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

Jewels  by Lindelea 3 Review(s)
Pearl TookReviewed Chapter: 23 on 8/16/2007
I do remember reading this before, with all the little remembrance boats. such a beautiful scene :-)

Pip could probably use some good hard work. *G*

Author Reply: Aw, thanks. Hmm. Good, hard work. I'll pass that on to the Powers That Be. *g*

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 23 on 8/14/2007
Joy to them as the pain eases. It never dies, but it does ease.

Author Reply: So very true. *hugs*

FantasyFanReviewed Chapter: 23 on 8/14/2007
The remembrance day tradition is so comforting. Grief shared is grief halved, because there's nothing like being reminded you're not alone in your sorrow to help lessen it. I like the idea of combining this custom with the blowing of the horn of Rohan on the battle anniversary. Tolkien says that hearing the horn brings joy to the hearts of friends. It somehow feels very hobbity to end a ceremony that is so inherently sad with a reminder that sadness and troubles end, that life goes on and can become joyful again. Very lovely. Later at Yule, song brings light to those who are still in gloom. And later yet, Pippin's light-hearted jests overlie a lot of apprehension about the future. It's been a hard half-year for them all, but they're still trying to retain that essential core of hope for the future, if not cheer in the present.

Author Reply: I had forgotten what JRRT said about the blowing of the horn, but you've reminded me. I'm certainly glad that I didn't get it the other way round in the writing!

I think of the ceremony at the hospice when my dad died. They covered him with a special memorial quilt, and he looked as if he was sleeping. They brought a bottle of Asti and one of sparkling cider and we toasted him (the children too) and told stories and laughed and cried together--more laughter than tears, for the stories were all the funniest and fondest ones; and they left us alone until the glasses were empty and we had no more words to say, only hugs. It was a lovely leave-taking, bittersweet, but a good way to say good-bye, if one had no choice but to say it.

Yes, you caught that nicely, about Pippin's jests. It's not always easy to manage that hobbity custom of speaking lightly, but I do my best.

Return to Chapter List