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If It's Trewsday It Must Be Buckland...  by Dreamflower 5 Review(s)
Kaylee ArafinwielReviewed Chapter: 13 on 10/26/2011
Ah - yes, that edict *would* make things very difficult! And even the King obeyed it, isn't that right? At least the tinker did get his customers after all!

Kaylee

Author Reply: Yes, even the King himself refused to cross into the Shire, to set a good example.

In "my" universe, Merry and Pippin and Sam don't approve of the edict at all, but go along with it; Sam because he knew Frodo would approve, and Merry and Pippin because at the time their fathers were still the Master and Thain.

I don't especially approve either, but it's canon, so I try to work within that in my stories. I do have the built-in exception of their having to get permission from Thain, Master and Mayor. Since JRRT only mentions the edict, but not any of the details from it, we fic writers are free to interpret it as we will.

VirtuellaReviewed Chapter: 13 on 3/20/2011
Indeed, the edict is not exactly business-friendly, but then, Tolkien didn't have much interest in the economy of Middle-earth...

Author Reply: No, really he did not. Of course on the one hand, it would be quite fascinating to know his thoughts on the matter-- but it's a lot of fun that he left us some intriguing notions to explore on those lines!

AndreaReviewed Chapter: 13 on 3/15/2011
Very interesting!
I had not considered so far how Aragorn's edict must have affected the merchants.

But the hobbits did their best to show Tibalt that his journey was not completely useless.

Author Reply: Well the Great East-West Road ran smack through the middle of the Shire! It had to have an effect on trade, one that perhaps the King had not really thought about!

They did-- hobbits are a hospitable lot, aren't they?

6336Reviewed Chapter: 13 on 3/14/2011
I think that was the main problem with the Edict, it was done in haste without proper thought as to what exactly would be involved. A good idea at the time but one that should have been amended later on.
Lynda


Author Reply: I agree. I think that Aragorn was oversolicitous for the hobbits, and the hobbits, having gone through the Troubles with Saruman's ruffians, were only too ready to allow it.

Of course, it may have been amended at some point for all we know. And we do not know the details of it-- only the year it was made and that Aragorn held himself bound by it. But as to whether or not there were any exceptions or allowances for extenuating circumstances, or how it was enforced, or whether there were any penalties or punishments involved for breaking it, we are not told. So I think we are free to make up our own details on that score!

shireboundReviewed Chapter: 13 on 3/14/2011
How interesting! I never thought about the merchants who might be affected by the edict, or how the hobbits might enforce it. I'm glad this kind man got to earn a bit of money and share meals with the hobbits.

Author Reply: Yes, when you consider it, the edict must have made trade difficult! I am sure that there must have been some sort of provisions made for exceptions, but since JRRT doesn't tell us about them, we have to make up our own.

I didn't want poor Tibalt to have come all that way for nothing-- and hobbits, of course, are always hospitable!

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