Trotter by Dreamflower
Andrea · 25 April 2009 · Chapter 8: The Men of the West
So that's how he got his name! Very nice. I would have liked to see the surprised look on Stark's face when he realised that Trotter had hunted down those birds with nothing else but two stones. Hobbits are amazing :)
Author's reply
Yes, it is! *grin* Yes, I am sure he was quite surprised. Trotter's stone throwing will become legendary among the Rangers, I think!
Larner · 24 April 2009 · Chapter 8: The Men of the West
I could not imagine the old Thain's son growing up in complete ignorance of the outer world, and am glad he remembers where he heard the tale before. And nice how he was granted his new name--much nicer than a Hobbit having to wear wooden shoes! Heh! Love the hunt and how the Rangers begin to learn of the capabilities of Hobbits. And the idea of him having had to watch his bow made fun of and broken like that--I'd like to strangle the fools myself!
Author's reply
I couldn't imagine it either. With Gandalf being Gerontius' good friend, it only seems to make sense that they would have heard some stories from him! Yes, the Rangers are beginning to learn a bit more about what hobbits can do! I can't imagine the Ruffians doing anything else. They'd find the idea that a toy-sized bow could be of any use to be highly amusing. (Although many decades later, other Ruffians would learn just how deadly a Tookish bow could be.)
Antane · 24 April 2009 · Chapter 8: The Men of the West
I love the way you are constructing this entire history of Trotter! Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Author's reply
Thank you! It is quite fun to figure out how the course of his life must have gone!
Elflingimp · 23 April 2009 · Chapter 8: The Men of the West
I enjoyed this chapter very much, I liked how Trotter suprised Stark with the way he could hunt with rocks, Hobbits are so useful you know. Will be waiting for the next chapter of this most interesting tale. Hugs The Imp
Author's reply
I don't suppose the Men were used to seeing hunting done with nothing but a thrown rock! Hobbits are indeed quite useful, as Trotter is making sure the Rangers know.
Antane · 23 April 2009 · Chapter 7: I Make Myself Useful
Useful indeed and now I am all caught up! Yea! Looking forward to more... Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Author's reply
Will be posting the new chapter shortly!
Antane · 23 April 2009 · Chapter 6: Rescued
Yea!! Rescued and by Strider too! I was quite relieved and excited when I read that. Too bad about Bilbo's nightmares but certainly his logic was correct that things had to turn out okay for Trotter to write out his memoirs. Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Author's reply
Well, rescued. But not *quite* by Strider, although his rescuer uses one of Strider's many names. (I'm sure that long legs run in the royal family!) And we shall see how things turn out-- remember he never returns to the Shire...
GamgeeFest · 21 April 2009 · Chapter 7: I Make Myself Useful
What a delightful meal! Now I'm getting hungry! And I enjoyed all the names for the mushrooms you came up with. I especially liked Chicken of the Woods. :D I see by appealing to their stomachs, he's managed to make the rangers forget about their plan to return him to the Shire - at least for now.
Author's reply
I'm glad you liked the menu! But actually, I didn't make up those names, they are the actual names of mushrooms. (I put the link to the site at the bottom. It's a fun site, not only telling the names of British mushrooms, but which months they are in season and which ones taste the best as well!) Yes, between his cooking skills and his Fallohide charm he's managed to worm his way into their lives!
GamgeeFest · 21 April 2009 · Chapter 6: Rescued
Longshanks, hm? Love that everyone knows that everyone else is using an alias. If only Hildifons could have remained with the Rangers or been talked into returning to the Shire, but that Tookish streak for adventure doesn't seem to be quenched just yet. At least he is able to rest and heal in peace.
Author's reply
No, he may tell himself that he doesn't want to be embarrassed (after all, that's the same thing that got Bilbo into "that business with the dragon", the fear that the Dwarves would think he was timid), but really Hildifons' adventurous streak has indeed been fully wakened.
GamgeeFest · 21 April 2009 · Chapter 5: Interlude: Dark Memories
Poor Bilbo, to be reminded of such dark memories and dreams after so many years of peaceful slumber! His uncle's memoirs are already affecting him, but he is sensible, as always, and knows that clearly Hildifons survived whatever adventures he encountered on his road. That may be little comfort though, by the end....
Author's reply
It would not be unreasonable that reading of his uncle's captivity would trigger memories of his own. But Bilbo really is a very sensible hobbit at heart.
GamgeeFest · 21 April 2009 · Chapter 4: Among the Brigands
Those nasty men! To even think about selling such a young innocent into such a depraved life! Grrrrrr! Help has arrived, and just in the nick of time. Hildifons will (hopefully) never know how close he came to true misery.
Author's reply
Well, they are brigands, outlaws and ruffians, and all they really care about is a profit. But yes, his help has come!
GamgeeFest · 21 April 2009 · Chapter 3: Terror in the Night
Hildifons is lucky that he got no closer to the Barrows, but his other option wasn't much better, I fear. Poor hobbit! He is learning quickly how dangerous the world is outside the Shire. It might not look like it has changed much, but appearances can be deceiving.
Author's reply
No, though he didn't know at the time, he really was caught between a rock and a hard place! Luckily he was distracted from the Barrow-wight's encroaching spell, but unfortunately fled right back into his other danger!
GamgeeFest · 21 April 2009 · Chapter 2: Beyond the Bounds
What a lovely visit with a kindly stranger. Hildifons will learn quickly, I'm sure, when to take advice from people and when to ignore it.
Author's reply
I wanted very much for Hildifons to have a "positive" experience with Big Folk before he has a more negative experience. And he really should have listened to her!
Larner · 16 April 2009 · Chapter 7: I Make Myself Useful
Useful indeed! We all could do with a hobbit or two at hand at times, I suspect! The mushrooms sound wonderful.
Author's reply
Oh, I could always do with a hobbit or two on hand! I love that mushroom site. It enables me to easily find appropriate wild mushrooms in season. Of course, I occasionally have to change the name of one when it is too modern or too French, but overall it works well!
Larner · 16 April 2009 · Chapter 6: Rescued
Rescued indeed.
Author's reply
*grin*
Raksha The Demon · 13 April 2009 · Chapter 7: I Make Myself Useful
I bet the Rangers are going to want to keep Hildifons around; what a treasure a clever and resourceful and good cook must be out in the wilds! More soon, I hope!
Author's reply
Real life's been very busy this week, but if all goes well, I should be able to update again by Monday at the latest, or tomorrow if all goes extremely well! *crosses fingers* Yes, the Rangers will soon succumb to the combination of hobbit culinary skills and Fallohide charm...
Celeritas · 13 April 2009 · Chapter 7: I Make Myself Useful
Hah--I saw the summary for this and I wondered if he was going to cook! ^_^ Those poor Rangers, out in the wild and with no culinary skill to speak of! And how nice that there's no more talk of sending Hildifons back.
Author's reply
Of course he would! After all, we know from canon that cooking is usually the very first item on the educational agenda of any young hobbit! You'll notice even Gardenia *can* cook, though she chooses to keep her culinary repertoire small and limited to what she considers "genteel". They peobably do well enough--I'm usre their cooking is adequate. But adequate will hardly compare to Hildifons' skills!
Andrea · 13 April 2009 · Chapter 7: I Make Myself Useful
*Grins* After reading the title I thought "cooking" - and I was right! Hobbits are amazing creatures, even more so when they are preparing a meal! And I was quite pleased not to hear any more of being sent away. Me too :)
Author's reply
Yep. He could make himself useful in many ways, but only a hobbit could make himself indisensible by his cooking. So am I. I'm not ready for it to end quite yet!
shirebound · 13 April 2009 · Chapter 7: I Make Myself Useful
What a perfect exchange: healing for cooking! A delightful chapter. :)
Author's reply
And hobbity cooking at that! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Elflingimp · 11 April 2009 · Chapter 6: Rescued
So glad the little fellow was rescued, and I'm sure if he went back home it would be the end of the adventure, now we can't have that! LOL! I am so very curious as how he found his way to the elves. Hugs The Imp P.S. Happy Easter!
Author's reply
No, we can't have that! His adventure is quite a long one!
Raksha The Demon · 11 April 2009 · Chapter 6: Rescued
Yay; Hildifons is saved! It's a great encounter; a would-be adventurer meets the real things. I hope the Rangers teach the young hobbit some woodcraft and fighting skills. Would Longshanks be Arador? More soon, I hope.
Author's reply
He is definitely going to learn some things, though the Rangers might be surprised at the things he already knows. If you want to check Appendix A and the ToY against the Took family tree, you might very well have the answer to that question! Or you could wait another chapter or two for a definitive answer with a lot less work! *grin*
Celeritas · 10 April 2009 · Chapter 6: Rescued
Hah, so now he can't deal with the humiliation! I hope there's something more Tookish than shame motivating Hildifons at this point. I'm glad to see he's fallen into the right company, though, and is (like Frodo) starting to show some sort of sense about concealing his identity (though I daresay the brigands didn't particularly care about that!).
Author's reply
He's young, so being "humiliated" seems a lot worse than it does to someone a bit older and more experienced in the world. But yes, there is a lot of Tookishness going on as well. He has indeed fallen into the best of company...
Celeritas · 10 April 2009 · Chapter 5: Interlude: Dark Memories
Oh, dear, no, this can't be good for dear Bilbo, unlocking memories like that... I did love to hear the other side of the story, though, what those whom Hildifons left behind thought happened. Poor Isembold!
Author's reply
No, I do think it was not good for him to remember such dreadful times, and yet it was bound to happens sometimes. I think a lot of times people forget that in it's own way, Bilbo's adventure with the Dragon was pretty traumatic as well! I had given some thought to that. I know when I read about an adventure I always want to know a little about the folks back home. This was one way to do that.
Celeritas · 10 April 2009 · Chapter 4: Among the Brigands
I'm hoping that fight at the end is Rangers taking out the ruffians (and I know I'm right because I put off this review, hah!). Reading the uses that Hildifons would have on the market, even however tactfully mentioned, made me want to cry just a little bit; especially because Hildifons eventually learns what those are. And the fact that even hearing about torture made him faint... Poor fellow. *chucks a Thermos of tea into the ruffians' camp*
Author's reply
Well, of course now you *do* know. Of course he would have made a valuable slave under any circumstances, but ruffians and the people who deal with them are the lowest of the low. As for the faint, I am sure it was more than just listening to what the outlaws got up to as it was to being tied up and hung head down across a pony. (And I'm sure he appreciated the tea.)
Andrea · 10 April 2009 · Chapter 6: Rescued
Rangers! Yay! "Longshanks" reminds me of someone else. But he's not the only one who doesn't tell his real name. Although Hildy had no chance against the sharp-eyed ranger. I'm curious to find out how the hobbit persuaded Longshanks that he was capable of going on alone. His current state seems to be not very helpful!
Author's reply
Yes, I'm sure he does. *grin* Some characteristics run in the family. And Hildy is being a bit cagy too. You will soon find out.
PipMer · 10 April 2009 · Chapter 6: Rescued
OH, good, rescued by some good Big Folk! I love "Longshank"'s tender care of Hildifons' wounds, and I am also struck by how Tookish Hildy is when he doesn't even think of going back to the Shire, but wants to continue on with his journey! Wonderful.
Author's reply
Yes, "Longshanks" is much like one of his relatives. And Hildifons is a very Tookish hobbit, isn't he?