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Dreamflower's Mathoms II by Dreamflower	9 Review(s)
KathyG	Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 12/24/2021
It wasn't only Maggot's dogs that frightened Frodo after that--he was equally frightened of Farmer Maggot himself! He avoided Maggot and his farm like the plague for years after that. Perhaps you could write a story about that! Here's a challenge for you--what was the farmer's reaction to learning that Frodo had been afraid of him for so long?

Queen Galadriel	Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 4/4/2013
Ah, I love seeing dramatizations of moments in the books. :) Author Reply: grin Me too!

Althea	Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 2/7/2007
This is a great story. It reminds me of the mischief that my own cousins and I used to get into in those long ago days of youth. It's wonderful to have a more detailed backstory of Frodo's misadventure with Farmer Maggots mushrooms. Your version of the what happened makes a lot of sense and is a joy to read. Author Reply: Cousins can be great companions in fun and mischief, LOL! I always looked forward to being with my cousins as well. I always thought that there had to be something to explain why the hobbit who was so kind and helpful when they encountered him on the way out of the Shire was the same one who beat little Frodo and set the dogs on him--so I thought I would try to explore that seeming contradiction.

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 11/8/2006
Poor Frodo - but I can see why he refuses to bow before the challenges. And why he would rather go to Bilbo's for the celebration than stay behind mucking out the stables. Shame it left him so scared of dogs, though. Farmer Maggot is actually rather a decent sort - even if Frodo's opinion of him is rather skewed! Author Reply: Yes, Frodo has an extra dose of stubbornness--he's a Baggins and a Brandybuck, with a large portion of Took. It's that kind of determination that got him to the Mountain. But at this age, it also translates into a kind of stiff-necked pride that can--and does--land him in a pickle! Of course he'd be distressed at the thought of missing out on a visit to Bilbo! As you saw, he'd rather have a beating! Yes--the old Farmer was a decent sort. I had to try and reconcile the kind Farmer Maggot who protected Frodo's party, fed them, and saw them safe to the Ferry, with the stern and vengeful Farmer Maggot who set large vicious dogs on a young lad, and beat him to boot! This was my attempt to figure him out.

harrowcat	Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 11/7/2006
What a clever explanation of that short comment from Frodo. Great stuff Dreamflower. And to take a thrashing rather than miss a trip to Bilbo is more than a fair exchange. I love it that Farmer Cotton is thoughtful enough to follow through and let people know that Frodo has already been punished. Author Reply: I'm glad you liked it. I just went in and fixed a tiny little canon error--it should have said "thirty years" instead of "twenty". I can't believe I messed that up! But yes--Frodo would much rather have had a thrashing and get it over with, rather than miss the visit to Bilbo. And Farmer Cotton is living up to his end of things--it would have hardly been fair for the lad to have been punished twice. And Frodo's willingness to face up to him impressed him favorably.

SurgicalSteel	Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 11/6/2006
That was too cute! Author Reply: Thanks! 8-)

Andrea	Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 11/6/2006
The ferry hobbit gave him a nod. “Lads’ll be lads,” he said laconically, “but mushrooms is another thing.” That was brilliant, Dreamflower! And now I know why Tom Bombadil was so fond of Farmer Maggot. He's really a remarkable hobbit. And it's so much like Frodo to put up with a trashing instead of missing Bilbo's birthday. Thank you! Author Reply: grin I'm so glad you liked that line! It was my favorite line in the story! I think that Maggot must have been a rather remarkable Hobbit--and he clearly was a kindly old soul at heart. But his mushrooms! That was a bit to much for him to take! tsktsk* I have so often heard kids--usually boys--say they'd rather have a spanking for something, and get it over with! And I know Frodo would have felt that way if it had meant missing out on seeing Bilbo!

Queen Galadriel	Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 11/6/2006
This has to be the best telling of this I've ever read. It left me rather breathless! You've done Frodo's POV perfectly. Of course, it's all fun and allabout being the most daring and eating those delicious mushrooms, till he gets caught. Then it's not fun any more. Poor Frodo. Yeah, I'd be afraid of large dogs too, if they'd treed me like a hunted animal. And I love how you really tied the ending to that passage in LOTR. God bless, Galadriel Author Reply: Why, thank you, dear! blushes It left me a bit breathless trying to imagine it--poor little Frodo running like that, and then stuck up in the tree! It had always seemed a bit odd to me, that Pippin, who had lived clean off in Tookland, had a better grasp of the geography than Frodo,who'd lived in Buckland for 21 years--but if he'd spent another 20 years trying to forget the experience, then that might explain it!

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 11/6/2006
Oh, what a wonderful look at that important event, and from our poor Frodo's pov. Bless the good farmer! Author Reply: Yes, it's one I've wanted to tell for a while, and Marigold's prompts gave me just the right combination of circumstances to do so. Yes, Farmer Maggot's a good sort, over all, bless him! The hardest part was coming up with why such an obviously kindly soul would have beaten poor little Frodo, mushrooms or no. Still, it was canon, so I had to work with it.

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