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Four of a Kind  by Grey Wonderer 13 Review(s)
Hai TookReviewed Chapter: 4 on 7/16/2007
Oh! That is so cute! It is such a perfect picture to think that Gandalf would sit in the road with a hobbit child and help them sort out their map! I did especially live this:
“You did enjoy the cheese,” Frodo said in a slightly accusing tone with a frown.

Gandalf shrugged. “I am uncommonly fond of good cheese.”

Gandalf is wonderful. A slightly darker ending to this one with Primula thinking of Frodo leaving the Shire, but a lovely little lead in for his later adventures. Thank you for the story!

Author Reply: I love Gandalf with the hobbits and so it was fun writing this one. I am glad you enjoyed the bit about the cheese. I do think Hobbits would keep track of what others ate and enjoyed don't you? As to the dark ending, that surprised even me. I was really just writing a little light-hearted story and then wound up with that ending. Glad you liked the story!

GamgeeFestReviewed Chapter: 4 on 7/2/2007
Oh, GW, this was just adorable! I can very much see young Frodo attempting an adventure and not packing enough supplies. I enjoyed Gandalf's observations and the sneaky way he aborted Frodo's plans to travel to Dale. I can imagine him retelling this to Bilbo - Bilbo will get quite a kick out of it, but he'll also be sure to revise his stories in the future to point out how dangerous it is to travel alone. :)

Author Reply: Yes, Bilbo has some more explaining to do, doesn't he? I think he might not have realized how interested Frodo was in his travels and how easily he would attempt to go on a journey of his own. Thanks for reading and sorry this reply was late. I thought I had responded to this but the internet must have eaten my response! LOL

Baggins BabeReviewed Chapter: 4 on 6/28/2007
Gandalf is one very tricksy Wizard! oved his delaying tactics here. Frodo is such an intelligent child that a straight 'you can't do that' was never going to work.

That tiny note of foreboding was just right, GW.

Author Reply: I think that it takes a very different approach to raise a bright child. You're right. They question everything and so a simple, 'no you can't do that' is more of a challenge to them than an acceptable answer. LOL

And that foreboding just slipped in there. Glad you enjoyed this!

elanor winterflowersReviewed Chapter: 4 on 6/28/2007
I loved your grave little Frodo here, preparing with such care for his adventure! And Gandalf is very cool--I love the fact that while he plays along and even manipulates things a bit, he doesn't compromise the truth. His lessons are perfectly placed in the conversation and he has faith that Frodo is clever enough to learn them. The end is, as with all things Frodo, a little bittersweet, but very insightful, too. Nice!

Author Reply: That ending happened by accident. I had meant to keep this light-hearted but somehow I just couldn't resist the urge to show Primula worrying about her darling lad. She must have had a bit of that insight that Frodo developed don't you think? As to Gandalf, well, I adore Gandalf with the hobbits so I had fun writing that part of it all! Thank you for the kind words.

PIppinfan1988Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 6/27/2007
The thought of young Frodo in his Highday best to give his best impression on the road is absolutely adorable. And with a mind to go to the Misty Mountains, no less! I loved your description of Frodo using various traits of his Baggins, Brandybuck, and Took roots.

What a wonderful tale -- and told most excellently, I might add! Right off the bat I had Frodo's voice in my head and the whole beautiful scene in my mind's eye in vivid detail. *Very* well done, my friend! :-)

PF
It's hotter than blazes in this room, so I'll wait to cool down and savour the flavour for Merry's tale. :-)

Author Reply: I am so glad you enjoyed my take on Frodo at age nine. I haven't written young Frodo too often because I am usually in Merry and Pippin land. LOL I do think he must have been a very clever, very intelligent young child with a great imagination. Probably why Bilbo loved him so much!
Do not give yourself heat stroke reading these. Save them for the winter months if need be. LOL

GoldenReviewed Chapter: 4 on 6/27/2007
What a beautiful story! Love every bit of it!

Author Reply: Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed this one. : )

AndreaReviewed Chapter: 4 on 6/26/2007
Just wonderful!

Gandalf had to think quickly to find a way to delay Frodo's journey to Dale. And I think the Old Wizard will give Bilbo an earful!

I agree with the others: little Frodo is SO cute :)

Thank you very much!

Author Reply: Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it. Gandalf did need to be quick and luckily Frodo's map was a good delaying tactic because I do think Frodo's mind was set on going at that moment.
Bilbo will get an earful won't he? LOL

Thanks for reading!

DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: 4 on 6/26/2007
This is adorable! I love how sneaky Gandalf is in putting an end to Frodo's travel plans without actually discouraging him! *grin*

And the last sentence was so sad.

Author Reply: A wizard can be very tricksy if he needs to be. LOL With Frodo I don't think a simple 'no' would have worked. He would have been far too intelligent a child for that.

The last sentence was one of those after-thoughts that I didn't realize was part of the story. I was going for a light-hearted look at running away and something less serious than Sam's had been but in the end that line just needed to be there.

Thanks for reading!

ElemmírëReviewed Chapter: 4 on 6/26/2007
*sighs dreamily*

Little Frodo is just toooooo CUTE! I especially liked his map and how he already ate all of his biscuits before he even left on his adventure :D

He really is quite the clever little lad, isn't he. Good thing for him that Gandalf came along "precisely when he meant to" and employed his own method of delaying tactics. I too would really enjoy being a fly on the walls of Bag End for Gandalf's well-meaning disscussion with Bilbo.

Poor Primula! Her reaction provided just a hint of suspense and foreboding at the end of an otherwise very plesant tale. It's even more bittersweet because she will never be there for her son when he is one day forced to leave the Shire on his quest.

Well done, GW!

~Elemmírë~

Author Reply: Frodo must have been one of those adorable, intelligent children who knew more than was good for them. I do think he would have got more information out of Bilbo's stories than other children don't you?
I thought this might be a good time for Gandalf to get to know Frodo a bit. Bilbo is in for a stern talking to I think. I suspect that Gandalf will have to let Bilbo know exactly how much of his story-telling Frodo has in mind to make use of. LOL I may have to write that at some point.
It is always sad to think of what Frodo's parents missed. I really had intended for the entire story to be light-hearted but for some reason that part just insisted on being written.
Thanks for reviewing!

Pearl TookReviewed Chapter: 4 on 6/26/2007
“He might have at that. Frodo isn’t one to lie even if it makes a better tale,” Drogo said. “But traveling out of the Shire! Not our Frodo.”

For some reason this gave Primula a chill and it was some time before she felt warm again."

Gave me a chill too!

Another lovely story, GW! Frodo had thought it all out quite well, though at that age I think he would have very quickly missed hearth and home. ;-)

Author Reply: Primula knew more than she realized didn't she? I thought it might be one of those times when a mother might just get a feeling about trouble yet to come. I'm quite certain you know the feeling. I'm glad you enjoyed it and I don't think Frodo would have got far even if a certain Wizard hadn't turned up.

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