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Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Hobbits by GamgeeFest	10 Review(s)
demeter d	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/16/2008
OH,OH,OH,ROFL! But yet, you have created here one of the most concise descriptions of both the distinctions of the Elves and the Hobbit groups that I think I have ever read. Yes, I do believe Gandalf is credited with the last word to Elrond, but I agree that he would have taken a lot of convincing to reach that decision. And just think of all of the ripples of things that would have been different if they had not been chosen. The lives of Master Treebeard, King Theoden, Eowyn, Denethor and, most notably,the unexpected future Steward of Gondor, whose life Pippin helped save, all of these would have been affected. And, after his fall to the Ring's enticements, Boromir was able to re-gain his honor by fighting to protect Merry and Pippin. I do not believe that Boromir would have believed that, say, the twins, or Glorfindel would have needed to be protected. Someone with whom I enjoy discussing both the books and fan-fiction once observed that perhaps Merry and Pippin and Boromir's care and devotion for them may have helped him to fight off the ring's effect for a time. Like the other reviewers, I have enjoyed these stories very much. Author Reply: Short and simple, or at least short in this case. The hobbits are finally outshined by the races of the Elves, which are even more complicated than the hobbits’ rules for gift-giving. Elrond’s concerns were valid enough and we see the end result of that when the hobbits returned home, but Aragorn and Gandalf had the right of it. There was nothing Merry and Pippin could have done to help the Shire at that point and they were needed more on the Quest, though for reasons neither of them could foresee. Their coming had a ripple effect that went far beyond keeping peace between a stubborn dwarf and elf. I think Boromir sees his little brother in all the hobbits, and the protection and devotion that he showed to Faramir all those years is now transferred onto them. It certainly would have stayed his hand, but the Ring got to him in a moment of weakness and broke him. Defending Merry and Pippin to the death was the only way he could have redeemed himself, even if Frodo should never find out about it.

Althea	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/16/2008
I love this collection of stories. The Hobbits are delightful and it's fun watching as the rest of the soon-to-be-formed Fellowship learns more about them. Thank goodness that Aragorn realizes that no one but Merry and Pippin could fill the last two spots. I'm still as confused as the Hobbits about the different groups of Elves, though. Author Reply: The Hobbits certainly have everyone here wrapped around their fingers. For once, they had the simple explanation, while Legolas had some explaining to do. I still get confused over all those names myself. Even with a chart, I can’t remember it all. The hobbits though will know it better than Legolas once they get it mapped onto a family tree. ;) Aragorn would have argued for them coming either way, but now he knows beyond a doubt that they should be allowed to go. Before, he had to consider Elrond’s concerns, for they were valid enough as it turned out in the end, but the Quest takes precedence over all else.

6336	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/15/2008
Atari! Morkmindi! ROFL!!!! Oh, my goodness and Illuvitar is High-Mayor!!!! Actually it's quite simple, some went and some didn't! Just don't get in to the name. By the way you flubbed one its should be Calaquendi(sp) not Calaquidi! More please, Lynda Author Reply: hehehe I just couldn’t resist and they were honest enough mistakes, accidental or purposeful, that Pippin would make while tripping over all those names. :D Frodo knew that Legolas would need to explain Illúvatar in terms the hobbits could understand; I suppose Legolas hasn’t learned about the Mayor of the Shire yet to make that connection. Gimli has though and so was able to move the analogy along. smacks forehead D’oh! I did flub that up, didn’t I? It was bound to happen. I’m surprised it was only that one. I’ll fix it straight away. Thanks for reading!

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/15/2008
Astute, our Strider is! And he has the right of it! And, of course, Gandalf heard that, too, and is going to second Aragorn's nominations. Good to see this being updated! Author Reply: Strider would have supported them going from the start and could have made many arguments on their behalf, but this is what sealed it for him. The Fellowship needs to be cohesive and perform as a single unit, and they will help to ensure that it does. Gandalf will ponder over this and of course come to the same conclusion. I’ve been feeling so guilty leaving this story hanging. It feels good to finally be finishing it. Thanks for reading!

Andrea	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/15/2008
“Hobbits don’t be complicating such things as don’t be needing no complicating,” Sam put in ROTFL!!! Right he is, isn't he? And I agree, those Elven names are really complicated. I especially liked the Atari ;-) Author Reply: hehe He’s right, all right! Keep things simple and you won’t have to untangle them later. That’s just good hobbit sense. ;) Those names nearly did me in when I read the Silm. I still can’t keep them all straightened out, and I found a chart that maps it all out! Yes, the Atari Elves – a grand and noble race, until they were squashed by a giant gorilla throwing barrels. :P

Grey Wonderer	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/14/2008
LOL Morkindmindi and Atari were my special favorites. hehehe Leave it to Pippin! Na-Nu! Na-Nu! I just love this! Author Reply: Pippin was confused and those names were very odd to him. Plus, he would have started to mangle them worse than he would have normally just to keep things light. ;D The Atari Elves from the realm of Morkenmindi – sounds like a bedtime story he would tell his children. :) Think of all the adventures they could have – leaping frogs, barrel-throwing monkeys, little glowing suns with hair bows that devour everything in sight. Hehehe ... You should sooo write that!

Dreamflower	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/14/2008
ROTFLMBO!! This was just a hoot! I know the Elves had so many different names and races because the good Professor loved making up words, but still listening to Legolas attempt to explain it to the hobbits...shakes head And you are just sooo wicked: “Well so far, you’ve mentioned Eldar, Teleri, Atari…” “Avari,” Legolas corrected. “Alquendi, Calquendi, Morkenmindi,” Pippin continued without pause, "Morkenmindi" LOLOLOL! I also like the way Aragorn's made up his mind to convince Elrond about Merry and Pippin. I know canonically Gandalf had the final word--and yet, I am sure that he must have had some help in convincing Elrond (in my case it was Bilbo who assisted in the convincing) but Aragorn makes a lot of sense, too! I'm looking very forward to more!! Author Reply: I sometimes think the Professor had some strange form of Tourettes syndrome that caused him to make up more names than were necessary. It was like he couldn’t stop himself. Atari and Avari were close enough, but I figured that at this point Pippin would be purposely getting some of the names wrong, or mangling them worse than he would have normally just to keep the mood light. So I just had to squeeze in Mork & Mindy. The names were just too close to let it go by. ;D Elrond needed to have persuasion from others to give in as readily as he did in canon. Bilbo I’m sure would have mentioned something to Elrond, but not having been around Merry and Pippin most of their lives he would be limited in his argument. And while Aragorn hasn’t known the hobbits for very long, he has seen them all in action, which is something none of the others can attest to, and he knows that Merry and Pippin will be able to handle themselves and look after their cousin.

rabidsamfan	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/14/2008
Oh, joy, you did have fun with that. I love the way that the hobbits keep everyone talking. Author Reply: Oh, the hobbits would go on and on if they were allowed to, which Boromir has learned by now. He knows how to keep his troops in check though and lets it go only as far as necessary to appease their curiosity for the time being. I’m sure they’ll be hunting down Legolas again later. ;) Thanks for reading!

Baggins Babe	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/14/2008
“Alquendi, Calquendi, Morkenmindi,” Bwahahaha! wheeze, gasp Oh dearie me, I wasn't expecting that! Mind you, keeping track of all those Elves can be tricky. I love the interaction between the various members of the Fellowship here - and Gimli isn't as grumpy about the Elf as might have been expected. With Merry and Pippin to diffuse the tension they might even start to get along quite well. ;-) Great chapter, GamgeeFest. Author Reply: hehehe It seemed like the sort of innocent mistake Pippin would make. :D I think once the hobbits chart all this down onto a family tree, they’ll have no problems remembering all the names, unlike me, who still gets confused. Gimli wouldn’t wish overly-inquisitive hobbits on his worst enemy, and Legolas certainly qualifies as that. For now. They both at least have their friendship with the hobbits in common and that will allow them to keep a truce for the time being. Thank you, Baggins Babe!

shirebound	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/14/2008
Morkenmindi!! falls over Back to the story... I love this chapter with a passion! I'm confused myself, every time I go through the Silmarillion, about the different types of Elves. "...they have a way of easing tension and seeking peace" is such a perfect way Strider reasoned out how to explain why Merry and Pippin should be the final members of the Fellowship. Author Reply: I’m sure if you told a wee!Pippin that the Elves hatched out of giant eggs, he’d probably believe it – for a little while anyway. ;) The hardest thing about the Silm for me, other than the complete lack of hobbits, is all the names! Very confusing, but I found a chart that helped explained it, otherwise I don’t think I would have ever been able to write this chapter. Those very skills will come in quite handy on the Quest. Things would have gone much differently if they had not gone along.

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