Peregrin Took

Peregrin Took (TA 2990-?), better known to his friends as Pippin, was a Hobbit, and one of Frodo Baggins's youngest but best friends.

Pippin had three older sisters, Pearl Took, Pimpernel Took, and Pervinca Took. His parents were Paladin Took II (TA 2933-FA 13), Thain of the Shire, and Eglantine Banks. Pippin's dear friend Meriadoc Brandybuck was the son of Paladin's sister Esmeralda Brandybuck.

The hair on his head and his feet (which are exceptionally hairy, even for a Hobbit) was almost golden and curly. At the beginning of Quest of the Ring he is smaller than the rest of the Hobbits because he is the youngest.

Character
Pippin was six years younger than Merry, and thus was far younger than Frodo. He was a worthy accomplice to Merry's plans, but showed his age as well; he was still a cheerful, if occasionally thoughtless Hobbit, and was first to miss the comforts of Hobbit life. At Rivendell, Pippin was nearly denied the chance to accompany Frodo by Elrond who seriously considered using the youngest Hobbit as a messenger to the Shire. Gandalf, however, supported his and Merry's claims of friendship and loyalty, and Pippin was chosen as the last member of Fellowship.

When the Fellowship was passing through Moria, Pippin knocked a stone down a deep well. It may be that this act was what alerted the unfriendly Orcs to the Fellowship's presence in Moria. Remaining with the Fellowship until Amon Hen, Pippin was captured by Saruman's Uruk-hai along with Merry.

While held captive by the Orcs, he left his elven broach of Lorien as a signal for Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli. During a skirmish amongst his captors Pippin managed to cut his bonds using a sword held fast by a dead Uruk. Upon their escape, he and Merry befriended old Treebeard, leader of the Ents. This indirectly resulted in the Ents being aroused to fight against Saruman.

It was Pippin who picked up the palantír of Orthanc after Gríma Wormtongue foolishly threw it as a missile; later, in an almost equally foolish act, Pippin actually stole it out of Gandalf's hands while the wizard slept. Looking into the stone, he had a terrifying encounter with Sauron himself. Because of this, Gandalf separated him from his friends and brought him to the city of Minas Tirith. Meeting Denethor, Steward of Gondor, he volunteered for service to repay him for the death of Denethor's son Boromir, who had died trying to defend Merry and Pippin from the Orcs. This amused Denethor, who accepted the Hobbit's offer and made him one of the elite Guard of the Citadel. Later, it was Pippin who rushes to fetch Gandalf when Denethor, driven to despair by Sauron's deception, set out to burn his remaining son Faramir and himself alive.

Pippin was part of the Army of the West led by Aragorn that assaulted the Black Gates in a desperate gambit. During the final parley with the Mouth of Sauron, Gandalf instructed that members of each race that opposed Sauron be present at the parley, including Gimli for Dwarves, Legolas, Elladan and Elrohir (Elrond's twin sons) for Elves, and Pippin for Hobbits. During the last battle before the Morannon, Pippin managed to slay a troll before being knocked unconscious. Gimli later recognized his Hobbit feet under the Troll and drug him out of the battle, saving his life. After the restoration of the monarchy he was knighted by King Elessar, who then granted him indeterminate leave to return home. Later he and Merry were instrumental in overthrowing Saruman's forces during the Scouring of the Shire.

In the year FA 6 Pippin married Diamond of Long Cleeve, when she was 32 and he himself was 37. They had one son, Faramir. Faramir Took later married Samwise Gamgee's daughter Goldilocks.

In the year FA 13 Pippin became the 32nd Thain of the Shire, a position he held for 50 years before retiring in FA 63, when he revisited Rohan and Gondor with Merry. He remained in Gondor for the rest of his life.

Pippin probably died sometime after the year FA 64.

The Line of Pippin

 * See also: Middle-earth and Took clan