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A Healer's Tale  by Lindelea 12 Review(s)
Anso the HobbitReviewed Chapter: 29 on 7/4/2005
Finally I got some time to read again! This is so nice - the lovely summer days and the children playing and laughing, but what a tragic ending. Poor, but brave Merry only climbing down because his cousin was injured. And what, pray tell is Pippin up too? Off to read more! :D

AndreaReviewed Chapter: 29 on 6/29/2005
Oh my! At first I thought it would be Merry to fall off the tree! And now it's poor Ferdi! I hope Woodruff will arrive soon, she'll know what to do. She's the best healer I've ever met :)

And Pippin is on his way to Bag End with the remains of the broken teapot. I wonder, what he wants Bilbo to do with it? Little Pippin must be deeply impressed with Woodruff and I think he still feels guilty for the "teapot-accident". Maybe, with a little luck he will run straightly into Bilbo and Frodo on their way back to him ...

Author Reply: Goodness, your review came in just as I was taking a lunch break and answering reviews! So you get a quick reply.

Everyone else seems to think Merry more likely of falling out of a tree than Ferdi, as you'll see in an upcoming chapter. You're not alone!

I'm glad you have a high opinion of Woodruff. I do hope she's not too perfect. I wouldn't want her to stray into "Mary Sue" territory. But I am very fond of her.

Guess we'll find out what Pippin wants Bilbo to do, when the story reaches Bag End. Perhaps the Elves have invented Superglue? And Bilbo visits the Elves. It makes about as much sense as the thinking of another six-year-old I've known!

Thanks!

Hai TookReviewed Chapter: 29 on 6/29/2005
I haven't been able to read any more of this story until recently! I was very glad that Mardi's hand healed so well though I suppose it would have had to since he is still a healer in your later stories! Poor Ted is having trouble getting anything out, even though he was splendid with caring for Mardi.

I'm so glad Hetty is to be one of the assistants! It will suit her perfectly and Woodruff will be better off for the help she will be able to offer! It must have come as a surprise for her family but a pleasant one of course.

Gracious, Pippin's healing is hard on everyone! I'm looking forward to seeing how Woodruff deals with it. What a strange thing to try and understand. Not only to believe in the walking trees and such but then this substance that was helping and now seems to be hindering any progress Pippin might have been making!

Finally, this chapter was very well done. I suppose Ferdi is shoving mud down Nell's dress because he likes her? Unfortunately that didn't go over well with Nell! Pippin is about to get into more trouble it seems. Maybe this dog trying to get away will be of some help? I hope Ferdi's fall, if nothing else comes from it, enables Nell to forgive him.

Looking forward to more, I shall be much better (I hope) at being able to read and review! Thank you for the story it is always wonderful!

Author Reply: Well I'm delighted to hear from you! You help me to see the story through your eyes when you "hit the highlights".

It helps to know what is going to happen, at least it does for me. I don't know that I could write angst without knowing the ending I'm aiming for. For example, I could only write Mardi's burns, knowing that he'd be working unimpaired in later stories. It was fun, too, writing his "romance", knowing exactly who he's going to marry, though it might not be completely clear to a few people (like Ted).

Hetty is a delightful character, the invention of Marigold, who graciously loaned her and her family to me when I needed a new healer's assistant and a bustling family for the background of Mardi's mishap.

You're right about Ferdi; he's plaguing Nell because he likes her, though at his age he might not even be aware of it, just that he's fascinated with her and wants to get a reaction out of her.

The dog in this chapter is an excellent bodyguard as he considers Pippin something between a master and a lamb... or perhaps the master's lamb... or something like that. He's modeled on a real dog I knew long ago, and he makes his final appearance in "Pearl of Great Price". It was nice to go earlier on the timeline and see him vibrant and alive and full of his own quirks and personality.

Thanks!

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 29 on 6/28/2005
Pippin off to Hobbiton and everyone else checking on Ferdi--not a good situation. Glad the dog has its head on straight.

Author Reply: Dogs often have their heads on straighter than people, I've found. And then they do something completely screwy, like chasing a squirrel into a street, in front of an oncoming car, or silly like chasing the tail, and they lose all respectability.

Thanks!

Pearl TookReviewed Chapter: 29 on 6/27/2005
Oh dear!!! A rough time ahead for the Tooks and their Brandybuck relation!Pippin is such a determined Took. I hope all goes well. *biting nails*

Author Reply: Hang in there... a little more angst to go through, but then the happy ending to look forward to.

Thanks!

StormscrystalReviewed Chapter: 29 on 6/27/2005
So Pippin has not forgotten that he is going to fix the teapot he broke. I wonder why he wants so badly to go to Bilbo's, maybe have him help fix it? Whatever it is, I can't wait fot it.

Author Reply: I am going to have to put that explanation into the story, I think. At the moment it resides amongst the pages of background.

You'll see it when the story reaches Bag End, I promise.

Thanks!

EruvywethReviewed Chapter: 29 on 6/27/2005
Ooh! Ooh! Good heavens! The plot thickens! Ferdi's out and Pippin's leaving and - and the dog, and - and Nell and the mud pies...I'm babbling, aren't I? I think my uncooperative brain is trying to list all the things I love about this chapter...

~Your devoted fan,
Eruvyweth God-follower

Author Reply: I love it when you list all the things you love about a chapter!

Thanks!

Connie B.Reviewed Chapter: 29 on 6/27/2005
Now, at least, I know why Pippin is so determined to get to see Bilbo. He did forget one thing he'll want on his trip. Food.

Hope the sheepdog can herd him back home. They're good at herding children as well as sheep.

At least Merry didn't fall out of the tree and break his other arm.:)

Now I curious what happened to Ferdi, too.

Thanks.

Connie B.

Author Reply: My goodness, a hobbit forgetting food! Must be a six-year-old who just gorged himself completely full, even over-full and isn't thinking about food for the precise present.

Let's see, you'll know more about Ferdi next Monday, I think. But that plot point won't resolve right away, I'm afraid. Good thing you know about his future!

Thanks!

ArielReviewed Chapter: 29 on 6/27/2005
Uh oh! I know that look... LOL! Poor Ferdi! And I bet Nell is going to feel very guilty. Eep!

Author Reply: Yep, Nell is going to feel very guilty. (Note to self: never make sweeping negative statements about somebody in the heat of anger... almost a surety it'll be something to regret)

Fair amount of Ferdi-angst, mixed with some little-Pippin-angst, coming up. I can't seem to help myself...

Thanks!

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 29 on 6/27/2005
So Pippin is about to get lost wandering off in search of Bag End - Ferdi is unconscious at the foot of a tree - Pimpernel hates Ferdi for ever - Merry's fear of heights has been nicely reinforced - what more can go wrong?

Oh wait - these are Tooks and travellers - of course more can go wrong! The weather? Dogs? Hostile countryside injuries? I can't wait to find out!

How long will it take before they notice Pippin's absence, I wonder. Could be a while if they're busy sending for Woodruff to come and fix Ferdi. And that's something she will need to practise, too. He is very nearly as healer-intensive a Took as Pippin.

Look forward to more.

Author Reply: Your summary sounds like the end of an episode in one of those cheesy serials they used to make. "Flash Gordon" is the only one I can remember. They used to show it at university in one of the halls during lunch break. What a laugh! (And yet, quite a training ground for angst and action, good versus evil and all that.)

The weather. Gee, now, there's an idea.

Well, if they think Pippin's safe at the Grandparents' and the Grandparents don't have a clue, it could be quite awhile before he's missed.

Thanks!

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