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A Small and Passing Thing  by Lindelea 3 Review(s)
LarnerReviewed Chapter: 60 on 4/23/2023
Perhaps he and Melilot will have that interrupted wedding yet.

FantasyFanReviewed Chapter: 60 on 11/6/2003
Well this is pretty interesting. Freddy wants Sam to be Mayor, and he is grooming him for the position 6 years in advance. What put the idea into his head? I doubt the advice about playing to your audience came from Freddy, though - he's never tried to live in two worlds. It does answer my earlier observation though, that Freddy would be better accepted as Mayor than Sam. The real best candidate would be someone who could relate to and be trusted by both the common and the high-born hobbits. As the Hero Gardener of Bag End, Sam does actually fit that bill.

It sounds like Frodo has a heart murmur. A lot of heart murmurs are something inherited; others can be caused by the same type of deposits that clog arteries. Damage can also be caused by rheumatic fever or a bacterial infection. The last is a distinct possiblity for Frodo, as I am sure spider bites and whip weals weren't treated with a lot of sterile technique in Mordor during the last weeks of the quest. He's relatively asymptomatic, though he did complain of a breathless feeling after walking, and his heart races under stress. No sign of chest pains or fainting, which is good, but weight loss, fatigue or exhaustion, rapid breathing, cough: he's had all of those at times. If his heart is still racing or beating irregularly without the stress of an anniversary-illness, then that's worse. Wish they had antibiotics in the Shire, or somebody understood low-fat low-salt cooking (The worst treatment I could imagine for a hobbit. Have you ever had mushrooms and bacon, Mrs. Maggot's specialty? Heavenly dish, but a normal human should only eat something like that once a year.)

Freddy and Budgie think they are protecting Frodo, or perhaps they are protecting Sam and Rosie, by hiding Frodo's illness. It's a sympathetic thing to do, but isn't dishonesty of this kind un- hobbitlike? Do they think it's only temporary (ie., Sam will be in a better position to care for his master next year)? Frodo for some reason doesn't want help. I guess he's afraid of being a burden. But to me it seems that hobbits generally don't find caring for each other to be a burden, but rather an act of love to be celebrated and accepted. Why doesn't Frodo feel that way, and why doesn't Freddy want to include as many of Frodo's friends as possible? It's a little odd.

Author Reply: This is just a quick reply to your idea of Freddy as Mayor, don't have time for more than that at the moment. I have been thinking about this since you first mentioned it and have decided that it makes sense for the Mayorship to be reserved for common hobbits (not anything formal mind, just tradition and custom). The Master and Thain are gentry, but the Mayor is elected by a vote of the people. Interesting that everyone, "gentry" and "plain" alike, participate in the election--there are no land-laws in place. Thus Freddy would not even *think* of running for Mayor, though he might have ideas about who'd make a good candidate.

I can't explain my reasoning (you do that so well!) but I have this firm conviction in the back of my head that this is *right*. My brain often does that to me, goes through a hidden thought process and reaches what seems a logical conclusion without giving me a clue as to how I reached it. At least it's worked most of the time in the stories I write, when I try to make sense of the Professor's "canon". (Wonder what he'd think of such a term?)

Author Reply: p.s. The little one may have gone back to sleep; she's quiet anyhow, but I have the grace of only a minute or two more I think. You're right, Budgie and Freddy are sparing Samwise and Rose for the nonce, thinking that things will be better for them after the baby's born. A first baby is a wondrous gift, never to be repeated, and I can understand their shielding the couple in this case. OTOH, there is an upcoming conversation with Frodo that will throw more light on his attitude.

Author Reply: p.p.s. The little one is up now and I must hit the ground running! Am struck by your analysis of Frodo's problem: have you been reading ahead? *g* Not much left to the story... writing is going very slowly and reluctantly... I just hate to finish a story, somehow.

Tim the EnchanterReviewed Chapter: 60 on 11/5/2003
I can't help but wonder how well Budgie would do trying to treat Pippin! A very perceptive hobbit and good advice that he gives to Sam.

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