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Yule Fictions Past and Present  by Grey Wonderer 14 Review(s)
DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: 4 on 12/19/2009
How did I miss this? GW, this was delightful! I loved Pippin's generous and spontaneous offer-- it was so like him, both the generosity and the impulsiveness!

I also love that though given many chances, he did not back down, even though he had begun to regret his impulsiveness. He knew he was doing the right thing, even though it caused him some inconvenience. And when it turned out to be more of an inconvenience than he'd bargained on, he *still* didn't back down.

I loved hearing him argue with Gandalf's voice in his head, though somehow I doubt the real Gandalf would have argued with him. I think the real Gandalf would have been very proud of him.

And what a delight for Frodo and Merry to turn up with all their friends to reward Pippin for his sacrifice! That was unexpected and just lovely and hobbity and cousinly, and made me tear up and grin at the same time!

I'm so glad you put these back up!



Author Reply: There were probably a lot of Yule stories on the year I posted this. The holidays are so busy and it's difficult to see and do everything, even hobbit things. : )

At the time I wrote this one, I enjoyed the idea that Pippin would be tempted to get out of his responsibilities and yet still stick with it. I did this as a pre-Quest but I wanted to show that Pippin was, even then, on his way to becoming a very responsible hobbit. After all, they *did* think enough of him to allow him to come along.

Thank you so much for reading and leaving this lovely review. I hide these every year after the holiday and then republish them in December. I figure that's when they should be read, during the holdiays. It's kind of like Christmas decorations. I think one or two of them might be under "Brandybuck and Took" (The ladder story maybe) but most of my holiday fictions are in this little group.

Happy Holidays!

PIppinfan1988Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 12/31/2006
*sniff, sniff*

That was so beautiful, G.W.! I really admire Pippin's courage in taking up the Shepards' watch with the sheep. I know Gandalf said that Pippin played truant in the woods quite a bit while growing up, but I don't think his family would have allowed him to get away with it. Nor, like what you just portrayed, to allow him to spend Yule all alone. I like to imagine that Pippin performed a few responsible and kind gestures such as one this pre-Quest.

The boredom Pippin was feeling--my gosh, that took me way back to standing roving watches--or worse, Quarterdeck watch. At least Pippin had sheep to entertain him, lol.

This was a very sweet tale--thank you for sharing it! :-)

PF

Author Reply: Aww, now you can't start the New Year off crying. I am so glad that you liked this one. I let Pippin's good intentions and his big mouth get him into something that he wasn't exactly pleased with but that he also felt was worth doing. I also think that he was a thoughtful young hobbit and that he did have things for which he was held accountable. I almost had Paladin turn up to watch the sheep but I decied that Paladin wouldn't be able to and still show any trust in Pippin. That was when I decided to send in the sisters and cousins!

I can just imagine how bored you must have gotten. I have no idea how you did it, and you did it without sheep! Thanks for reviewing!

GamgeeFestReviewed Chapter: 4 on 12/31/2006
What a lovely Yule party. I just knew that Merry and Frodo wouldn't let Pippin spend all of Yule alone with those dreadfully boring sheep. Pippin's poem was a hoot and I enjoyed the references to your other stories. Gandalf's voice was so very Gandalfy, lol.

Author Reply: I had fun mucking about with that poem while Pippin's sheep grazed or 'whatever it is that sheep do'. I love the word, "Gandalfy". It is the very first time anyone has used it in a review for one of my stories! I hope I see it again sometime. Thank you for reading and Happy New Year! (Oh, my new word for the holidays was 'Yule-ish' and so that may be why I like 'Gandalfy' so much.) Keep smiling and keep writing!

good_one_pipReviewed Chapter: 4 on 12/25/2006
oh, by the way, Merry Christmas!


Author Reply: Merry Christmas to you too!

Good_one_pipReviewed Chapter: 4 on 12/25/2006
Definitely caught the trust a Brandybuck and a Took references :) Does Pippin wear fingerless gloves in the movie? I never paid attention to that. Is the coat he got the same one that's in the movie? It's the right color, though I suppose he would grow out of it...

I love Pippin. letting his heart speak before he thinks anything through. That quality does help him save Middle Earth in a couple of years though.

I didn't know Pip was a poet. LOL! You must include more Pip poetry in the future. The Gandalf references were hilarious! Several times my family in the next room was asking what I was reading that was so funny.

Excellent story; made me feel warm and fuzzy inside ;) But then, how could reading a hobbit yule story on Christmas not make anyone happy?



Author Reply: In the movie, Pippin just has on regular gloves. I just use his dislike of gloves as coming from "Snow and Ice" in which he gets himself trapped out on the frozen Brandywine and later blames the mittens for his troubles. It has nothing to do with the films. Now, the coat was meant to be the same color at least as the one in the films. I thought that maybe Pippin would have a favorite color for coats and repeated have that color.
Poetry, as you could most likely tell, is not something that I am very skilled with. LOL
Glad you enjoyed Gandalf and that this story made you laugh. Thank you for the lovely review!

TopazTookReviewed Chapter: 4 on 12/22/2006
LOL - I love Pippin's inner Gandalf voice! And his Yule poem as well! What a nice holiday read!



Author Reply: LOL Thank you! I had fun with that inner Gandalf voice and as to that Yule Poem, well, I think it sounds remarkably like it was written by a drunken relative of Dr. Seuss, don't you? Thank you for the review and do have a very happy holiday season!

LindeleaReviewed Chapter: 4 on 12/21/2006
*snork*

Very Yuletidish and uplifting reading!

I loved Gandalf's voice (and Pippin's rejoinder, at the very end).

It was especially amusing, the way you wrote the hobbits emerging from the wagon, one by one, until the reader began to think, "Who's next? Just *how* many hobbits are *in* that wagon, anyhow?"

I love that your Pippin is a poor shot with a bow even though he's a good hand at casting a stone, and I love to see him shepherding sheep, for some reason...

Nicely done!

Author Reply: Oh, splendid! It was Yuletidish! I was trying for that very thing when I wrote this one.

I did think of making the voice Merry's but I decided that since Merry was turning up later, Gandalf had to make his way into this somehow. hehehe

I got a lot of Hobbits into that wagon and I find myself wondering if Merry and Pippin could have filled it back up with sheep, don't you? I don't think Frodo would have been amused.

I thought it might be interesting if Pippin, as someone who comes from a family known for its archers, had never mastered using a bow. I like mixing it up a bit and I don't remember him using a bow at all in the book. I decided that since he was later skilled with a blade that would be enough.

I loved your portion of "Thain" in which Pippin is living and working with the shepherd because I can't get enough of fat, fluffy, sheep grazing about in the Tooklands. I think of the Tooks with sheep and the Brandybucks with ponies and row boats. Your shepherd and his wife would have been stunned by Pippin's party amid the flock wouldn't they? Good thing the real shepherds were gone during that.

Thank you for the lovely reveiw!

Garnet TookReviewed Chapter: 4 on 12/21/2006
I had just written a review, and was trying to post it, when I hit the wrong button and blew it away. So I'll just say, wonderful story, and Happy Yule to you, and Errol, too.

Author Reply: Thank you for the review! I hate when that happens to my reviews. I write out just exactly what I want to comment on and then suddenly it's gone! Happy Yule to you and your family too! Errol sends holiday greetings and his hopes that your stocking is filled with carrots. (This is what Errol considers to be a very Merry Christmas!)

Pearl TookReviewed Chapter: 4 on 12/21/2006
Marvleous!! Wonderful!! Terrific!! Stupendous!! Hilarious!!

Full of wonderful lines but this one had me laughing heartily out loud:

"Pippin’s eyes popped open. “I wonder how many of them would fit in the wagon?”"


I've had a rather glum holiday season and all the stories I've been working on have been a bit glum as well. I have so appreaciated your Yule stories, Thank you, dear GW!!

Author Reply: I am so glad you enjoyed that line. It was one of my favorites because I could see Pippin and Merry loading up that wagon until it was one giant mass of woolly sheep! (Maybe this is the Hobbit verison of packing people into a VW!) I do hope your holiday gets merrier! Hugs and Hobbits to you and yours this holiday season and thank you for reading! (All year long.)

shireboundReviewed Chapter: 4 on 12/21/2006
“He had to bring me out here, didn’t he?” Frodo inquired as he climbed down from the back of the wagon and walked over to Pippin. “I told Merry that my holiday would not be complete unless he brought me out here so that I could see the sheep.” Frodo draped an arm around Pippin’s shoulders and gave him a hug. “Tell me, have I missed anything?”

Pippin laughed and leaned into his older cousin’s embrace. “It’s been one exciting thing after another. You know how it is with sheep.”


This is absolutely lovely. I love Pippin's generous heart, and the shepherds getting to spend Yule with their families, and the loving, teasing hobbits arriving to keep their young cousin company. Happy Yule to all!

Author Reply: I am so pleased that you enjoyed this one. I was beginning to think that I wouldn't be able to come up with a Yule story this year. Thank heavens for Sheep! hehehe

Thanks for reviewing an I hope you have a lovely holiday!

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