This story came about while I was working on "A Grand Tradition". While I was writing that story, Pervinca and Merry told me about one of their relations who had never before entered into any of my stories, even though I knew of this Hobbit's existence from the family trees. 

This relative's story, while compelling, simply did not fit into "A Grand Tradition", even as an anecdote. So I removed all mention of this relative from "A Grand Tradition", knowing I would later write the story on its own, once it was all known to me. I had no idea it would take me this long to write this story. I began this in 2008 and just now completed it. There are several reasons for this, the majority to do with real life, but there was some flustering about where the story was going and how it was to progress. 

The bridge story, the part in italics at the start of each chapter, takes place in the ‘present’ day, while the main story begins in 1364 SR, at the time of the Free Fair, when Adalgrim is 83, his wife Clematis is 78, their children are Amber 41, Heather 38, Amaryllis 31, Paladin 30, Esmeralda 27; Fortinbras is 85, Lalia 80 and Ferumbras is 47; Rorimac is 62, Saradoc 24, Merimac 22. Bilbo 72, Dora 62. 

Of course, none of these characters are mine - except the ones I made up. :D I'm making no money from this.

GF 6/26/2011

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