Stories of Arda Home Page
About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search

Tales from Vairë's Loom  by Fiondil 10 Review(s)
MongwenReviewed Chapter: 35 on 1/25/2014
Pardon me for picking nits here, but I think the date stamps in this chapter and a previous one are wrong. If I remember right, The Hobbit took place in T.A. 2941 and Estel was 10. The date stamp on this chapter is 2839, though, and the one in a previous one is also 28something. Just thought you might want to look into it. I'm one of those lurkers who reads and rereads and rereads your stories and several other authors, but doesn't write.

Author Reply: Hi Mongwen. Thank you so much for pointing out the error in the date stamp. I can't believe neither I nor my betas or anyone else noticed. Argh! I'll go hunt for the other story you mention and make the correction on that one as well. I'm glad you came out of lurker mode long enough to let me know about this. Too embarrassing.

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 35 on 9/7/2011
Poor little kid! Not everything needs to be presented as a lesson!

Author Reply: You bet, Larner. I think the Twins learned a lesson of their own on that little trip. Thanks for reading and reviewing.

CairistionaReviewed Chapter: 35 on 8/18/2011
How much do I love it that you worked an Osage-orange tree into Middle-earth! They're native to my area and ubiquitous to every fence row around nearly every pasture; there's even a town named after them, Bois D'Arc. Just don't sit under one while you and your half-Elven friends have a picnic, or you might get knocked silly from one of the falling fruits!

What a fun little tale... I greatly enjoyed it.


Author Reply: Hey, Cairistiona. I'm glad you enjoyed this little tale. The Osage-orange tree isn't native to my part of the country, but it can be found there. It seems to thrive just about everywhere. Thanks for taking the time to read and review. I really appreciate it.

SunnyReviewed Chapter: 35 on 8/18/2011
It looks as if having The Twins as Big Brothers isn't easy. Either they take over the play (like in _Childe Estel to the Dark Tower Came_) or they start making the fun into lessons! :-D
I also see that Glorfy hasn't yet acknowledged that surprises can be nice - not when even little Estel knows how much he hates them!
The wood of osage orange also is a yellow color with a very nice grain, and is well suited to hairtoys! :-)

Author Reply: Hi Sunny. Having big brothers is never easy. As you say, they're either trying to take over your play or ruining your fun completely. Oh well.... hopefully after this, they'll know better.

And Glorfy is Glorfy, but I think he rather liked this particular surprise.

The Osage-orange tree is quite versatile in its uses, there's no doubt.

Thanks for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it.

bookwormfaithReviewed Chapter: 35 on 8/18/2011
asdkjhadl Lil!Estel is so precious!
...yeah, sorry I have nothing coherant to offer beyond that *ashamed*

Author Reply: Thanks, bookwormfaith. I'm glad you enjoyed the story.

harrowcatReviewed Chapter: 35 on 8/18/2011
I really enjoyed the lesson Fiondil. Estel's complaint may have been legitimate but must have really hurt. The final use of a tree was pure fun. I wonder what the tree thought!

Author Reply: Hi Harrowcat. I'm sure the Twins forgave their little brother. I have no idea what the tree thought. Glad you enjoyed this. Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate it very much.

LaikwalâssęReviewed Chapter: 35 on 8/18/2011
poor Estel. He´s absolutely right. A picnic is supposed to be fun and no lesson! I liked this story very much. Trees I´ve never heard of in german much less in english..*g*. Nonetheless delighful, as ever. Thank you. Lai

Author Reply: Glad you enjoyed the story, Lai. Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate it.

Erulisse (one L)Reviewed Chapter: 35 on 8/17/2011
"Caigordof: ‘Hedge-apple’: Osage-orange (Maclura pamifera), has thorny branches and has often been used as a hedge as well as a windbreak, hence its colloquial name. It bears a yellow-green fruit that gives off a pleasant, mild odor, but it is inedible, except for the seeds. The yellow-orange wood is used for tool handles, treenails and fence posts. The straight-grained osage timber (most of it is knotty and twisted) makes a very good bow."

As weavers, the ladies of Elrond's household would also be well aware of the beautiful color yielded by Osage Orange as a dye. It makes one of my favorite natural dye materials and I always love it when my woodworking friends save up their extra bits for my use.

A fun story and wonderful nature lesson. As always, your linguistic skills just stun me.

- Erulisse (one L)



Author Reply: Hi, Erulisse.I decided not to put in *everything* for which many of these trees can be put to use, just ones that I thought would be relevant for the Twins and Estel. Making dyes for wool would not be one of those uses. *grin*

As for my linguistic skills... I am far from fluent and I had to choose those trees that I could either put into Sindarin because Tolkien already did or had names that could be translated into Sindarin based on what we know of the language. It's not easy and some tree names just cannot be translated well into Sindarin and even though I would liked to have used them in the story, I didn't for that very reason.

Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed this story. Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate it very much.

shireboundReviewed Chapter: 35 on 8/17/2011
What a delightful walk/lesson! I enjoyed it from beginning to end.

Author Reply: Thanks, Shirebound. I appreciate you letting me know how much you enjoyed this.

6336Reviewed Chapter: 35 on 8/17/2011
Well, that's what brothers are for, isn't it, to entertain younger brothers, not to give biology lessons!

I do hope Glorfy likes his surprise.

Huggs,
Lynda

Author Reply: Hi Lynda. Yep, that's what (older) brothers are for. *grin* I'm sure Glorfy loved his surprise. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it very much.

Return to Chapter List