Bodkin
· 23 October 2006
· Chapter 6: The Best Medicine
Oh gorgeous. I'm sure Boromir appreciated being looked after by hobbits. Even if there was rather too much food for his delicate digestion.
I love the idea of Sam introducing a whole new range of breakfast foods to Imladris. Future generations in the Blessed Realm will have reason to thank him!
And the bedtime story - I'll bet Boromir hasn't experienced that since he outgrew Nanny's attentions.
Author's reply
Boromir may not like to admit it, but there are many things hobbits are more hardy about than Men, besides just feet. A strong, healthy appetite and good aim are just a couple of them. :)
And the elves may have been around forever, but even they don't know *everything*. I'm sure they're learning just as much about hobbits as Boromir is. If they thought having Bilbo around would prepare them, they know realize how wrong they were! The trade-off is better (to the hobbits' mind) food and that's a pretty good trade. ;)
Nothing can catapult you back to your childhood years than being ill in bed. A nursery story was just the thing to close the day. Boromir will sleep peacefully that night thanks to his hobbits.
harrowcat
· 23 October 2006
· Chapter 6: The Best Medicine
Definitely the best medicine GF. I got up this morning with a rotten cold, on my day off too, and this has already made me feel a little better. I loved every word of this!
One awful thought did occur to me! How would the quest have changed if Sam had found that 'kill' spot!
Author's reply
Sorry about your cold! I'll send some hobbits over with chicken soup and green tea. :D
Thankfully, we'll never have to know the answer to that question! I don't think Sam could have ever gotten over something like that.
Thanks for reading! I'm glad this made you feel a little better.
Althea
· 22 October 2006
· Chapter 6: The Best Medicine
This was so much fun to read. Hobbits are wonderful care-givers. I'd take a hit on the head with a pinecone if it meant being able to spend the day with these four fascinating personalities. It's a delight to discover how Boromir's affecton for his four charges is growing.
Author's reply
Boromir never suspected, when he first met them, that he would grow so attached to the hobbits. It's easy to understand why he would give his life to both save Merry and Pippin and to atone for attacking Frodo.
A day spent with hobbits is a wonderful day indeed. They're such good company and they cook the most delightful food and tell the craziest stories. Even their bickering is fun to listen to. :)
Thanks for reading!
Frodo Baggins
· 22 October 2006
· Chapter 6: The Best Medicine
Ahh, Merry and Pippin can be sweet, when they want to. Well, that's not fair, they are sweet, but usually they're more...incessant than sweet, especially Pippin.
How does Sam do it? Getting up early, I mean. I would sleep until ten every morning if I could. And when I don't have anything hanging over my head, I do. It's just not such a wise thing to do when I'm sleeping at my cousins's houses. We're all very fond of pranks, and I've played so many while my cousins were sleeping I've lost count. We're all good sports about it, though. One of my cousins always goes to sleep very early and sleeps very deep, so we've had the most fun with him. :) I'm sorry. Like Hobbits, I could talk forever about all the adventures my family and I have had, and other such trivial matters. Tell me when to stop. :) Hannon le for this funny story!
Namarie!
God Bless,
Frodo Baggins
Author's reply
Pippin is more exhaustive, Merry is quite incessant though, and they're both persistant! But they are sweet at all times, especially when they get to shower someone with food and comfort. Those are two things that all hobbits (or most hobbits) do well.
I don't think Sam *knows* how to sleep in late. It's not in his nature and he's been trained from a very early age to wake at the crack of dawn. Hmmm... maybe that's why he always seems to be dodging pranks! He's usually the first awake, and if he's not the last to sleep then Frodo is, and you know Frodo won't let anything happen to him. :D
Thanks for reading FB!
Frodo Baggins
· 22 October 2006
· Chapter 5: A Dangerous Game
OH that was *so* funny! Something about the way Boromir said, "A pinecone?" Just made me crack up. Poor Sam. He takes things a little too harshly sometimes. Good aim, though. :) I love the way you do Pippin. He reminds me of my cousin adn my brother. Hannon le!
Yours,
God Bless,
Frodo Baggins
Author's reply
Boromir was rather perturbed that he was taken down by a tiny little pinecone. He'll never underestimate the hobbits again after this! Sam has a habit of not always letting himself off the hook, at least not before he thinks he's earned it.
Pippin can be a tad annoying sometimes. He doesn't mean to be, but all this excitement would have only made him that much more hyper than he normally is. Best to use that energy having him run errands. :D
Glory Underhill
· 22 October 2006
· Chapter 5: A Dangerous Game
Oh, poor Boromir. I bet he never had a group of recruits in Minas Tirith this challenging to train.
Author's reply
After the hobbits, training legions of troops will be a cinch! The hobbits could even teach the cadets a thing or two. :)
Thanks for reading, Glory!
Elemmírë
· 22 October 2006
· Chapter 6: The Best Medicine
This was terrific, GamgeeFest. Almost make me want to be stuck in bed so the hobbits could come take care of me too! LOL!
I just knew Sam was going to cook for Boromir!!!! (grins happily) And I simply loved all the little things Sam does to ensure Frodo is taken care of. :D
And how Merry, Pippin, and Boromir's gentle teasing relieve poor Sam of his guilty feelings over the pinecone incident.
You did a totally AWESOME job describing/interpreting the legal infrastructure of the Shire, GamgeeFest!! I may just need to use this expansion of Tolkien's Letter as a reference point in some of my own tales, if you don't mind. You made the finer points very straightforward and easy to follow.
"...Should the parents be ineffective at resolving the matter, and the aunts, uncles or grandparents can’t help, then the family heads will get involved."
The Master and Mistress of a family have more power than the Thain or the Master or even the Mayor when it comes to familial matters. If your family head says you have to be home by seven every night and avoid the inns lest you shame your family’s honor by running amok, then you get home by seven and avoid the inns.”
HeHe. Somehow I think Frodo ought to know being an orphan. I'm sure there were plenty of times when either the Master of Buckland or Bilbo had to step in, in order for effective discipline to take place in his case.
Great job on the riddles too!
Boromir smiled gratefully at his friends, sad to see the day end. Tomorrow, they would have to return to their training sessions and Boromir was surprised to find that he dreaded the idea of it. He would much rather sit and enjoy the hobbits’ simply company than teach them to fight. The only reason he would continue to do so now was that the thought of these happy creatures finding themselves defenseless and at the mercy of the enemy was unbearable.
Only too true. :( I agree with Boromir.
~Elemmírë~
Author's reply
I think we all would love to have our own hobbits to cook for us and take care of us when we're ill. I know I could certainly use a Sam!
Sam's best at apologizing through heaps and heaps of food, and making himself useful. Sam would have gone on cooking breakfast for Boromir indefinitely, and then Boromir really would need a new pair of pants to fit his ever-expanding waist size! Good thing Merry and Pippin, and Boromir, were able to help him get over his guilt and laugh at the 'incident'. But it is Frodo, first and foremost, that Sam needs to take care of. I enjoyed getting to spy on him first thing in the morning to see how he cares for his master.
I'm glad you liked my expansion of Letter #214. Families are everything to hobbits and so the top of the power pyramid, such as they have, would be the family heads, not the so-called 'rulers'. I would be honored if you wanted to use this explanation for your own writings. :) And you're right. I didn't think of it while I was writing it, but Frodo has certainly had his own run-ins with the 'law' of the land. His Uncle Rory has had to put him in his place on a couple of occasions, as well as Sara and Esme and Bilbo.
The riddles were borrowed. :D There was no way I was making all those up! It would be another three or four weeks before I updated if I tried to do that!
Boromir has a new devotion to his littlest charges. He'll do everything he can from here on out to make sure they're as prepared as they can be - and then he'll do everything he can on the Quest to make sure they don't have to use the skills he's teaching them. *hugs Boromir protectively*
Thanks for reading!
Dreamflower
· 22 October 2006
· Chapter 6: The Best Medicine
Oh wow! GF have you *any* idea how much this was guaranteed to thrill me? I *so* love turnabout h/c, where the hobbits take care of a Big Person! And for them to take such good care of Boromir was delightful. Every last bit of it, from Sam's getting up to make breakfast, to Pippin and Merry reading him to sleep at the end, and every last little bit in between.
I really loved the way they explained the "political" set up in the Shire. Given the generally peace-loving and conformist nature of the majority of hobbits, it really would work. A family head has much more control over those he or she rules than a mere political leader, such as a king or an elected official. And Boromir's amazement at the way that hobbits take care of things in the Shire, and his realization that they are such a peaceful little folk makes him feel even more protective of them.
I also loved the riddle games--those were some very clever riddles, some of which I knew instantly, and others that took me a few moments.
Lucky Boromir, to have a day of being pampered by hobbits! Almost makes me wish Sam would conk *me* in the head with a pine-cone!
Author's reply
hehe Sam might have felt guilty about conking Boromir on the head, but I don't hear Boromir complaining! He very much enjoyed his day being pampered by the hobbits, though he might have felt silly about the nursery story. Still, I'm betting he sleeps incredibly well that night. :D
Hearing how the hobbits manage their 'political' strifes was a real eye-opener but it should help him to better understand their hesitancy to fighting. He also learned some new riddles and found out he's not too bad at them himself. I needed help with them though!
I'm glad this story thrilled you so much, DF! I also enjoy seeing the hobbits take charge about caring for *their* 'Big People' - they're so good at it and it makes them that much more endearing. Boromir's an honorary hobbit now, whether he knows it or not. :)
Andrea
· 22 October 2006
· Chapter 6: The Best Medicine
Great chapter, GamgeeFest!
I loved all those references to your other stories, or "Incidents" ;-)
So, all hobbits love riddles? And they are very good at making them up, I must say. But Frodo's riddle was too much for me. There I thought 'Wow! nearly the whole chapter over and NO new word!' - until I saw the next sentence, including not one but FOUR words I don't know: cogs, pabs, tigs and bons! Oh dear! That's a new record ;-)
However, I think Boromir was in the best care that day!
“But you’re not feeling well,” Pippin said. “Just lie back and let our soft soothing voices ease you to sleep.”
“Soft soothing voices?” Merry said, smirking. “Maybe you shouldn’t speak then, Pip.”
ROTFL!!! Just wonderful!
Author's reply
Ah yes, all the famous 'incidents' of Shire history. The Great Goose Incident. The Fire Incident. The Mooning Incident. The Streaking Incident. :P Incidents just sort of seem to happen when hobbits are around. ;)
Hobbits are much better at riddles than I am, so I had to get some help. hehe I think Frodo's riddles were mostly made up words. At least, I've yet to figure out what pabs, tigs or bons are.
Hobbits do know how to take of each other, and their 'big people' also. :D They'll take very good care of Boromir and make sure that his fragile feet and head come to no more damage.
Thanks for reading!
Glory Underhill
· 22 October 2006
· Chapter 4: Be Tween You and Me
OMG, this story just keeps getting funnier and funnier! You really have hobbits nailed down to a tee!
Author's reply
Thank you Glory! I'm glad you're still enjoying it!
shirebound
· 22 October 2006
· Chapter 6: The Best Medicine
“You bring much joy and laughter wherever you go. It truly is the best medicine there is.”
“After food, of course,” Pippin said.
“After food,” Elrond agreed.
This is just a delightful story, GamgeeFest! I'm enjoying every chapter immensely.
Author's reply
Hobbits know what's really important - food! That joy and laughter just happen to go along with it is natural for them. ;)
I'm so glad you're enjoying the story!
pebbles66
· 22 October 2006
· Chapter 6: The Best Medicine
This is so cute! Lucky Boromir! I'd like to have hobbits looking after me so well if I were ill in bed. Thanks for another great chapter.
Author's reply
How could Boromir be upset about getting hit with a pinecone when it means spending all day with hobbits? :D Sam actually did him a favor, lol.
Thank you for the review!
Pearl Took
· 19 October 2006
· Chapter 5: A Dangerous Game
It would be Sam who threw the pinecone. Any one of them would have felt badly, but not as badly as Sam, him being so class concious.
Again, wonderful, true to character and fun!!!
Thank you :-)
Author's reply
It would be Sam indeed. :) He heard the instructions and followed them to a 't'. If only Merry hadn't asked if they could use "any" form of defense. So really, if you think about it, it's all Merry's fault. :P Sam will be feeling quite guilty about this, but Merry and Pippin have a plan to help him get over it. :D
Thanks for reading! I'm so glad you're enjoying these!
Bodkin
· 14 October 2006
· Chapter 5: A Dangerous Game
Oh brilliant. I love Boromir learning that hobbits are not defenceless just because they don't do things the way he expects them to. Although I'm sure he would be happy to learn without the headache!
And Sam and Frodo's skills are just exactly the kind that will help them with their destiny - they don't need to have warrior skills. Sneaking unobtrusively will be much better for them.
Poor Boromir! (But I think he's enjoying himself. In a way.)
Author's reply
Boromir learned many things today, the first being that he must be more specific with his instructions. He wouldn't have realized that for a hobbit, the defense they would be more comfortable with would not be anything that he had taught them. He learned the hard way that hobbits have skills of their own, and in many ways they are more practical than wielding a sword about. Why fight when you can run or hide - or knock your oppontent unconscious with a well-thrown pinecone? lol
Boromir is enjoying himself, concussions aside. ;) By the time they head out for the Quest, he'll know far more about hobbits than he ever suspected there *was* to know.
Althea
· 13 October 2006
· Chapter 5: A Dangerous Game
These little introductions to the ways of Hobbits are a joy for us readers, though they may be a bit trying for poor Boromir. He will prbably never again be able to look at a pinecone without a shudder. I got a kick out of the way each hobbit planned his defense. Eah showed great ingenuity. Merry trying to make the Boromor dizzy caused me to laugh out loud. Poor Sam. He feels so bad for what happened although he was just following orders. I hope this episode will not discourage Boromir from continuing the Hobbits' instruction. The lessons are far too much fun for the rest of us.
Author's reply
I'm going to have to give Boromir a break here soon or he'll run away to Gondor before the Quest even starts! :P What a horrid story this would make back at the Citadel - strange half-high creatures of unending appetites with deadly aim and a foot fetish! hehehe
Merry would have been quite proud of himself if he had succeeded at his plan. He's used that same technique at home with some success. Poor Sam indeed. I think *he's* the one who will never look at a pinecone in the same way again. They'll no longer look so harmless to him as they once did. :D
Boromir's a warrior, and a man of his word. He's not going to let the hobbits discourage him from continuing their training. I think a few new rules will be forthcoming though. ;)
Pearl Took
· 13 October 2006
· Chapter 4: Be Tween You and Me
Another wonderful laugh!!
"“Pippin,” Merry interjected, his tone trying. He was sick of hearing about that blasted rum cake. If he never heard of rum cake again it would be far too soon, and he was beginning to dislike the dwarves for ever having made it. Whatever had begun the long strife between dwarves and elves all those ages ago, he was certain that rum cake had something to do with it."
Too good!
"“Third time pays for all,” Merry agreed as Lindir flicked the feather over Gandalf’s nose a last time. Gandalf woke suddenly and wiped his honey-covered hand in the elf’s face. Merry and Pippin, safe behind the fern on the other side of the garden, howled with laughter.
“You fell for it!” said Pippin gleefully. “He fell for it, Merry!”"
So did I, I never figured they were really after Lindir!!
Thank you once again for the gift of laughter :-)
Author's reply
That prank was two-fold. Really, it was a win-win for Merry and Pippin. They've tried (unsuccessfully) to play that prank on Gandalf before and have failed each time. I'm sure they sincerely thought an elf would stand a better chance. And if he didn't, well, they still got an elf covered in honey!
And that rum cake - Merry's going to rue the day Pippin ever tasted rum cake. ;)
Thanks for reading! I'm so glad that you are enjoying these so much and that you're getting a laugh out of them! :)
Antane
· 11 October 2006
· Chapter 5: A Dangerous Game
I forgot to mention about it being very sneaky of Frodo using the Ring but one must be sneaky sometimes. How it must have hurt them all to have to attack an enemy - you bring that out well.
Author's reply
Oh, Frodo didn't use the Ring. He wouldn't have done that, certainly not on a whim or just to hide from a loud, clumsy Man he can hear coming from a mile away. :) It says something about Boromir though that he thought Frodo would use it to that end.
Once they're in the heat of battle, they won't be as hesitant. But for now, they simply can't fathom drawing a blade - even a wooden one - on a friend.
Antane
· 11 October 2006
· Chapter 5: A Dangerous Game
I'm glad to see this continued - I've been looking forward to this game of hide and go seek as I knew Boromir would get more than he expected, but I didn't expect this - to be knocked out by a pine cone! The poor man and poor Sam, the gentlest of all the hobbits and him being the one to knock the man out.
Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Author's reply
I think this is the last time Boromir will be playing games with the hobbits! Better to just have tea or compare foot size. Certainly, it's much safer. ;)
hehe I can just see Sam casting about for something to throw. He'd pass up the rocks, because those are too dangerous - he would be accustomed to using them for taking down prey. Suddenly, his eyes land upon a small, simple, innocent-looking pine cone. Surely, there couldn't be any harm in that, and surely not if he doesn't throw it too hard. He might give Boromir a small headache, but what real harm could there be? *snickers*
Well, Boromir can't say that Sam didn't do what was asked of him!
I'm glad you enjoyed this! I'm hoping these stories will come more quickly now that my other story is finished. *hugs*
Elemmírë
· 11 October 2006
· Chapter 5: A Dangerous Game
LOL! Big, warrior Man gets taken out by a small pinecone! I guess Gandalf should have warned him about the natural ability hobbits possess when it comes to throwing accuracy, along with all that other stuff.
Somehow, I just knew that either Pippin or Frodo was going to hide in a tree. *Grins*
Poor Sam, sobbing so! (I bet he makes it up to Boromir by cooking him a hobbity feast served in bed ... just specualting of course :)
Eagerly awaiting more!
~Elemmírë~
Author's reply
lol I can hear that conversation now.
G: So, you're taking the hobbits out for the day?
B: Yeah.
G: You might want to wear your helm.
B: Why?
G: Just trust me on this one.
:D
Pippin might have thought of climbing, if he could have reached the lower branches. Frodo's taller than him though, so it was Frodo who went up. Poor, traumatized Sam. He'll be petrified to throw anything after this! However, it will give Merry and Pippin the idea that maybe rocks are a good enough defense against the Uruk-Hai after all. ;)
Hey, are you reading over my shoulder? ;)
I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter!
XtremeFrolicker
· 10 October 2006
· Chapter 5: A Dangerous Game
haha i love it!! I've never had a story dedicated to me before...thanks!! I though it was wonderful, and very funny! I especially loved the evil side of Sam (ok, maybe not evil, but you know). Thanks!!
Author's reply
I'm glad you enjoyed your chapter! Your question was the perfect one for this little adventure, and as you can see Boromir learned a very valuable lesson indeed. ;)
hehe Sam was just doing what he was told! And he picked the pinecone because surely that couldn't cause *too* much damage! hehehehe (I think that was *my* evil side coming out!)
Thanks for reading!
pebbles66
· 10 October 2006
· Chapter 5: A Dangerous Game
This is so great! It seems like Boromir should know better by now than to take hobbits on a field trip! Great chapter!
Author's reply
If he didn't know better before, he certainly does now! He's never taken them out of the house and he'll be wondering why he ever did for a long time to come. That is, if he can remember any of this when he next wakes up! hehe
Thanks for reading! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
harrowcat
· 10 October 2006
· Chapter 5: A Dangerous Game
Oh poor Boromir - he really didn't know what he was letting himself in for did he!!!! Bested by a hobbit! Ever the practical one Sam.
Author's reply
Someone really should have warned Boromir, but how was he to know that the hobbits might interpret using the form of defense they're most comfortable with to mean the more rustic ones they grew up with! Poor Boromir. At least his father isn't around to see this. Or his brother. He'd be scolded on one side and laughed at on the other!
At least now Boromir will know not to underestimate hobbits! ;)
Thanks for reading!
Andrea
· 10 October 2006
· Chapter 5: A Dangerous Game
ROTFL!!!
That was great!
“Wearing the Ring is cheating, Frodo. Now come out where I can see you.”
“I’m not wearing the Ring, and I can’t come out. You said once we were hid we were to stay there until you find us or we assail you,” Frodo said, laughing now. “Well, you haven’t found me yet and I haven’t assailed you yet, so I have to stay hidden.”
Go, Frodo! That was really clever! He used Boromir's rules against him. And I would have been really surprised if he had worn the Ring.
Sam's "attack" was the most effective, of course. And after it he should have done what Pippin suggested: celebrate his victory ;-)
“We’re back!” Pippin announced and Boromir’s headache returned full force.
Did someone ask for beverage alerts recently? I think this line needs one ;-)
Thank you for this wonderful chapter! I had a lot of fun with it!
Author's reply
Frodo's the scamp of all rascals and he knows how to bend the rules work to his advantage. He's not very eager to wear that Ring again anytime soon. The next time he does, it really will be to hide from Boromir. *sigh*
Sam might be talked into celebrating later, once Boromir's head is back to its normal size and he's not flogging himself for throwing a pinecone at the man. Right now, he's making ready to make up to Borry.
I thought about putting a beverage warning in front of this chapter. I guess I'll have to start using those. ;)
Thanks so much for reading! I'm glad you got a laugh out of this!
Daynawayna
· 10 October 2006
· Chapter 3: Foot Notes
Oh my gawd!! THAT has got to be the Greatest chapter EVER!! What are you, a hobbit? ROFLOL!! If I wasn't at work, I would be gufawing so loudly! Holy Cow, GF! That was amazing! Innocent hobbits indeed! Hee hee!! Gandalf barefoot...? ELROND BAREFOOT!?!?! ROFLOL! Weak feet indeed! hee hee hee! Frodo is SO BAD! And Pippin was truly only curious....! Ha! Oh, dear, I love this story!! Poor Boromir! I'm sure he has lovely feet... ::giggle:: :D
This story is so full of Hobbity Joy I can't hardly stand it! This is what Hobbits are all about! I'm just... just.... speechless! And that takes some doing! LOL! Thank you so much for brightening up my day! :)
Here's a question.. well, not so much a question really; I would like to see Boromir and Bilbo discuss the old hobbits adventures, especially with Smaug. I think Boromir would be duly impressed... they didn't cover THAT part of Bilbo's "ring finding" in the Council, did they?? Anyway, I'd like to see the two of them have a chat. :)
Author's reply
LOL! I've been accused of being a hobbit many times and I'll happily say that I am. :) When compared to hobbits, everyone's feet fell short of the mark. Poor Boromir isn't used to hearing insults - even kind-hearted, innocent ones - about his appearance, and to have it declared that his feet are worse than a dwarves was beyond belief for him! Gandalf knows better than to delay the inevitable - the hobbits would have hounded him until he took his boots off. And hey, the elves couldn't be the only ones to not show their feet. Besides, they had a reputation to maintain. ;)
Frodo is a sneaky little stinker, when he lets himself be. He doesn't often show that rascally side of himself now that he's of age, but every now and again he likes to remind everyone that he *was* the original mastermind of the group. :) Pippin's curiosity often gets the better of him, and it doesn't help when Merry goads him!
I'm so glad you enjoyed this so much! And to the point of being speechless besides! *blushes* As to your request, I'll have to give it some thought but I will certainly try to come up with something for it. I'm sure they at least covered the highlights of Bilbo's adventure at the Council, but perhaps they didn't get into all the details. :D
Chibi-kaz
· 10 October 2006
· Chapter 3: Foot Notes
ROTFLMAO! Oh, they all got CONNED so easily!
Author's reply
Boromir and Gimli certainly did! Gandalf was only humoring the hobbits, and saving himself from having to hear endless requests for him to expose his feet until he gave in and did as they wanted anyway. ;) Elrond, well, he'll say he was humoring them. Whether or not he actually was will be up to you! :D
Thanks for reading, Chibi-kaz!