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This and That  by Lindelea 3 Review(s)
Queen GaladrielReviewed Chapter: 7 on 9/18/2006
*shudders* Oh, they were so close! It's a good thing they both think quickly. I just love seeing how the Hobbits always come through for each other in a crisis. But what happened to Ferdi? I'm afraid between so many portrayals I tend to mix them up.
God bless,
Galadriel

Author Reply: Thanks!

As for what happened to Ferdi, it's a very sad story, but it's part of what shaped him into the hobbit he became in later stories. When he was 19 (Pippin was 11) his father's stables burned down. His uncle ran in to save ponies and part of the roof fell in on him; his father ran in after his uncle and was trapped and seriously injured. His mother, maddened with grief, shoved Ferdi into the Water, where he nearly drowned, and she tried to shove Ferdi's sister into the Water as well (to keep them "safe"), and finally, jumped in herself and drowned.

Some of this is detailed in "Flames", more detail comes out in "Runaway", and still more in "Pearl of Great Price".

All of which are long stories! So it's possible you haven't read this background, or if you have, you might have forgotten it in the glut of chapters! (LOL)

Thanks again, and sorry for the delay in answering.

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 7 on 7/29/2005
Ooh, I LIKE it, the image of Pippin taking over, reassuring and rescuing for once for all his youth. Lovely, lovely! And the idea that once Frodo makes a command others respond specifically because such are so unusual is a wonderful one! Excellent story!

Author Reply: Thanks! I'm glad Marigold gave me the starter she did, for it shaped the whole story. (And yet, it makes perfect sense to me, seeing how it was Pippin's quick wits that saved himself and Merry in "The Uruk-hai".)

Yes, Frodo doesn't seem the pushy sort to me, but then there is that moment of command where he stands before Gollum and orders him "down".

I see you've started a new story. Hopefully I'll find a bit of time next week to read!

AndreaReviewed Chapter: 7 on 7/29/2005
There go my hopes for the recovery of Ferdibrand! I would have liked to see him safe and sound again!

I like Pippin in this story. It started with Merry trying to save Pippin, but in the end, Pippin was the one who saved Merry's life.

"I keep climbing, and he keeps up a stream of encouragement, as if he's the older cousin and I'm the younger. For some reason I don't mind."

Thank you :)

Author Reply: O dear.

You perhaps didn't realise that Ferdi in the Interludes of "Healer's Tale" (whom Pippin would choose as his successor to be Thain) about 40 years later (when Pippin is all grown up and Thain), is the same as Ferdi (who fell out of the tree) in the early-Woodruff chapters?

Yes, he does go through a rough time, which starts some time after Bilbo's infamous Birthday (about five years after he fell out of the tree, in other words), but it has nothing to do with his falling out of the tree in "Healer's Tale". Hope that's not too much of a spoiler for you. It's detailed in a story called something like "Pearl of Great Price". His life finally gets better at the end of "Flames", and in the middle of "StarFire" (part of which runs concurrent with "Flames").

I like the role-reversal as well, and am glad that Marigold gave me the story starter that she did!

Thanks!

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