Reviews (13)

PSW · 13 November 2016 · Chapter 1

This is a conversation I've never really thought of -- but very well done! I very much liked Bilbo's thoughts and reasonings as you have described... Thanks for writing!

harrowcat · 13 January 2016 · Chapter 1

For such a brief conversation you have managed to pack in an awesome number of truths.. The one that captured my attention as I read it this time was the need to find ways to tell your own story. For me that tends to be through an on/off diary, music making and creative arts such as zentangle and cross stitch. It is also what draws me back, time and again to LOTR and fanfiction. Thank you for many hours of enjoyment and food to ponder.

Lindelea · 29 September 2006 · Chapter 1

“I never thought any of you would need preparation, child. I always thought that the stories would remain just stories, and I didn’t necessarily *want* them to be believed. I know I did not want to frighten anyone with the knowledge of just how terrible the real world could be. It never occurred to me that some of my dearest little ones would grow up and have to go out and face those terrible things.” He sighed. “I guess if I had known--well, Lord Elrond always says not to guess what I *would have* done, that it is useless to speculate.” I found this so poignant, almost heartbreaking, especially from the point of a parent/aunt watching a younger generation begin to take on their challenges. As our parents undoubtedly watched us... And I think of one of my grandmothers, who watched her son and three sons-in-law go off to World War II, and come back irrevocably changed.

Lindelea · 29 September 2006 · Chapter 1

Awww, that was sweet, and hit the spot. I hadn't read it before. I never thought of Bilbo "toning things down", but it fits well with something that came up in our FOTR discussion group today, as a matter of fact. (It's a jr. high class in a homeschool co-op, that I sat in on during my free hour.) The kids were talking about how different in tone Hobbit is from LOTR, and the different aim (Hobbit was a children's story), and someone mentioned having read that JRRT was actually dissatisfied with Hobbit, thinking it too shallow or silly or something. And yet, I loved that book, and it drew us (and wee hobbits hereabouts) into the story, and so I cannot fault it for being deceptively simple. I guess with my bunny, I was thinking that Pippin would bring up Bilbo's trolls, and how they didn't seem so fearsome once he realised they were stone, and one even had a bird's nest behind its ear! And then a conversation much like the one you recount here, for the second part. So you see, you really *did* write something like what I was looking for! Thanks!

Queen Galadriel · 30 January 2006 · Chapter 1

Oh, this plot bunny is not going to leave me alone--and I kind of need it to at least give me a rest till after school! :) I'm thinking of the spiders here. Think about it: the spiders in the hobbit are so different in some ways from their mother, Shelob. They could speak while she obviously couldn't, and that doesn't really make sense, unless Bilbo invented all that to make it more interesting. But Shelob was more crafty and much, much more dangerous. I'm still not sure what direction this is going to take, but keep an eye out for something called "Making Light of It." :)

Queen Galadriel · 29 January 2006 · Chapter 1

Ah. This seems very realistic, that Bilbo would make light of it all. I wonder, then, just how terrible some of those experiences really were? *gasps* Oh my word! I've got an idea! May I have permission to write a sort of companion piece to this, Dreamflower? God bless, Galadriel

Dana · 1 January 2006 · Chapter 1

You know, I hadn't ever thought of that -- but it does make sense. There would have been a lot of unpleasantness that Bilbo would have had to gloss over. Hoenstly, you can't go telling that sort of thing to little kids. But, well, poor Pippin -- talk about expectations, and how they don't always match up! This was a nice exchange between the two.

Gryffinjack · 16 December 2005 · Chapter 1

For such a cheery, fun loving lad, that little Took sure is having an awful lot of serious discussions lately! I so enjoy seeing Bilbo, we don't see enough of him. And when we do see him, he's usually with Frodo or else it's an earlier story before the time of our four hobbits. What a treat to see Bilbo and Pippin having such a serious discussion. I'm glad you addressed this because there is quite a diversity between the picture of trolls we get from Bilbo and that which Pippin and the other three hobbits encountered. And of course, it is Pippin who the issue of trolls would most bother. Now while I chalked most of the difference up to them being different breeds of trolls, that still does not account for trolls being horrible creatures not to be encountered. Bilbo is absolutely right, of course. There is no way he could have told a story to fauntlings about how real trolls are; they'd be afraid of the world and the unknown things in it. Also as Bilbo pointed out, he had no expectaction that any of them would actually encounter a real troll. Not many Shire hobbits even venture as far as Bree, let alone to areas where there are trolls. I absolutely adored the way Bilbo treated Pippin, calling him "child" and yet treating him with the respect and honesty that he was due. Through it all, Bilbo's love not only for Pippin, but for Merry, Sam, and especially Frodo shone through. It saddened me the way Pippin noted how frail Bilbo had become. “You just need to think what you will tell of your own story when you get home. And you need to tell that story--do not hide it away or let it fester inside you. Even if you are not believed, even if you are called ‘mad’, even if people do not want to hear, you must tell it.” Sage advice for all four of the travellers. I can't recall now, was it Frodo or Pippin that honestly told their story to Aunt Primrose or Aunt Peridot? I adore Bilbo. He is so much more than the "Mad Baggins" that the rest of the Shire credits him for being. Your stories of hobbit interaction are absolutely wonderful. I'd say more, but I feel like I keep repeating myself about how spot on your characterisations and voices are, how clever the situations are, and how moving all of your stories are. Just consider that I've said that about every one of your stories, past, present, and future.

Rachel Stonebreaker · 26 February 2005 · Chapter 1

You are right! This IS a great story. It is sooo much better than my little comments on Pippin's encounter with the Troll. I loved how Pippin was so young. The problems Bilbo had a story teller has modifying a story to fit the audience were so true. You can not just go about telling little ones all sorts of horrid things. And most adults truly don't want to hear that sort of stuff either. So, the good story teller, like Bilbo, must make the story fit the audience. Poor Pippin! To have been the audience for so long as to not see that Bilbo's stories were just that, stories! I loved this. Thanks for the recommendation to read it. I've bookmarked the site so when I've a moment or two I can delve on in for some more great reads. ~ Rach

Hai Took · 31 May 2004 · Chapter 1

That was a lovely little bit between Bilbo and Pippin! I liked Bilbo just "resting his eyes". Poor Pippin, I guess after Bilbo's story he really couldn't imagine what trolls were really like! Thank you for sharing!

Snowballjane · 24 May 2004 · Chapter 1

I liked that! A clever way of resolving a canon quibble and an interesting perspective on the impotance of stories and the choices made in telling them.

shirebound · 22 May 2004 · Chapter 1

Very creative! Pippin-Bilbo scenes are so rare, and it makes so much sense that Pippin would need to get this question cleared up. What stories will *he* tell the children, someday, I wonder? Very insightful!

Grey Wonderer · 22 May 2004 · Chapter 1

Very sweet! I had never thought about the trolls talking in the hobbit! Funny I have read it a thousand times but never considered it until I read this. Thank you for making me think and for the wonderful story. I always enjoy it, when Bilbo is involved.