Peregrin Took

Peregrin Took, more commonly known as Pippin, is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy novel *The Lord of the Rings*.

## Biography

### *The Fellowship of the Ring*

Pippin was the youngest of the four Hobbits who set out from the Shire and the only one who had not yet reached his 'coming of age' at age 33. He was therefore said to be still in his 'tweens' (twenties). He was 28 at the time, while Merry, the next youngest, was 36. At Rivendell, Elrond almost denied Pippin the chance to accompany Frodo, intending to send Pippin and Merry as messengers back to the Shire. Gandalf, however, supported his and Merry's claims of friendship and loyalty, and the Council of Elrond ultimately chose them as the last two members of the Fellowship.

### *The Two Towers*

After remaining with the Fellowship until its breaking at Amon Hen, Pippin was captured along with Merry by an Orc-band, which included some of Saruman'sUruk-hai. While held captive by the Orcs, he purposefully dropped his elven brooch (a gift from Lórien) as a sign for Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, who were in pursuit. During a skirmish among his captors, Pippin managed to cut his bonds using a sword held fast by a dead Uruk. In Rohan, Pippin and Merry managed to escape when the Orcs were attacked by a company of Rohirrim, the local people. Upon their escape, he and Merry befriended Treebeard, leader of the Ents. They roused the other Ents to fight against Saruman, and they attacked his stronghold of Isengard, partially crippling his power. Due to a special "Ent-draught" that Treebeard made him and Merry drink, Pippin and his cousin became the tallest Hobbits in history, at four and a half feet, surpassing Pippin's ancestor, Bullroarer Took, who was four feet and five inches tall.

Pippin picked up the *palantír* of Orthanc after Gríma Wormtongue threw it at them. Later, obsessed by the mysterious stone, Pippin took it out of Gandalf's hands while the wizard slept, putting a rock in its place. Looking into the stone, he had a terrifying encounter with Sauron himself. In fact, Pippin is the only character in the book who is shown to speak directly to Sauron. To keep Pippin safe from Sauron's forces, Gandalf brought him to the city of Minas Tirith, separating him from his friends.

### Return of the King

After meeting Denethor, Steward of Gondor, Pippin volunteered for service out of respect for Denethor's son Boromir, who had died trying to defend Merry and Pippin from the Orcs. According to Gandalf, this gesture touched Denethor, who accepted the Hobbit's offer and made him one of the Guards of the Citadel. Later, when a despairing Denethor set out to burn his son Faramir and himself alive in Rath Dínen, Pippin rushed to fetch Gandalf, saving Faramir's life.

Pippin joined the Army of the West, led by Aragorn, as it assaulted the Black Gate of Mordor in a desperate gambit. At the final parley with the Mouth of Sauron, members of all the races opposed to Sauron were represented, Men, Elves, Dwarves and Hobbits, and Pippin was the sole Hobbit (as Merry had been injured during the earlier Battle of the Pelennor Fields). During the last battlebefore the Morannon, Pippin slew a troll officer. The dying troll fell upon him, knocking him unconscious. Gimli later recognised his Hobbit feet under the troll and dragged him out of the battle, saving his life. After the Ring was destroyed and Sauron defeated, Aragorn, newly crowned as King Elessar, knighted him and granted him leave to return home. Later, he and Merry were instrumental in overthrowing Saruman's forces during the Scouring of the Shire, and thus achieved much greater fame in their homeland than Frodo.

Nearly four years later, he says goodbye to Frodo and those who are crossing over to the last ship to sail to the Grey Havens

## Later life

In F.A. 6, Pippin married Diamond of Long Cleeve, when she was 32 and he was 37. They had one son, Faramir, who later married Samwise Gamgee's daughter Goldilocks.

In F.A. 13 Pippin inherited his father's title and became 32nd Thain of the Shire, a position he held for 51 years before retiring in F.A. 63. Merry stepped down as Master of Buckland that same year, and the two Hobbits travelled to Rohan and Gondor. After they died in Gondor several years later, their bodies were laid to rest in Rath Dínen. Upon the death of Aragorn in F.A. 120, they were buried beside him.

## Family

Peregrin Took was born as the fourth child and only son of Paladin Took and Eglantine Banks. His older sisters consisted of Pearl, Pervinca and Pimpernel. He was cousins and best friends with Meriadoc Brandybuck, who was related to Pippin through Merry's mother and Pippin's father. He was also related to Frodo and Bilbo Baggins.