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ET's Dribs and Drabbles  by Elena Tiriel 5 Review(s)
LarnerReviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/1/2007
Joyful to see a young lad realizing that maybe history isn't as dull as it appears when reduced only to dates and brief descriptions.

Author Reply: Hi Larner!

First, let me apologize for not replying immediately... I hadn't realized that there were (no longer) new reviews for this story.

Yes, I had fun writing this drabble. I think Denethor must have had a love of lore himself, and perhaps he remembered how his father had passed it along to him... (and just maybe by then he had given up on trying to interest Boromir in history? LOLOL!)

Thank you for letting me know how you reacted!

- Barbara

daw the minstrelReviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/28/2005
Oh, oh. You're so good with all this canon, ET. I have ROTK playing on the CD player in my car and just today I got to the part where Eowyn gives Merry the silver horn that Eol brought south. The one from a worm's hoard. I wondered about that!

Author Reply: Thanks, Daw! So many of the quotes tucked here and there in Tolkien's writing just cry out for embellishment...

Yes, the horn that Éowyn gave Merry was indeed from Scatha's hoard... and I've always imagined that it was the same one pictured on the tapestry in this quote:

"Many woven cloths were hung upon the walls [of Meduseld].... But upon one form the sunlight fell: a young man upon a white horse. He was blowing a great horn, and his yellow hair was flying in the wind. The horse's head was lifted, and its nostrils were wide and red as it neighed, smelling battle afar. Foaming water, green and white, rushed and curled about its knees.

'Behold Eorl the Young!' said Aragorn. 'Thus he rode out of the North to the Battle of the Field of Celebrant.'"

The Two Towers, LoTR Book 3, Ch 6, The King of the Golden Hall

*Fangurly sigh* Not that the general hunkiness of the Rohirrim would ever influence staid old me, of course...

The KarenatorReviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/28/2005
Ah, the reluctant student...until the dry history gets exciting with dragons and brave men. No boy can turn down such a tale. Denethor was wise to bring that story up! And I liked seeing Denethor as a good father. Terrific.

I'm sorry I've finished...backward as I was. You've done an extraordinary job of telling us so much within the confines of so few words. Impressive.

Karen

Author Reply: Thank you, Karen, for your very kind words! I love drabbles for the challenge they represent: with only 100 words, each one must contribute to the whole... I have a terrible time getting some of them to coalesce into a whole.

Glad you liked Denethor's portrayal! I'm beginning to believe that the "long tradition" of loving lore has more to do with a long line of fathers struggling to figure out exactly what event might trigger their son's interest in History...

Raksha The DemonReviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/28/2005
Lovely scene with Denethor and young Faramir! Now we know how the latter's love of "lore" started! I especially liked the last line - 'may I read it..Please?' - very much like a child.

Author Reply: LOL! Thank you, Raksha!

I love that last line -- I can almost hear Faramir's wheedling tone of voice: "Pleeeeeeeeeeease?"

elliskaReviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/28/2005
As a long time teacher--that is exactly the way it is done. Somehow I really enjoyed picturing young Faramir in this moment with his father. I like drabbles 'cause I can read them at work and get through the whole thing without interruption. But then they always make me want to see an elaboration on the theme. They're more like plot bunnies to me. And this one has a pit-bull-like grip on my ankle right now. Nice drabble.

Author Reply: Thank you, Elliska! That really helps to know -- I've never raised children, so I was just guessing about that technique -- but I figured that it would have worked on me!

So, my drabble spawned an evil plot bunny that attacked you, huh? Bwahahahaha! Please be sure to let me know when you post the results... looking forward to seeing it!

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