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The Brandy Hall Incident  by Dreamflower 6 Review(s)
GryffinjackReviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/17/2005
Uh-oh. Pippin's acting like a Took again. Merry should have known that the only way to keep Pippin from going back into the forbidden tunnels was to get him to promise that he wouldn't, especially after seeing that Pippin had a real interest in them. After all, "He was a Took, and curiosity was not an itch he liked to leave unscratched." I've used the same type of wording that Pip did for the same technical reason that he did. Merry should have known what would happen when he got an answer like "I understand."

Of course, it *was* entirely Pippin's fault that he went in there. Merry told him that it was dangerous, unsafe, and a hazard. He even told him not to *think* about going in the tunnels. He should have forbidden him from going back there instead, which I am sure is what he had meant. But Pippin chose to listen to him literally, and it was already too late *not* to think about going back into the old tunnels and enterred the tunnels since Merry hadn't forbidden him from doing so. Yep, Pippin reminds me of me. Still, Pippin knew what Merry meant, knew what it meant if something was dangerous and unsafe, and was wrong for going back there.

Nothing good can come from this and Merry is going to be furious.



Author Reply: In Merry's behalf, I will say, this is the first time Pippin has disobeyed him even in spirit. Up until now, Pippin has been young enough that his curiousity has been satisfied with asking questions and getting answers. But he is now at the age-equivalent of a seven year old human, and he is beginning to get the urge to experiment and to have first hand knowledge. Not always a good thing.

When he got the impulse to climb too high in the tree a few years back, no one had forbidden him to do so. If at that time, Merry or Frodo had told him to stay put, well he would have fidgeted and complained, but he would have stayed.

It's true that Merry should have been more specific, but he will know after this. And Merry should have known about the "I understand" because he himself has used it and will again.

LindeleaReviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/14/2005
Perfect building of suspense! Wonderful, er terrible cliffhanger.

I would love to read the essay Merry wrote about why his ancestor changed his name!

No time to read any more, but looking forward to when there is time.

Author Reply: Er, yes, terrible, just terrible. *grin* (This from the Mistress of Cliffies! LOL!)

Actually, I would, too! I've always been a bit curious about that myself, which is why I picked it for his topic.

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/13/2005
Pippin the Elephant's Child, with his insatiable curiosity!

Author Reply: Perfect description of him. And he has reached the age where his curiousity cannot be always assuaged by merely asking questions. A year or so earlier, he would have accepted Merry's answer.

good_one_pipReviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/12/2005
Boredom and Curiousity. A combination that guarantees trouble for any young Took...especially Pippin! I love how you capture the attitudes and emotinons of the Brandybucks and Tooks. It's funny to think that even at a young age Pip was giving poor Merry near-heartattacks over is safety!

Author Reply: Yes, it's a lethal combination for many Tooks. Poor Merry, Pippin's always led him a chase, hasn't he?

SharonBReviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/12/2005
LOL, that phrase fits Pippin to a tee ... "curiosity was not an itch he liked to leave unscratched". The start of what seems to be another good story. I can only wonder at what trouble Pippin has gotten himself into back in the old tunnels. Or at how mad Merry is going to be at him for going back in there, thinking he has promised not to do so.

Author Reply: Ah, so you recall that this will be only the second time in his life that Merry is truly angry at Pippin? 8-D

Roger GamgeeReviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/12/2005
This is a fantastic story, as always. Leave it to Pippin to find some way to get into trouble *grin*

The "Rule The Shire" game reminds me in some ways of our "Monopoly" game. Is that what you based it on, or is it a Tolkien invention?

Looking forward to the next chapter in this tale...hopefully no major angst in the works with this one!

Author Reply: I think if you looked in a Shire dictionary, you'd find "Tooks" listed next to the definition for "trouble", LOL!

It is, sort of like Monopoly, yes that's what I based it on. I don't think JRRT ever got around to describing what kind of games hobbits played.

Well, only the kind of angst you would expect from a worried Merry and a frightened Pippin who cannot get to one another...

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