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The Tenant from Staddle by Larner	9 Review(s)
Andrea	Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 2/2/2007
And so the hobbits of Bree learned that Elves exist, "Slowtalk" is the Lord King's steward and finally "Strider" is the Lord King himself! Wow! What a load of information to digest! It is always fascinating to hear the stories we know, being told by others, and the reactions to those stories. Frodo would have been fascinated, too, if he had seen that "formal dinner". Some years before such a gathering would not have been possible: A ranger from the North, a man from Gondor, a woman from Bree, hobbits from Bree and Shire hobbits! What a combination! "The world is changing" - even Bartolo has to admit that this is true! Author Reply: Yes, Frodo's actions have brought about amity among so many who previously lived in as much ignorance of one another as was possible, and Aragorn unites many. The idea of the realization they are all interdependent must have been a shock to all the folk of the Free Peoples, and realizing the true identities of Strider must have been even more so. And I agree about how Frodo would likely have reacted. The world has changed indeed.

Linda Hoyland	Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 2/1/2007
I loved the reaction that a Ranger had become King ! Author Reply: Yes, the idea that that Strider has become the King must have been tremendously confusing. And these have a good deal to learn.

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 1/27/2007
However much Frodo wants his deeds to be kept quiet, I don't think he's got much chance of keeping them from any hobbits who really want to learn about them. And Bartolo is a lawyer - he's bound to want to know the details! I like the thought that he loves in his son the very qualities he resents in Frodo. Author Reply: Bartolo probably doesn't want to know the full details as much as Persivo does, I fear, for Persivo does have more Took blood and thus more of a heritage of curiosity. If he fully understands what Frodo did, Bartolo might actually have to admire him, something he doesn't really want to do, and so he's in an unenviable situation at the moment. But he secretly admires Frodo in spite of himself, and unconsciously ties that to his natural love for his son. And he doesn't want his son to ever be seen as secondary to anyone, particularly that perverse Baggins!

Claudia	Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 1/26/2007
This has been a fascinating story so far! What a fascinating exploration of laws being explored post-quest... And it IS neat to see Bree after the quest as well... :-) Author Reply: Now that the two kingdoms are reunited there needs to be a review to bring their laws in line with one another, and so the laws of the lesser lands that make up the new kingdom need reviewing as well. And am so glad you like seeing Bree becoming part of Arnor once more, even if it does so kicking and screaming all the way. Heh! Thanks for the review.

Kitty	Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 1/26/2007
It must be difficult for Bartolo's family to have so many questions and not to get the answers, even if there are people with them who know the answers. And all this talk about the Travellers and how they are honoured in the outer world certainly doesn't help. I still hope someone tells them everything. Delphie is right, it is ironic if the Travellers are praised everywhere - save in the Shire itself. Was grinning about Delphie's explanation how she's related to Frodo. This is rather confusing for the poor man, isn't it? Even I have to read this sort of introduction at least twice to get through, and I should be used to it by now! And of course, it was fun to watch the hobbits finally realise just who these scruffy Rangers are grin There are so many nice details in this chapter I enjoyed - too many to quote them all here. So I will only say that I loved it. Author Reply: It will be impossible to keep everything from them, Alvric will find; and actually I think he disagrees with Frodo's desire to keep the Shire in ignorance of what he did. Yes, Delphie is definitely right. Those who deal with Hobbits will soon have a bewildering series of relationships thrown at them, I think; it's part of dealing with Hobbit nature, I think. And for the folk of Bree to accept that the Rangers are more than they've thought them to be would be shocking, although it's a shock they need if they are to survive the coming of the new age, after all. These aren't just dangerous vagabonds, but protectors, and the Men closest to the new king. "My heavens! How might we have offended them by our treatment of them in the past, and will we suffer for it now that they're gaining power? But they aren't at all like we'd thought or as we'd be in their position...." Thanks so much for your response, Kitty.

Antane	Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 1/25/2007
Yes, our dear always loved wholeheartedly. I wish I could see him dance! Beyond the Circle of the World perhaps I shall... Namarie, God bless, Antane :) Author Reply: Oh, there are a couple of characters I've imagined as superb dancers I'd love to see get together to perform--my version of Frodo, and David Daniel Louis. One day more folk will wish to see David dance, I hope. If our own creations are indeed reflected in Paradise it will be wonderful for all of us, I think.

harrowcat	Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 1/25/2007
A very (in-)form(-ation-)al dinner for all concerned Larner. grin I printed it off this morning to savour over lunch. Hobbit genealogy is great fun. I love the talk about beards, the recognition of Thorongil, of course, and the identification of people who are now important by their disreputable names! BTW Am watching a docu-drama about the eruption of Mount St. Helens - frightening stuff that I barely remember being reported here. And I am going a hunting in my map box. I have a copy of the Cadfael walk somewhere and also one of some drives around the country-side following the stories that go outside the town. I like Shrewsbury and adore York. Unfortunately the 'Cadfael Experience' closed several years ago. It was a great place to visit. It re-created the Monastery and posed visitors a mystery to solve. Great brass rubbing and a lovely herb garden. Fantastic afternoon tea too! And - gripe, gripe, gripe! The site seems to be forgetting to let me know when you update! I don't know why as I am getting other updates! Oh well I shall just keep looking. Author Reply: I remember reading a snippet of something Tolkien said about beards being almost unheard of with Elves (except, of course, with Cirdan, who may well have had a bit of Maia or some other thing to his nature leading him to be able to cultivate such a feature--it's always interesting to speculate, I find); and how those with Elvish blood might also have difficulty growing beards. And, so I imagined when writing "The Ties of Family" that Aragorn might have been delayed in growing a beard, and it gave a good reason for why, in the films, Aragorn had that measly stubble through so much of it all, having a full beard only when he was crowned King at last. So the idea slipped into this story. Had to make one correction to the genealogies, for which I'm grateful to Dreamflower; and the idea that if Aragorn was known in Bree as Strider, then how would others among his people been known has occupied me for quite some time. And I think I will finally write a story on the identity of "Silver Sword," now that I've had time to think about it for a time. It's too bad about the Cadfael Experience closing down, for I'd have enjoyed it, I think. Last time I wanted to go through the York Dungeon they had the sound effects up so loud my friend's daughter, who has a true musician's ears, couldn't bear it and we gave it a miss, although we did go through the Jorvik Experience once more, and climbed Clifford's Tower, where I read the braille displays to her (all written in primary, letter-for-letter braille, and didn't match the print material, and with no capitol indicators, which I'm told is common in British braille compared to American). I don't have any stories on this site set to notify me, for I usually catch it when an author adds a new chapter or story, or the connection's on the fritz again, and I wouldn't know until the next time I'm back online again anyway. As for Mount Saint Helens--it erupted while we lived in Seattle, well over a hundred miles north and some ways west of the eruption site. We were visiting in Tacoma during one of the eruptions, thirty miles southwest of Seattle, and could see the plume of ash high in the atmosphere, although we cannot see that particular mountain from Tacoma, Mount Rainier being far more prominent. In one eruption ash was so heavily blown southwest to Vancouver, WA, and Portland, OR, that drivers couldn't see and it reportedly did a good deal of damage to the carburators of vehicles; ash has been found far north into Canada, far south into northern California, and eastward through Idaho. It's amazing how far it can be blown by upper-atmospheric winds. One time as I was flying southeast out of Seattle-Tacoma Airport when all was exceptionally clear, at one point we could see all the Cascades northward into British Columbia to Whistler, then south through Washington to Baker, Rainier, and Saint Helens, then past Mount Hood and Jefferson in Oregon all the way to Lassen and Shasta in northern California. I've had that chance only once in all my years of being able to fly out of the region to see almost all the snow-covered shield volcanoes in one flight. The pilots and crews who do the flights regularly must have stories to tell.

Dreamflower	Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 1/24/2007
An impressive chapter! The hobbits and Alvric are both learning a good deal about one another. I loved the way the children were included in this chapter as well--and the questions they asked! I have a feeling that before it's all over, that the Bracegirdles will have learned far more about Frodo than Frodo wanted them to. I had to chuckle at all the intricate family tree information--that's so hobbity, and so head-spinning to any other race! LOL! Author Reply: Well, as long as the children are there, I had to allow them to ask their questions and make their observations--children will often ask and tell things no one else would willingly allow into the open. As for Frodo keeping his beloved privacy--not going to be possible once the Bracegirdle children are done with their probing, I fear. And you're the second tonight to comment on how the genealogy makes ones head spin--but we're told the Hobbits were famous for it, so it had to find its way into conversation as much as it found its way into Frodo's letter, don't you think? Heh! Author Reply: By the way, I find I tend to think in terms of braille at times, and the only difference between a B and an L is the addition of a dot-3 to the former to make the latter. I suspect that was what I was thinking at the time I described poor Otho's pedigree. Thanks for the heads up.

French Pony	Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 1/24/2007
Wow. Just hearing the Hobbits recite off their kith and kin like that makes my head spin. Their ability to reckon relationship is very impressive. Too bad Tolkien saddled some of the oldest and wisest Hobbits with names like Bongo Baggins, though. That dinner must have been one surprise after another, with people making revelations right and left. They'll all have a lot to think about tonight. I like the observation that Bartolo admires Persivo for precisely the reasons he dislikes Frodo. It's interesting to see where people's blind spots are. Author Reply: Yes, a Hobbit's fascination with genealogy and family ties would be rather difficult for outsiders to fully appreciate, I suspect. It did take me a bit of time with the family trees in the Appendices to figure out precisely what relationships each would hold, and where the particular parents of Delphie and Bartolo fit into the relationships we know. As for your comment on people'ss blind spots--you're right--a very fascinating study, I've found. There is much food for talk on all sides at this dinner--and Bartolo even managed to compliment the chef, something I doubt he usually does outside his own home. Author Reply: Oh, and btw--as a friend pointed out to me in a private post, it was "Longo" and not "Bongo"--although having Bungo and Bingo Baggins in the same generation was a bit much, don't you think? And after having called his hero in this tale "Bingo Bolger-Baggins" for much of the writing of LOTR, for the Master to have given the name in the end to Bilbo's younger uncle was interesting, making him a "Chubbs-Baggins" instead. Decided it was a bit too alliterative in the original, I understand. I find I like simple "Frodo Baggins" better in the end myself.

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