Peregrin Took the Shire, and thus achieved much greater fame in their homeland than Frodo. In , 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. Pippin's father died in , and Pippin became 32nd Thain of the Shire. He held that position for 51 years. In Pippin retired, and was succeeded by his son Faramir. In the same year his friend Merry stepped down as Master of Buckland, and the two Hobbits travelled to Rohan and Gondor. After they died in Gondor several years
Meriadoc Brandybuck guarded Bag End after Bilbo's party, protecting Frodo from the various and often unwanted guests. He is knowledgeable and has an innocent, teasing sense of humour. In one incident, Lobelia Sackville-Baggins accused Frodo of being a Brandybuck and no true Baggins. Merry assured Frodo, "It was a compliment; and so, of course, not true". Merry was also a force behind "the Conspiracy" of Sam, Pippin, Fredegar Bolger and himself to help Frodo. Thus, at the beginning of "The Fellowship of the Ring", Merry was well-prepared and organized — he assembled their packs and brought ponies. His shortcut through the Old