Frodo." Sam's voice was firm. "It makes no sense, if you take my meaning. Why would a beast have a horn in the middle of his nose?"

"Two horns," the King reminded him.

"Two horns, yes. Thank you, Strider. Why? What for? They'd just get in the way." Sam thought this a very good point.

"But I can assure you it is true," the Ambassador replied warmly. He gestured to his servant, who slipped quickly from the room, then leaned towards Sam. "They are fierce, as well. Very big and very bad tempered. I would not go near them."

"Sam," Frodo said. "You've seen yourself the Ambassador's people ride oliphaunts, haven't you?"

"Well, yes," Sam said, a bit suspicious.

"Don't oliphaunts have noses like long vines? What's the point of that?"

Sam hadn't thought of it that way. He was about to answer when the Harad came back into the room and handed the Ambassador a scroll. He stood and placed it on the table. "Come sir," he said with a polite nod, "see for yourself." He spread the scroll open.

They looked. There on the papyrus was drawn the Ambassador's improbable beast. It was indeed unlovely - with little piggy eyes and what looked like folded plates of thick stony hide - but certainly imposing. Those horns, though. Sam still thought them a bit silly. Next to it was drawn a man, so one might see how big the thing was, he supposed. Goodness.

"The weight of ten men, you said, sir?" Sam asked, looking at the southerner.

"Yes." The man's eyes twinkled. "And as wide across as three." His eyebrows rose. The King laughed.

Sam looked at Mr. Frodo, who smiled with delight and whispered, "Imagine what Bilbo will say."

(Today is World Rhinoceros Day.)

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