Miriel
· 20 October 2003
· Chapter 17: Some Thoughts on Child Rearing
I like how your chapter titles always tell what to expect.
Wow. Ferdi's insight on Faramir really summed everything up. It's true, isn't it, that they hardly have time for him anymore? How is a child supposed to react?
Hopefully everything will turn out alright on the morrow. It's interesting how everyone wants to let Ferdi go. Merry, Hilly...
It will be most interesting when Tolly shows up as well.
You are really doing a good job with this. Keep it up!
Author's reply
Well, lots of children with busy parents who can't get attention any other way turn to mischief, or worse.
You know me, things will turn out, eventually. We've got a bit of angst to get through, first, and Jo is even better at cranking up the angst-meter than I am.
Thanks for the encouragement. I'll pass your review on to Jo as well.
FantasyFan
· 20 October 2003
· Chapter 17: Some Thoughts on Child Rearing
Ah, this is the chapter I've been waiting for! I'm so glad there was this delay of a day or so between when Pip and Merry arrived, and when Regi brings Tolly to finish the hearing. In the less formal atmosphere before the hearing starts, Ferdi is not silenced and is allowed to speak the bitter truth to Pippin. A number of things have come together to allow this. Ferdi would never have spoken so directly had it not been his last chance. He tried the indirect method, working through the example of the Bolgers on Farry, but it blew up in his face. Even had Farry gotten the lesson, this talk would have had to come eventually as there are two parts to the problem and Pip's part needs to be addressed. The quiet of the night, the quiet after the storm, the breathing space before Regi arrives, the calming of Farry's nightmares: all create an atmosphere for confidences to be shared and for Pippin to be able to listen. I think on reflection I would still like Pippin to be more unreasonable in his anger in the previous chapters, clearly unable to hear anything Ferdi had to say until this point of calm is reached.
Ferdi makes his points well here, but there is still a link missing. He speaks of Pip dying and how he would like to be remembered by his son, but he does not tell Pippin that Farry knows of the seriousness of Pippin's health concerns, and how deeply it affects him. It's a key factor in Farry's motivation, and I can't see it coming out in converstation between father and son - Pip would not speak of his illnesses to Farry for fear of causing the very problem that now exists. Ferdi's said his piece and feels satisfied - how will this ever come out?
Little touches in this chapter I like:
'Might as well be hung for a sheep as for a lamb, as he’d heard Pippin say, though he had no idea why you’d hang a sheep unless to butcher it.' Even after his adventures as the Fox almost ended with a rope around his neck, Ferdi does not understand this phrase. Wonder why Pip keeps saying it? (Although, it certainly references a degree of risk-taking characteristic for Pippin!)
'If your hand holds the brand to my cheek, you had better steady it or you're likely to blind me.' Made me catch my breath. Sharply-pointed bit of foreshadowing.
The hug between Rosemary and Ferdi, and Hilly giving Ferdi a chance to escape. That Pippin, who he is very loyal to, thinks him evil and Merry, who he's known most of his life, thinks him insane, must wound Ferdi deeply, under his trademark stoicism. Merry has already given him one chance to run, and now Hilly offers the same. Rosemary shows her support and love the only way she can. Ferdi can at least take some comfort that not everyone he once counted as friend has abandoned him, and he is sure his Nell will follow him into exile if necessary. I am enjoying the hobbity concern.
The final paragraph. Ferdi has done his best. The ultimate outcome is out of his hands, but with his conversation with Pip, his conscience is clear. Must be a wonderful feeling.
Author's reply
You're right, Ferdi can't imagine being hung for stealing either a sheep or a lamb. Shunned, maybe.
Funny, both Jo and I forgot to include that Farry is aware that Pippin's dying. Do you think that Pippin's unaware of this fact?
I'm passing your comments on to Jo (about Pippin's anger) and she is giving it some thought. I must admit I am too fond of "my Pip" to make him so unreasonable. I need to take a step back from the character, which is one reason I turned all my material over to Jo and asked her to put it in order and help me finish it, for I simply could not face revising it again; I had reached my threshold of frustration. Everything of her own that she has added has enriched the story, rather than taking away from it. What a wonderful author she is! And because of her help, I have been able to begin revising and adding new bits to the story again.
Thanks for telling of your favourite bits. I'd comment more but for the fact that the Alsation is back with her nudgy nose and nibbly teeth, telling me I need to do something or other that does not involve typing. Toodle-oo.
Author Reply: Alsatian, I meant. Blame the nibbly teeth.
FantasyFan
· 16 October 2003
· Chapter 14: Circumstantial Evidence
I've read this chapter over several times now, and I can't put my finger on it, but something doesn't seem quite right about Pippin's anger. I know he's cold when he's angry, not shouting and blustering like his father, but somehow it doesn't paint a desperate enough picture here. I'm not sure he'd even be able to talk to Ferdi, much less explain himself at length. I guess I visualized Merry taking the lead in getting the story out, and Pippin either having to be restrained in his anger by Merry (not necessarily physically), or so focused on his son as to almost unaware of what else was going on. Maybe that's not right either (I'm not the writer, you make up much better stuff than I ever could); I wish I could be more specific about why it didn't make me shiver as I had expected. Sorry.
Author's reply
Hmmmm. You know, I couldn't get Pippin's anger to my satisfaction and so turned to Jo, for I was very frustrated and ready to wrap up the story neatly and unconvincingly, just to get it over with and not have to deal with the problam. I'll pass this on to Jo and we'll see if the Muse strikes either of us over the head with inspiration. If not, I thank you for your insights anyhow, for they are always very helpful.
Jo did write him as much more wrapped up in Farry than I originally had, so it sounds like she was taking the story in the same direction you hint at...
It all just got too intense for me, and I have turned the piloting controls over to her, just making an occasional tweak or course adjustment for my part, at the moment. There is an awful lot of anger and intense emotion in the last half of this story. Perhaps I bit off more than I can chew. I can write life-threatening angst with the best of them, but fury? Am not so sure about that.
Miriel
· 15 October 2003
· Chapter 15: A Way of Escape
This is very frustrating. Why can't anyone see that Ferdi's telling the truth? And why doesn't Rosemary, of all people, believe him? I know, it may seem that Ferdi and Tolly conspired against the Thain, but...*Groans*
What a time for Farry to get a fever! I just hope that everything is resolved before it's too late...
Author's reply
Well, Ferdi hasn't been himself, you know, enough so that even Rosemary and Hally were wondering. When they found, to their shock, that the Thain hadn't known where his son was the whole time, it was enough to send them over the edge from doubt to certainty (even though they were certain of the wrong thing).
Shireling
· 15 October 2003
· Chapter 15: A Way of Escape
Hi,
Wow, you have really cranked up the tension in this chapter-So much mistrust and miscommunication! I was nearly breathless by the end.
I really look forward to seeing what happens next.
Helen
Author's reply
Helen! Nice to see you here. Thanks for the review. Jodancingtree has done a wonderful job of taking my words and rearranging them for maximum impact. Even though we have worked our way nearly to the end (I forget what chapter number she last sent me), I too look forward to seeing how it all comes out.
FantasyFan
· 13 October 2003
· Chapter 14: Circumstantial Evidence
So, Farry has not run away after all, but he's still in no position to help exonerate Ferdi and Tolly. If anything, his fever dream adds fuel to the fire, and for Pippin, seeing his son injured and fevered only adds to his rage. He's angry enough now to scare Ferdi, but I don't think we've seen the worst of Pippin's fury. They haven't started a formal hearing yet, waiting for Tolly I suppose, so Ferdi's got a little while to plead his case before he's silenced. Too bad his head is still muddled.
Merry refers to an un-hobbity thirst for vengance in the previous chapter, and Pip remarks that Everard is thinking like a ruffian. In this chapter Ferdi wonders if Merry and Pippin are more like Men than hobbits, but would not any father feel so? I think Pip's being unfairly judged. Pippin's past association with Men has been to the hobbits' benefit for the most part. He has a broader viewpoint, new ideas and an openness to change that are lacking in the typical Shire resident. His quest taught him to appreciate his roots, but also strengthened his will and moral compass. It is those good things about his interactions with the world of Elves and Men that make him an exceptional Thain. I think that's what bothers me about Merry's attitude in the other story. In his fear of loss of innocence, he's denying all the rest of the hobbits a chance to realize the full potential for growth in the experience of living through the Troubles. Do they not have the proverb in the Shire, 'Those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it?'
Author's reply
As to Merry's attitude... remember, hobbits are for the most part stubbornly provincial. Even though the Travellers are exceptional, they have that grounding in tradition and they are, when it comes down to it, hobbits.
Change is not simple, and I do not see such a thing as a social revolution (upsetting the class system) happening in the Shire; it took the Industrial Revolution to do that in England, along with socialists determined to upset the status quo (the monarchy in England watched the royals being thrown out in other countries and I think made concessions, but I need to brush up on my English history again, for it is only dim in my memory at the moment).
The status quo was upset, and seriously so, by Sharkey and his ruffians, but even in Tolkien's writings we see things going back as they were, hobbits busy as bees wiping out all the ruffians' works and making the Shire hobbity again. The King seals this with his edict. Obviously it was not the perfect solution, for Tolkien starts out by telling us that hobbits have changed and become very shy of men, and implies that the Shire no longer exists... how sad! I refuse to write that decline, however, and would rather think of hobbits at their peak. (I just had the oddest image come to mind... hobbits as one of those punch-clowns, the kind that you punch as hard as you can but it always comes upright again, smiling at you. I bet the hobbits of the Shire saw which way the wind was blowing, sometime between the fourth age and now, and picked up and moved, just as the Fallohides and Stoors and Harfoots did earlier, before they established the Shire! Somewhere in a hidden corner of the world is a bustling New Shire... and those few elusive hobbits Tolkien mentions at the start of his work are descendants of the ones who stayed behind and were overrun by the modern world...)
While the class system makes us modern Americans uneasy, those who lived in it hardly thought twice about its inequities, it was just the way things were. I am not saying that it is right for some to be "above" others because of an accident of birth, even when I try to reproduce that way of life as accurately as possible. It was a fact of life, and people accepted it, and it even worked, after a fashion, as long as no one abused their position. You probably won't see a social revolution, a classless society, in these stories, though you will see some softening around the edges... (and honestly, our supposedly freedom-and-opportunity-for-all society is hardly equable. We have an elite who think they know better than the rest of us and try to tell us how to live and try to shape our behaviour through taxes and tax-breaks... but let us not get into modern-day politics, I would much rather stay in the Shire for the moment...)
Author Reply: I appreciate your taking the time and effort to reply to my reply, especially since there wasn't an automatic feature to make it easy. Ah, but dialogue is fun! Some of my characters are very tradition-bound, and might fret about the status quo (see Rosie in chapter 33 of "Small and Passing Thing"), but not feel they have the power to do anything about it, while others with power judiciously make their own traditions while trying to maintain the underpinning of the Shire...
FantasyFan
· 11 October 2003
· Chapter 13: Facts and Fabrications
I suppose the healers in Buckland have almost as much experience in treating Pip as the healers at the Smials. If they have a healer's convention in the Shire, there's probably a special workshop just on Pippin. Or at least correspondence must go back and forth, "Dear Woodruff, I'm sure the Thain won't report it, but we restricted him to bed three days during his recent visit. Have invented an unbelievably bitter concoction containing mullein, mustard and hyssop. Would you like the recipe?" "Dear Ossilan, many thanks for the report. Lately we have favoured a poultice containing tumeric, camphor and pine oil. I'm quite proud to say it smells absolutely horrible."
Once Pip has his breath back, he has quite a lot to say. You can see him struggling, putting what he's hearing against the long trust he's had in Ferdi and Tolly. They've been through a lot together, and he's trusted his life to them. Unfortunately, though they start out from a position of fact, they let their imaginations run just a little too far when it comes to deriving a motive. Berilac seems to be the voice of restraint, as Everard has had too long to think on it, Hilly's in shock (and has to avoid being tarred by the same brush as his brother), Pippin is too angry, and Merry clearly doesn't know Ferdi well enough to draw the proper conclusions. Ferdi's cleverness is against him here, as if anyone was capable of devising such an ingenious plan, and being in the position to carry it out, it would be Ferdi.
I hadn't thought about Merry hearing the case with Pippin as injured party, but it makes sense. Merry, though he is Master, doesn't have as much experience at it plus he's not exactly disinterested, and I'm afraid he's already made up his mind. Pippin hasn't had enough time to let his anger really build up. I'd like to see him really let loose in the confrontation to come.
Author's reply
O my! You made me laugh loud and long when I read this review. Healers' convention indeed!
FantasyFan
· 9 October 2003
· Chapter 12: Mixed Messages
It's one thing to know that Pip will get a note and find that Farry is missing. It's another thing entirely to read the scene, after you have had your way with it. You are a genius in capturing the drama and emotion of times like this. Pippin's reactions and Merry's feelings, are so intense and vivid - Pip's shock and fears realized and how they translate vicerally, striking him where he is weakest; and Merry's protective concern for his cousin, for Farry, and anger that wants to express itself but doesn't yet have an outlet. And they don't even know the worst of it from Everard yet. By the time they get to Woody End, Pippin and Merry are both going to be in full warrior mode. The Tooks know to fear Pippin's cold anger, but have they ever experienced the Merry who slew the Witch King? I guess I must have a bloodthirsty streak in me somewhere, because I am eagerly anticipating the confrontation to come. The storm is ready to break, in more ways than one.
Author's reply
Why thank you! You'll be happy to know that there is quite a confrontation to come...
Miriel
· 8 October 2003
· Chapter 12: Mixed Messages
Oo, the plot thickens.
Finally, Farry is experiecning SOME guilt as to being glad that Ferdi is sick. I hope he doesn't try to run away in this weather.
Oh no! They're all heading out to Woody End! Because this story is only half done, I assume that all will not be resolved in the next few chapters. *sigh*
Anyway, many cheers!
Author's reply
Yes, the kid does have a conscience after all! Guess a day or two of clean living with upright souls is rubbing off. And you are right about the story being only half done...
Miriel
· 6 October 2003
· Chapter 11: Fat's in the Fire
Oh dear. I didn't know that Tolly was involved. How sad that they gagged him, and that they would suspect him. All will turn out well...right?
I wonder if they will send anyone to Woody End, and if so, what would happen. What will the Thain say when he finds out that his son is missing, and even worse, when he finds out that Ferdi and Tolly were in on it together. *Sigh* Hopefully you will update soon...
PS Thank you, JoAnna!
FantasyFan
· 6 October 2003
· Chapter 11: Fat's in the Fire
I laughed when I saw the chapter title. And it's more of a disaster than I thought. You've managed to combine the worst of all possible scenarios. Pippin will know that his son is missing, he'll still be afraid of kidnapping, and now he can't rely on the very hobbits that he trusted to give their own lives to protect his family. I thought Regi might be tempted to keep the secret as well, but not the way you made it come out. Because Hally can't read, he directed the letter to the Thain, which makes it sound like an intercepted communication, and puts Ferdi and Tolly in more trouble than I ever imagined.
The next chapters ought to be really interesting. By the time everyone gets to the Bolgers, Farry will be gone. If Ferdi's still there, he'll be arrested, and likely Rosemary and Hally as well. Pippin will be in no mood for a leisurely hearing of the facts. I hope Merry comes along to hold him back, as Pippn's anger, multiplied by fear for his son, will be terrifying. Just to add to the fun, Everard and Regi get to be out in the storm as well, and the best trackers are bound and gagged. I can't wait to read what you and jo have come up with.
FantasyFan
· 6 October 2003
· Chapter 10: Worries and Alarms
Both of the notes are being written at the same time. Hopefully, they arrived at the Smials in the same post. Either way, Tolly is going to have a very tough time of it before Regi. If he has not heard from Ferdi yet, he's going to have to admit that the boy is gone, and that they kept it quiet. Regi will not be able to put away his fears of foul play so easily, so the fat will be in the fire and they will begin the search. Pippin is expecting Farry to arrive in Buckland before dinner, but what will come instead is a note and Pip will want to start the search from his end immediately. If Merry manages to delay him until morning, they will be frustrated by the storm. (Side note: it was good to see Merry again. Pippin relaxes in his presence, and Merry's sharpness is a nice contrast. They are good together, and I don't think he'd really tell Diamond if Pippin didn't eat.)
Now, if Tolly has gotten the note from Ferdi, he will at least be able to offer some reassurance to Regi, but the secret will be out nonetheless. Regi is going to have to tell Pippin something, for he doesn't have Farry to send. He has no compunction about keeping the secret from Diamond, but he will find it much harder to out-and-out lie to the Thain. No matter what he says, Pippin's sure to be suspicious.
Add to that, the writing on the wall is clear that Farry is going to take his chance and bolt - the gentle lesson is sinking in, but it hasn't had enough time to bend a stubborn Took. Ferdi will have to go after him, able or no. The last time he followed Farry into danger to save him from his own self-centered stupidity, Ferdi nearly died. No matter what happens, there are sure to be a lot of very wet hobbits in the next chapters, thrown into the uncertain peril of a late storm. Tension is building very well.
Also, here we see Pippin's anxiety about kidnapping that you spoke about, through the eyes of Regi. His stash of Thain's Gold worries him, and we haven't even gotten to the events of 'Rope' where the Ruffians do try to steal it, or to 'Merlin' where kidnapping becomes a reality for the Gamgees. It's one of the first things he's going to think of, when he does hear that Farry is missing. Farry's going to put more than a few grey hairs on Pippin's head this time, but I'm still hoping for a better understanding for the two of them to come from this. Pippin seems more like an indulgent uncle than a father to his son, at least in his conversation with Merry. Somehow they're going to have to get past superficial layers into deeper communication.
(Now to go read the next chapter that you posted while I was writing this. I was good and didn't peek ahead.)
Miriel
· 4 October 2003
· Chapter 10: Worries and Alarms
Thank you for your sympathies. :)
Oh no! Something like this was bound to happen though...Oh dear. I can't help but wonder what will happen when the Smials and Buckland figure out what is going on...either way, it will probably make Ferdi feel worse then his headache right now...
I liked Merry promting Pip to eat. I'd love to see Estella set on him...that would be amusing, to say the least.
Well, i'm looking forward to reading of their andveutre in Gondor!
Back to homework! Cheers to you!
Author's reply
Ferdi ought to have expected Pip to do the unexpected; but then, his head wasn't working right, the past few days. Poor Pip, just the *threat* of Estella being set on him is enough to make him clear his plate...
Miriel
· 2 October 2003
· Chapter 9: Rising Suspicion
Sorry that it took so long for me to review. I've been up to my ears in spanish homework...
I cringe reading about Ferdi's ailment. Don't you just hate the weather sometimes?
It must be getting hard for Farry, being around such cheerful people and not being able to talk.
Oh no! Is he making plans to go to Gondor afterall? (When you said that "such a story was in the works," was that from my comment? Just curious.:)
I believe that he is still worried that Ferdi's going to take him back to the Thain.
That is pretty selfish of Farry, caring more about himself then poor Ferdi. Ah, well. He is young; he will learn.
Author's reply
Poor thing! Welcome back!
I have a weather ache myself, in the hand I broke decades ago. As to Farry, yes, I'd imagine he's just itching to top one of Buckthorn's stories, or brag on something, but instead he has to listen, which can be very educational and character-building. The trip to Gondor... I'm not sure where that story originated. Your comment might have been one of the sparks, but I have the feeling that the kindling was already laid. I remember having a long conversation with Dana about how much fun it would be for Ferdi to escort Farry to Gondor, an official visit... but this would have to take place *after* "At the End of His Rope" since Ferdi had never been as far as the Brandywine before that story.
I have noticed that children can be quite selfish, isn't that astonishing?
FantasyFan
· 30 September 2003
· Chapter 9: Rising Suspicion
So Farry still wants to run to Gondor. I was hoping he'd be a little more content by experiencing life with the Bolgers, but a problem long in the making is not so easily solved. He doesn't seem to consider the approaching storm as he makes his plans to bolt. I hope he doesn't get caught in a real blow, and force Ferdi to try tracking him with a splitting head.
I'm not quite sure what to make of the dream imagry. Clearly Ferdi fears Farry slipping away. Is the water image a residual from Farry and Ferdi's previous close call in the River? Does it come up because water is an element Farry is comfortable with, but Ferdi is barely competent to handle? Is Ferdi worried that Farry is becoming transformed into an unmanagable creature? Is he afraid he will end up running with Farry, escaping wrath in Gondor? I need a lot of help with symbolic stuff like this - you probably intended something quite obvious that I'm not getting.
Well, I'll be eager for the tempest to break in the next chapter.
Author's reply
I'm afraid Farry is a realist. He knows if he doesn't make his escape soon, he'll be carried back to the Smials again. Staying with the Bolgers is not an option for the son of the Thain. He is too young to be weatherwise, and has probably never been out in a major storm, so the storm would not be a consideration in his planning, or if it were, he'd simply consider it an advantage, making it harder for someone to track him. As to the dream imagery? All of the above, probably. Ferdi might be in over his head this time. He doesn't have the clear head he needs to pull this off, and the situation is about to spin out of control (as you'll see in the current chapter).
FantasyFan
· 29 September 2003
· Chapter 8: More of the Same
All the speaking in the world wouldn't get Farry to agree that his cousins are nasty, meanspirited boors: but in his silence and simply by the example of the Bolgers, Farry's plenty smart enough to figure it out for himself. It's probably a good thing that Ferdi is absent for the day. Farry can relax a bit, and just be. You can almost see the tension and unhappiness slide from him, just as you can see it coiling back into place at the end of the chapter.
The Bolger's way of life is certainly attractive to Faramir, and probably even more so to we who live by the clock instead of the seasons, and waste our time in posturing and aggravation more than any Took. Have you ever wanted to chuck it all and join a cloistered community just to simplify and reconncect with what's important? I know I have!
Looking forward to tomorrow.
Author's reply
Simplicity is a large part of my fascination with hobbits, I think, though if I'd been a hobbit, I'd've been practically blind, and probably would ahve died in childbirth as well, considering their level of technology. I am grateful for our medical science, with all its warts. I think Ferdi's on the right track, in trying to open Faramir's eyes to the difference between his spoiled cousins and "regular" hobbits. Actions are doing what all the words in the world couldn't do, for Pippin would not hear him when he tried to tell the Thain about his son. Let's hope he has enough time to complete his little lesson for Faramir. Thanks for the faithful reviews on this and other stories!
Hai
· 27 September 2003
· Chapter 7: Just an Ordinary Morn
Faramir doesn't have enough work at the Smials it seems ;) Maybe he needs something of his ows to take care of......Wonderful, as usual! I would be very difficult for Faramir not to talk to the other lads! Looking forward to mroe, thank you!
Miriel
· 26 September 2003
· Chapter 7: Just an Ordinary Morn
It seems as if FArry's taking to farm life very easily. Of course, the Bolgers do make it easier, being so cheerful.
Poor Ferdi...he always seems to have something wrong with him...*Sigh*.
Nice chapter.
Author's reply
Yes, the Bolgers represent all that's best about hobbits, I hope.
You're right, poor Ferdi. He has the luck of the Tooks, I'm afraid.
FnatasyFan
· 26 September 2003
· Chapter 7: Just an Ordinary Morn
What is the matter with Ferdi's head? I don't remember him having headaches or dizzy spells before, though Rosemary does. It won't be a good thing if he's laid up in the midst of this mess with Farry, as the timing of his scheme is likely to be dicey enough.
It's very good for Faramir to see that not everyone lives as he does in the Great Smials. At ten years old, most kids have a very ego-centric world view. It's all about them, and with their limited experience, they can hardly imagine anything is possible outside of the way it's always been. Servants are something Farry takes for granted. He also takes his parent's preoccupied attitude and emphasis on appearance for granted. This experience will most likely open Farry's eyes to his blessings. It also has the possiblity of creating more resentment as he also recognizes some of the disadvantages of his priviledged place. What will his reaction be to the attention and open expression of love in the Bolger family? By the way, we know Ferdi isn't fooling Hally and Rosemary, but the kids are going to put two and two together as well, even if Farry doesn't talk. Only a gentlehobbit's son wouldn't know how to milk a cow, or lay a fire, and they have met Farry before. Still don't know how you're going to get Ferdi out of this one. Has he considered sending a note to the Smials, to at least let them know he and Farry are alive?
My views on young Frodo don't come from any particular story, just my own thoughts on what he must have been like, projecting a bookish orphan who tended to be a dreamer back into childhood. His adoption by Bilbo could have been precipitated by many things, the most likely among them would be genuine affection between the cousins, but also there could have been the suggestion that he required a little more attention than he was getting in Buckland. The impression I got from reading LOTR was that he was viewed as a 'young scamp' but with affection rather than serious worry - the only incident specifically mentioned in canon is the beating he got for raiding Farmer Maggot's mushroom fields. When thinking of the formation of Frodo's character I am always struck by the fact that he remained so close to Merry, who was only 7 when he left Buckland at age 21. Pippin wasn't even born then, so I would expect his inclusion among Frodo's close friends to imply that Merry dragged him along whenever he visited Frodo (or possibly that Pip was always with Merry when Frodo came to them), and that the visits were frequent. Something had to inspire the fierce emotions expressed in "the conspiracy unmasked," where Merry admits to being terrified (the acutal word Tolkien uses) that Frodo would escape without them, and Frodo is happier than he can imagine that despite the peril, his friends will be with him.
Author's reply
What is the matter with Ferdi's head? You may recall in "Flames" he had two serious head injuries, one from a ruffian's club, and the other in the pony race near the end of the story. It mainly bothers him when the barometric pressure is low. (I got this from the experience of a brother who had a serious head injury at age three. He stuttered as a child, grew out of it, but when the barometer plunged, or when at high altitude, he started stuttering again, was short-tempered, and suffered head pain.)
It didn't come up in FirstBorn, not really being a plot point there, but is important to the plot in this story and the one following it on the timeline ("Solid Ground"--in the works at the moment, and due to begin posting after the last chapter of "Truth" goes up).
Thank you for the insightful analysis of Frodo's character formation (as well as your always-though-provoking comments on the current chapter). You have a real gift for mining nuggets of meaning from reams of material.
Author Reply: Ooops, I meant the head pain is important in this story and in the one following "Truth" on the timeline. Sorry about that.
FantasyFan
· 24 September 2003
· Chapter 6: Musings in the Dark before Dawn
I love this chapter! Not a word of dialog spoken, and you can hear the quiet of the night (once Hally stops snoring) as each person lies awake, thinking their own thoughts, unaware that everyone else has their mind on the same topic. Ferdi and Farry are bound to their bargain, though neither thinks they have the best end of the deal. Ferdi has Faramir figured out well. He would bolt if he could. It is very kind of Ferdibrand to want to save Faramir. He doesn't have to, you know. Tooks and Trouble have been together for a long time, and Ferdi could leave Pippin's family to sink or swim on their own.
You know who Farry reminds me of here? Lonely and smart, with too much time to think. Sometimes he seems older than his age, but he's not old enough to have developed good judgement yet. A restless core, and stubborn as they come. He reminds me of Frodo, as he might have been as a youngster in Buckland. Frodo got into his share of trouble too (at a slightly oder age), although not quite as serious as the trouble Farry has managed to find. So, there's hope for Faramir yet. Frodo, Merry and Pippin kept each other grounded. Faramir needs some of that hobbit love to come through this.
Author's reply
That was an insightful recap of the chapter. Your comments on young Frodo were interesting. I have read very little “young Frodo” fanfic—are you referring to a specific story or stories? I’d be interested to read them.
Good thing for Farry that Ferdi is also a stubborn Took!
Miriel
· 24 September 2003
· Chapter 6: Musings in the Dark before Dawn
I knew that Rosemary couldn't be fooled for long. She's Ferdi's sister, after all, even if she is married to a Bolger. :)
Farry's getting tired of the place already? To many chores for one of his class? I hope that Ferdi teaches him a good lesson. (I can't believe that he didn't learn after "Firstborn." Then again, he is a stubborn Took.)
For Ferdi's sake, I hope that he doesn't have to go to Gondor! *Goes off and laughs at the mental imagry.*
Cheers!
Author's reply
Yes, Farry is a stubborn Took, and I'm sure he reformed for a short span after FirstBorn, but he was still in the same place with the same friends, and less parental attention than before as Diamond and Pippin buried themselves in their own grief, so it is not surprising that he went back to the comfort of his spoiled cousins.
Ferdi taking Farry to Gondor... would you believe such a story is in the works? *g*
FantasyFan
· 22 September 2003
· Chapter 5: Truth, Half-Truth, and Outright Evasion
Hi Lindelea, glad to see you back and able to write again. Sorry I missed a few days of reviewing your stories; I had a momster project at work that was keeping me from everything. Fortunately, it's done now and the bonus was, I got to read several chapters at once.
Hally is clearly not fooled by Ferdi's tricks. Rosemary I think pretends not to know who Faramir is. Otherwise, I doubt she'd have bothered to bring up rank when discussing sleeping arrangements. But unlike Hally, she's willing not to quesiton openly. I think she's got an underlying trust in Ferdi's methods and doesn't need to understand all the details.
Quite uncomfortable for Ferdi to have to hear the tale of the Fox told to his sister's children. He's also uncomfortable about his plan it seems. I think Ferdi's flying by the seat of his pants this time. I hope nothing bites him (but then, maybe it would make a better story if somethng did). The weak point seems to me to be the children. Chldren are hard to fool, and don't keep secrets well.
Farry's learning a couple of interesting lessons. He's learning how to wash up and dry dishes. He's maybe learned a few things about Ferdi, though he seemed to respect him even before. Clearly, he's learning to hold his temper and his tongue - a hard lesson for even many adults. He's going to learn what it feels like to sleep on the floor, as a hobbit of no status. Tomorrow's lessons may be harder. Wonder what Pip will learn?
Author's reply
Have I told you how much I appreciate your thoughtful reviews? I always learn something about the plot or characters that was not obvious to me when I was writing, but makes perfect sense to me when you mention it.
There is lots of learning going on in later chapters. My intention is for all the characters to grow through this experience. At the moment, in the chapters currently under construction/revision, that growth process is rather painful. Sure glad the ending is already written and I can look forward to joining the middle up to it eventually.
Thanks for the encouragement.
p.s. I changed "silks" in the race chapter of Flames to say "colours", after much thought. Thanks for bringing that point up in a review!
Miriel
· 22 September 2003
· Chapter 5: Truth, Half-Truth, and Outright Evasion
Hooray! I missed your updates last week, I guess that you spoil us, updating so quickly. :)
Hmm...I can see where Ferdi is going. (I think.) Must be rather hard for Farry, being treated "normal", when all his life he has had the finest of everything.
I hope the THain doesn't worry too much. (And I hope that he doesn't kill Ferdi when he gets back, either!)
It's great to have you back, and I am eagerly awaiting the next update.
Miriel
· 15 September 2003
· Chapter 4: The Game of the Name
I like the name of the chapter along with chapter 3's.
Hmmm...that probably was the first time in his young life that Farry ever did servants work.
I can't for the life of me figure out how you will get him back to the Smials. Can't wait for the next update! :)
Author's reply
I have his return to the Smials figured out, it's the middle part that's proving difficult. (!) Glad you noticed the word-play on the chapter titles.
Miriel
· 12 September 2003
· Chapter 3: The Name of the Game
Aah, now we have the aftermath of "The Firstborn." Pimpernel's reaction--I do hope that she kissed him. :)
No, of course Ferdi hardly remembers the incident.
Ah, to his sister's. Life is always happy there, is it not?
Can you picture Faramir and Ferdi in Gondor? Two hobbits, not a penny to their names, runaways...that would be...interesting to say the least.