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Eleventy-one Years: Too Short a Time   by Dreamflower 4 Review(s)
LarnerReviewed Chapter: 2 on 6/20/2012
Well, the two of them are adults, are they not? They could bring Gar to Bag End with his parents' permission, I would think!

Author Reply: Exactly. In fact that's what Bungo was *going* to say before Belladonna got in a huff. I'm not sure she would have wanted to hear it yet, LOL! She was in no mood for logic.

Grey WondererReviewed Chapter: 2 on 6/20/2012
I loved Bungo's opinions on the Tooks and Gandalf. He really is surrounded by very out-going, out-landish hobbits when he is in the Tookland, isn't he?

Author Reply: He is. All of them rather confound and confuse him, as he's not used to quite so much going on! He'll get used to them over the years; it's early days yet.

And Gerontius likes him. That's very important!

Kaylee ArafinwielReviewed Chapter: 2 on 6/18/2012
Dear Dreamflower,

Okay, first of all, little Bilbo is the most adorable Hobbit baby EVER! *grin*

Secondly, I am SO glad Isengar has returned, even if he did have to be punished for running away (and I am on Bungo's side, by the way, although I do think he should have pointed out that Isengar CAN visit, so long as someone else comes with him, unless I misread that!)

Thirdly, I am on Belladonna's side too, a bit (isn't that contradictory! Heh! But you make me feel empathy for ALL your hobbits, one way or another!) Being cooped up at home is never fun, and I feel for Isengar as she does! I wonder just where she's going with Bilbo - back to Great Smials to tell off the Thain? O.o I wouldn't be brave enough to, but then she is one of his "remarkable" daughters! :)

(By the way, this reminds me. Was Hildigard, who died young, a son or a daughter? I've seen Hildigard noted either way, and for some reason I feel it's a feminine name...she just wasn't counted by Gandalf because she didn't grow up...but I'm asking for your expert opinion. Also, in your 'verse, when was she born and when did she die? Or he, of course, if Hildigard was a son.)

Kaylee

Author Reply: *grin* I'm glad you like baby Bilbo!

In real life history, Hildigard (or Hildegard) was a real name in the Middle-ages, and though it could be used for either a male or female, the most well-known person of that name was an Abbess named Hildegard of Bingen, and her writings and music are well-known. So there's where the idea that the Hildigard on the Took family tree might be female came from.

HOWEVER, my research into Hobbit Naming traditions indicate that "Hildigard" as a Took name seems to fit male naming traditions rather than female ones (Tooks tended towards jewel or flower names for their females, or oddly constructed names, such as those of Belladonna's younger sisters.) All the other "Hildi-"s in the Took Tree are male, and "-ard" is also used as a suffix on other male names like "Flambard" and "Adelard", so I assume Hildigard was a lad as well.

I have only a little bit of an idea of Hildigard's backstory so far, but I've always assumed he was *very* young when he died. Perhaps I will figure him out sooner or later.

Author Reply: Oh, I did do a little bit of Hildigard! In "A Mother's Work: Adamanta" she remembers him: he died of the spotted fever before he even became a faunt (so I'm guessing he was probably only about two at the time). I had completely forgotten about that.

shireboundReviewed Chapter: 2 on 6/18/2012
I love that phrase "Tookish turmoil". How perfect.

What a wonderfully detailed family story you're weaving for us.

Author Reply: It sounded to me like the sort of thing snooty Aunt Pansy might say!

I am hoping that it will fill in a lot of details about Bilbo and his early life. And I confess, I am very fond of Bungo/Belladonna!

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