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The Tenth Walker  by Lindelea 12 Review(s)
MirkwoodmaidenReviewed Chapter: 12 on 5/3/2020
Ah Athelas! I love the happy memory it evokes for Bill!

And I love the determination he has in not letting the Master fall. Bill is the very best sort of pony!

Hope this review finds you well. ((Hugs))

MM

Author Reply: Athelas is such an interesting concept, isn’t it? I wonder what JRRT smelled when he wrote about it?

Bill is a very good fellow.

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. ((hugs)) Stay well!

Le RouretReviewed Chapter: 12 on 1/29/2009
I'll not let him fall. Reminds me of a Tobiano at my daughter's barn, who, no matter how floppy and inexperienced the rider, "scoops" with his back to prevent his charge from falling. Lovely.

Author Reply: Have known a couple of horses with this caretaker personality.

My mare was not one of these. She was something of a spitfire, but put a small child on her back and...! She'd look behind her in surprise at the light weight, and then shamble along like a placid old nag, shifting her weight to keep her back under the child, rather like riding on an easy chair, I think.

And then take the child off and put an adult in the saddle. Watch out for tricks!

(My trainer thought it likely she'd been badly used in her past. We achieved something of a truce, but she never did learn to get along well with my dh, simply tolerated him. Barely.)

Pearl TookReviewed Chapter: 12 on 9/25/2007
". . . I move, one foot after another, as smoothly as I know how, rather like a cat I saw once, stalking a small creature in the field."

Beautiful imagery! Dear old gentle Bill!

Author Reply: Thanks! He really is a dear.

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 12 on 10/4/2006
I love Bill's determination not to let Frodo fall. And the image of Sam under a whole removal van full of stuff.

Author Reply: LOL, now *I* have an image of Sam under a whole removal van full of stuff!

demeter dReviewed Chapter: 12 on 10/3/2006
Lovely! Happy memories for Bil,, just like for the people who are helped by the athelas.Interesting seeing Bills's perceptions of everyone.

Author Reply: Thank you! Bill's quite an intelligent pony, after all, and as ponies are imaginative creatures (they can imagine that a blowing piece of paper is a ravening monster, for example), I can see him responding to athelas the way he did.

Baggins BabeReviewed Chapter: 12 on 10/3/2006
Poor Bill, knocking himself out in his desperation to escape. I loved the description of the effects of athelas on the pony, and Bill's thoughts on the hobbits after their terrifying encounter were fascinating. He really is a dear, and so gentle with Master.

Author Reply: Thank you. I do like JRRT's description of him at Weathertop: "the poor beast had improved wonderfully; it already seemed fatter and stronger, and had begun to show an affection for its new masters, especially for Sam."

InklingReviewed Chapter: 12 on 10/3/2006
Poor Bill! Every time he tries to communicate with his companions, they think his goal is food. Lovely chapter.

Author Reply: Well, so often his goal is food, I guess they're to be forgiven.

They don't call horses and ponies "hay burners" for no good reason.

Thanks!

AltheaReviewed Chapter: 12 on 10/3/2006
You have taught me to truly love Bill.

Author Reply: Thank you.

DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: 12 on 10/3/2006
Oh sweet brave Bill! He will try his best to take good care of Frodo.

I really like the way Frodo is striving through his pain to put a good face on things for the others, and how Merry is trying to downplay the trouble (probably also for the sake of the others) and how Pippin is being very serious now--also for the sake of the others. And Sam is worried to death, of course.

This is marvelous!

Author Reply: At long last Bill has something more to say, and so I thank you for your patience and encouraging words!

shireboundReviewed Chapter: 12 on 10/3/2006
I love thinking about things in a new way -- such as how the athelas affected Bill! Nicely done.

Author Reply: I had the hardest time figuring out what happened to Bill. He was there when it was time to leave, obviously, but JRRT doesn't say anything about the terror affecting him, though it must have, seeing the effect it had on the horses and ponise in Bree.

And since I had him trip on his hobbles and fall and knock himself out, it made sense that athelas might help his aching head, poor fellow... (I just had to have him fall close enough to the fire! *g*)

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