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For Folco  by Dreamflower 1 Review(s)
GryffinjackReviewed Chapter: 1 on 12/2/2005
You know, I am sorry to say I don't get the joke. How is Lotho a bottom feeder?

Typical Folco - not being careful and wise about what he says and to whom during such dangerous times. Folco's sweet, but doesn't think.

How petty of Lotho to hold Folco's offer to give a loan to Frodo against him! Unfortunately, it fits in perfectly with loathesome Lotho's personality. And Ted Sandyman is just as petty and vindictive, still holding a grudge about a story told about a miller.

I can see folks thinking that Lotho's gang had "taken care" of the four travellers. Everyone knew that Frodo and the S.B.'s did not like each other at all and for Frodo to up and sell Bag End to them and pretend he didn't have any money, well, there had to be some reason behind it. Lotho's intimidation would make sense. And with Lotho's newfound power, it would also make sense for him not to stop at getting Bag End and to get rid of Frodo and those closest to him.



Author Reply: It's a take on an ancient joke about unscrupulous lawyers and catfish. Since carp are also bottom feeders, I appropriated them. Lotho is a bottom feeder in that he is unscrupulous in his dealings and in taking advantage of others. I'm not sure Folco himself quite "got" the joke, but he knew Merry and Pippin usually got a laugh out of Frodo with it, so he repeated it. Unfortunately with his usual bad timing.

It was inevitable that he offend Lotho. I understood that as far back as "Conspiracy", but I resisted the bunny as long as I feasibly could.

It seemed to me that to hobbits in other parts of the Shire, when they heard of "Big Men" attacking Crickhollow would immediately jump to that conclusion, having no experience to speak of, of Black Riders. The more sinister explanation would never have occured to any of them. But the Bucklanders, who had seen and heard the Black Rider's invasion first-hand would *know* those were no creatures of Lotho's.

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