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Lesser Ring by Larner	7 Review(s)
Queen Galadriel	Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 5/6/2006
I read all this yesterday, and then had to get ready for a dance and didn't get time to review, so I'm likely to overlook something. Yes, this visit is proving to be interesting! Wow! I love Ankhrabi and his sons, and seeing Sorabi as Farozi is very interesting. He is a good one, though. It's interesting that the prefix "An" is added to the ruler's name. Did Tolkien invent a language for the Haradrim, or is it based on something else? Or did you come up with this? Poor Bard--hopefully the homeward journey will be easier for him. That was interesting about the headrests. If I've heard of such a custom before, I've forgotten it. But I can't imagine how they could be comfortable! And unfortunately, as hard as we might try to make things just right, someone is always going to do something that is not to be done. :) I loved the moments with An'sorabi, Ankhrabi, and Aragorn out in the garden--a beautiful scene. I had tears in my eyes as Aragorn thought on Frodo and sang that beautiful song. Oh! Speaking of songs, the song of the frog and the mouse is very cute! :) How like the King and Queen to rescue Benai and Hasturnerini. That Benai was descended from the Numenoreans was a surprise, but quite a pleasant one! How wonderful for him that Arwen saw him. Poor Hasturnerini--what a terrifying experience, to lose her father and everything she owned and suddenly be forced into slavery. I love the way you used the doll there, as a sort of symbol of promise. That's our Gimli--bargaining away, pretending to be annoyed while really enjoying himself immensely. :) You know, I'd just love to see him try to shop for fabric. LOL! It's probably a good thing Legolas handled that side of the business! Melian is so sweet! God bless, Galadriel Author Reply: The language is influenced by my fragment of knowledge of ancient Egyptian, but is mostly my own invention. The use of honorifics as additions to the name is not unusual, and would be similar to the "-san" suffix in Japanese and other oriental languages which indicates "honored sir." And if Tolkien borrowed heavily from other languages, can't I do similarly? Wooden headrests were indeed used by the Egyptians, and served both for those who didn't wear wigs to keep elaborate hair styles and beading intact, and allowed for air to circulate freely around the head. They were prominently mentioned in one of my childhood favorites about Egypt--"Mara, Daughter of the Nile." Sorry, don't remember the author's name at this point, although I read all the books by her I could find at the time. Glad you liked the song of the frog and the mouse, which I've been considering writing for years as a sequel to "The Frog He Would A-wooing Ride"--I mean, where are a frog and a mouse going to live together? As you see, I, too, have used dolls in my stories as a symbol of continuing hope. And of course Gimli is going to love bargaining. It can be an art form, after all. And I suspect he and the shopkeeper both enjoyed it thoroughly.

lindahoyland	Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 8/15/2005
Aragorn and Arwen are so kind andthoughtful in their dealings with the 'slaves'. i love the way you depict the diferent cultures and customs. Were you thinking of the Jewish Ethipians when you wrote Benai ?I tried to look up the language he speaks but could not find it in the back of ROTK. This is one of your most enjoyable stories yet though I have loved most of them.Thank you for your kind review of my story. Author Reply: Yes, the Jewish Ethiopians are indeed the group I was thinking of. As I understand it, Adunaic was one of the languages Tolkien thought of for his Middle Earth, and it was tied to Numenor. In ROTK Pippin realizes the guards in Gondor, when speaking their own language are speaking a form of Sindarin, for he recognizes some of the Elvish words he is hearing; and the title they give him of "Ernil i Pheriannath" is definitely closely related to the "Periannath" used by the Elves of Rivendell. This is why in The King's Commission I have Aragorn speaking of the disapproval he got from Elrond after returning from Gondor speaking the Gondorian version of Sindarin rather than the "proper" form spoken by the Elves. In the Silmarillion and in the appendices Tolkien noted that in time the monarchy of Numenor began to break from their Elven ancestry, and they changed the prefix for the throne names of the Kings from "Tar-" to "Ar-," indicating that this was about the time that the use of Adunaic became preferable to speaking the Elven tongues, much in the same way the exiled Noldor stopped using Quenya and took up using Sindarin in protest. In Arnor after a time the "Ar" prefix became part of the name given to the heirs of Isildur, indicating that in Arnor perhaps Adunaic would probably be spoken more widely than in Gondor. In breaking with the Arnorian tradition of using the royal "Ar" prefix in his throne name and the name he gave his son, Aragorn was tying himself in many ways more closely to Gondorian protocol and usage, and personally I am glad, though I can't truly tell you why. The languages I have Gefferel name are, of course, out of my imaginary geography of Middle Earth's version of Africa.

Radbooks	Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 8/15/2005
Nice chapter, I like seeing Gimli in the market and haggling for the sandels. That was funny. I'd never be able to do something like that and I've been in countries where it's expected. It was smart of Aragorn to send him and Legolas out to do the shopping because he was right, no one would close up their shop on those two! It will be interesting for the little girl and how she fits in there because the Haradi (?) would not see her any different than a slave girl and would treat her as such. It will be interesting to see how Aragorn and the others handle that after saying that they do not have slaves and now they 'have' 2 of them. By the way, you mentioned in your response to me earlier that you had seen a documentary about a group of people in Africa that were some how related to Israel and I remember seeing that program and it is fascinating. You wonder how that happened, though I do think they had some theories at the time. I like how you incorprated that into this story. Radbooks Author Reply: I go into it most in my response to Dreamflower on the last chapter. It's fascinating how in Ethiopia they have found proof that there were lost tribes from Israel who have maintained the Jewish way of life while physically having become Africanized--except the Cohenim genetic marker remains part of their heritage as well. In today's chapter you'll see how immediately the way Aragorn outfits Benai marks him as beyond the level of Haradri slaves, and they begin seeing him recognizing he is no different in function or importance than the liveried guards of honor. How we see ourselves has a large impact on how others perceive us. When Benai is bearing a sword that is definitely Dunedain in nature and acting the same as Hildigor, Hardorn, Mablung, or Pippin, he is no longer on manual slave status, particularly if he is publicly treated by his "masters" no differently than they are as well. And it's fun taking concepts from "real" life and working them into my stories.

harrowcat	Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 8/15/2005
'We're to get what'! uncontrollable giggles I'm glad that Gimli got the sandals part of the bargining. I can't quite imagine him managing to choose cloth and haggle for it in quite the same way! And of course the first words he would learn would be about metals! And I am finding your true Southern Dunedain fascinating. Looking forward to seeing this develop. As a keen but haphazard X-stitcher can I 'prentice myself to Arwen too?!? Pleese (Hoping to go camping soon so may need to play catch up again at the end of August. Will miss my daily fix! Author Reply: Well, ALMOST daily, at least! If you can catch her in, you might convince the Queen to accept your indentures, I think. I don't embroider, but do crochet and have done weaving, although nothing too complex as yet. And I, too, loved the image of Gimli haggling in the marketplace; and think Legolas did rightly to have him get the sandals. Have a good camping trip.

Baggins Babe	Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 8/15/2005
My goodness! These were two incredible chapters and I don't know where to start because it has given me such a lot to think about. That Aragorn should discover one descended from the Numenoreans and that they have so much shared heritage and imagery was very exciting. I loved Gimli haggling with the trader - typical Gimli! And they obviously both enjoyed it. I love the fact that Benai accepts Aragorn as his lord, and it is so touching that all the others treat him with so much respect. Lovely that Hasturnerini has her possessions back and that the poor child will know some love and a decent life. Author Reply: So glad you've enjoyed them, Babe. My mom spent the early years with my dad, who was a pilot for the Air Force, stationed in Central America where haggling was a way of life at the time. She had one person she dealt with who loved to haggle, and she found that if she didn't respond he would be terribly disappointed. He taught her how to bargain and how to enjoy it, even though her Spanish was far worse than mine is. Gimli's bargaining is based in part on Mom's stories of Sr. Olvarez. And I think the Dunedain, wherever they settled, would all come to revere Aragorn--all save the Black Numenoreans, who would be envious of how the followers of Elendil, Isildur, and Anarion managed to usurp them in Middle Earth.

Kitty	Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 8/15/2005
giggles The purchase of the sandals was fun! Our dear Gimli did very well. Sometimes he doesn't give himself enough credit for his talents. Melian is so sweet! I loved her talk with Benai and how she taught Hasturnerini the proper curtsey. And it is interesting how they all now work to establish Benai's and Hasturnerini's new status. It is so very typical of Aragorn and Arwen to think about all these details! I look forward to know how the Haradrim reacts to their way to deal with the former slaves! Author Reply: Melian is her parents' daughter, after all, and would undoubtedly look at each new relationship to find ways to assist her new companions to fit in more comfortably. My husband was a divorcee, and his first wife had a girl from a previous relationship. The first time she saw a person who was black she was three years old. She was going with my husband on the bus, and the driver was black. She reportedly stopped stock still and looked at him amazed, then wet her finger and rubbed it on his arm to see if the color would run off. When she found it wouldn't, she smiled up at him in delight to find a new type of person in her world, and I guess the poor guy just melted away. I rather see Melian doing much the same with Benai.

Dreamflower	Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 8/15/2005
Very nice! I loved the bit with Gimli haggling! I always figure haggling was one of the Dwarves' more treasured pursuits, and that they would enjoy a good bit of it. So nice to see Benai and Hasturnerini settling in among the Gondorian party. I really look forward to seeing Benai get acquainted with Pippin (I can see them doing duty together, one tiny, beside his King, and one huge, beside his Queen.) though I suppose there would be some language barrier to that for a little while at least. And the bit at the end was sweet. Poor child, at least she has been saved from the degradation of slavery! Author Reply: I hadn't thought of the Mutt and Jeff-type image of Pippin and Benai doing duty together, but it is one to think of, isn't it? I think Benai will be working hard to learn Westron in order to communicate more freely with those he now serves alongside. As for the girl--to be in the shock first of losing her father and then her home and freedom and all that had defined her life--then to have at least part of it restored with the promise she will have a true life of her own again--yes, it is very reassuring; and the doll here would be the symbol of the promise of rebuilding that life. Thanks so much for the review.

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