Author’s notes

            I’ve done a variety of lead-ups to the holidays and Christmas over the years, including a number of Advent calendars and even a set of stories reflecting the candles on the Menorah.  Certainly the winter solstice has always been a season fraught with meaning in all cultures of which I am aware.  Bilbo has given Frodo lessons and celebrated the Shire in which he lived.  Frodo and Aragorn have prepared for feasts and have counted things.  In other people’s schemes, we’ve done additive words and explored the Tarot deck. 

            So, this year I’ve had the Hobbits of the Shire prepare an alphabetical history for the King’s children, one that touches on a number of subjects primarily interesting to the authors interspersed with others that are more of historical meaning to the intended recipients of the work.  I decided not to restrict myself to drabbles this year, but did try to keep each chapter fairly short, and found that even Frodo had contributions to make.

            Much of the more arcane material, such as the history of Mallorn trees in Middle Earth, can be learned by reading extensively in the HoME series, although one can also consult the Encyclopedia of Arda, for which I am heavily grateful.   And I also wish to thank Surgical Steel for bringing to the attention of many that in at least one version of the Pharazón-Zimraphel story perhaps Míriel was not as unwilling to marry her cousin as the official version tells it. 

            In my-verse Frodo is often suffering from bouts of depression after the remaining Fellowship members repair to Minas Tirith, and he often feels that his willingness to sacrifice himself to see the Ring destroyed was not accepted by the Powers; thus his rather maudlin ramblings in his consideration of the motivations behind Míriel’s run up Meneltarma when the great wave took her.

            I hope that this stimulated thought as well as amusing and diverting the readers.  May we never run out of inspiration in the beloved Professor’s works!