Larner · 6 April 2005 · Chapter 7: Sam's Mistake
Wonderful glimpse at the making of Hope Embodied.
Author's reply
Thank you! It's nice to let Sam be the one cared for every now and again.
Dreamflower's Mathoms I by Dreamflower
Reviews (860)
Baggins Babe · 5 April 2005 · Chapter 36: A Thorny Problem
I must say the thought of the big man of Gondor landing in a thorn bush made me giggle. :-)) I also loved the idea of the hobbits being able to rescue him. Nice to have a non-incompetent Pippin for once! Very nice, and I can imagine he and Merry using brambles to hide from the S-Bs.
Author's reply
When I first came up with the idea in "A New Reckoning" I was simply trying to think of Boromir in a ludicrous situation that would make young Bergil boggle at the thought of. I didn't realize at the time it would someday turn into its own story, LOL! I have never thought of Pippin as incompetent--young, and not always knowing *how* to do something, but I think he would be a quick learner. He might, being still a tweenager with the typical adolescent lack of confidence, *think* of himself as incompetent, but that's a different matter. This is a youngster who spent most of his growing up hanging about with hobbits a great deal older than he. It would be very surprising if he did not have a good many useful skills. And for some reason, I have always thought he would be particularly good with his hands. The hiding in the brambles, I must confess, was inspired by the "Brer Rabbit" stories. They would be thought of almost instinctively as a safe, if uncomfortable, place by creatures as small as hobbit children would have been.
Kitty · 5 April 2005 · Chapter 36: A Thorny Problem
So, that is the story behind the remark back there in "A new reckoning"? That was really cute! Loved it - especially Pippin's reason why he knows how to entangle someone from brambles! But they should have thrown the S.-B.'s in the bushes instead of themselves ;-)
Author's reply
I figure Merry and Pip were probably a bit too young to tackle Lobelia and Lotho on their own at the time. A briar patch probably seemed a good spot to get away from them! Yes, I see that you recognized the anecdote: that's the story behind the tale that Bergil overheard.
Eruanna · 4 April 2005 · Chapter 36: A Thorny Problem
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Just the sort of happy fluff I needed on a very stressful day. :) There are two one-liners that are especially great: “Don’t be such a Baggins, Frodo!” and “Did you hear that Merry? Gimli was impressed!” :) I can just hear Pippin saying that last one, as though to impress Gimli were the grandest feat in the world. Thanks for such a lovely, light-hearted tale. Blessings, Eruanna
Author's reply
*giggle* I'm glad you liked those lines. I was especially fond of that first one. My Frodo tends to be just a little prim and proper from time to time,(not always, but he does sometimes overdo the "senior cousin" bit) and of course Merry *would* chalk that up to the Baggins in him! And impressing Gimli? I'm sure Pippin thought that *was* a great feat! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Starfire_Moonlight · 4 April 2005 · Chapter 36: A Thorny Problem
I loved this one! Borimir being caught in thorn bushes and only a Took can help him. Very good! :D
Author's reply
Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Kitty · 4 April 2005 · Chapter 35: In The Sitting Room
Poor Pippin, it is so understandable he misses his friends! After being together for nearly one year and going through so much hardship they share an unique bond. Luckily he doesn't know yet he will soon lose Frodo forever, too. I am glad he has his music, it seems to help him to cope with his memories and loneliness. And his aunt was very understanding.
Author's reply
Yes, as far as the four Travellers are concerned, they think of the rest of the Fellowship as family now, and miss them just as much as they missed their own hobbit relations while they were gone. And Pippin made some other good friends as well, such as Faramir, Beregond and Bergil. His music is a comfort to him, as is his auntie. I kind of think that Paladin's older sisters filled almost a grandmotherly function to his children, as they were so much older than he. Primrose and Peridot were actually contemporaries of Primula Baggins.
GamgeeFest · 31 March 2005 · Chapter 34: Lamentation
That was beautiful and such a lovely and heart breaking imagine of the two cousins, left behind. They will always have each other and that must be a comfort to them both.
Author's reply
They do comfort one another. But I keep thinking of the fact that they too, will leave the Shire when the end of their lives draws near, as does Sam.
Larner · 30 March 2005 · Chapter 30: The Stubborness of Tooks
Very good characterizations, and I love that Harvey has come to Middle Earth! Giggling!
Author's reply
*chuckle* "Harvey"? With Paladin as Jimmy Stewart, eh? Believe it or not, the giant pink rabbits taking the roof off is an actual hallucination my husband gets when he has a high fever. (Fortunately, it's only happened a handful of times in the last 29 years.) He loves the movie "Harvey". I wonder if that's where he got it from?
Larner · 30 March 2005 · Chapter 31: Tea and Talk
Excellent fill-in!
Author's reply
Thanks. It was a very strange challenge.
Larner · 30 March 2005 · Chapter 32: A Young Hobbit's Fancy
Also quite cute.
Author's reply
Thanks. I'm edging my way around some fic involving Frodo's parents in their youths.
Larner · 30 March 2005 · Chapter 33: Hide and Seek
Sweet.
Author's reply
Thanks! I think that's been the fluffiest bit of fluff I've done. Almost like cotton candy. 8-D
Larner · 30 March 2005 · Chapter 34: Lamentation
This is simply fantastically haunting and beautiful, and well in keeping with the characters and the gifts you have seen them showing forth. Thank you.
Author's reply
Thank *you* for the kind review. I do find that a bagpiper's lament is incredibly haunting, and am glad you thought I conveyed that!
eiluj · 30 March 2005 · Chapter 34: Lamentation
You've written many stories which touch on Pippin's love of music, but this is the culmination of them all. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Also a lovely addition to canon.
Author's reply
Thank you very much! I am amazed at the response to this little ficlet--it's another of those that seemed to write itself.
Eruanna · 30 March 2005 · Chapter 34: Lamentation
Thank you so much for posting this! Your use of imagery is breath-taking, and there is something in the vision of a lonely piper playing his haunting melody to the fog and the river that just pierces the heart. The sound of bagpipes almost never fails to bring me to tears, and this story is no different. Your own words describe it perfectly: 'the keening, wailing unearthly beauty of grief'. And it is beautiful. So thank you again. Blessings, Eruanna
Author's reply
I've had that image of Pippin in my head for some time now, waiting for the right story, and this just seemed to be *it*. I am so glad that you understand what I was aiming for. There is nothing more haunting than a bagpipe lament.
Grey Wonderer · 29 March 2005 · Chapter 34: Lamentation
So sad and yet just what one might expect of each of them. Again, another lovely use of music. Tolkien would be proud.
Author's reply
Thank you, that's quite a compliment!
Baggins Babe · 29 March 2005 · Chapter 34: Lamentation
Oh Dreamflower! You really got to me with this one - I sat and cried thinking of poor Merry and Pip grieving over the loss of Frodo. They put on such a brave face for Sam's benefit but you know they must be hurting inside. Beautiful story!
Author's reply
For those two, Frodo always just *was*--they never knew life without him. And for Merry, he was more of a big brother than a cousin. Frodo and Sam were connected heart and soul, but with Merry and Pippin, the connection to Frodo was blood and bone as well.
songspinner · 29 March 2005 · Chapter 34: Lamentation
Oh my...that was stunning. Such beautiful imagery and such depth of feeling in both hobbits. I love the idea that Pippin gets out his grief that way - my younger sister did that at the death of our grandfather years ago, spending two days at the piano composing music that she played at his memorial. Music heals tremendously, and I think you did a nice job of showing the strong emotions. -Laura
Author's reply
Thank you. I think that is indeed how my Pippin would deal with grief, and the sound of bagpipes is perfect to me for that emotion.
Saoirse · 29 March 2005 · Chapter 34: Lamentation
O, how incredibly poignant! I just *love* this angst What a beautifully written delineation of their potent grief...and the bagpipes! What perfect medium to express it with, they can be so haunting and sad, and yet so beautiful at the same time. What pain! I can almost feel it myself. Wonderful job on this one.
Author's reply
For a while I've had an image in my head, of Pippin in the fog on a riverbank, piping a lament. When Anso wanted a bit of Merry-angst today, I just *knew* what it was for. And I agree--there is nothing more mournful than the sound of a piper's lament.
Saoirse · 28 March 2005 · Chapter 33: Hide and Seek
AwwwWwww... how adorable! What a sweet little lass and an equally sweet 'Mumsy' :)
Author's reply
Well, I had not given a lot of thought to Mirabella until recently. But this little bit of fluff just came to me out of nowhere.
Saoirse · 28 March 2005 · Chapter 32: A Young Hobbit's Fancy
What a wonderful (thoughtful) teacher Bilbo is! And I'm sure a very fair and understanding one at that. I know how poor Drodo feels wanting to go outside in the sunshine, I'm glad Bilbo let him in the end. It is fascinating to think that Bilbo had watched a generation grow up and then start a new one in which he was also a loved and active part as well.
Author's reply
I have this theory about education in the Shire, that it is handled in the family. Among the middle and lower classes, literate parents would teach their children to read, write and cipher if they could. Older brothers and sisters would take on the task for the youngest. This would also work the same among the gentry, but as the children grew older, there might be an older uncle or cousin more learned and scholarly, who would handle any "higher" education a child of the family needed. My idea was this was Bilbo's role for the Bagginses until he lost his reputation by having his Adventure. He certainly seemed to have no problem teaching and tutoring Frodo. So it seemed a logical leap that he might have also taught Frodo's father. I do enjoy speculating on the role Bilbo might have played in the lives of the parents of the hobbits we get to know.
Bodkin · 28 March 2005 · Chapter 32: A Young Hobbit's Fancy
What a sensible hobbit. It's good to see young Drogo - and Primula. A whole family portrait.
Author's reply
I think I've decided recently to do a little exploring in the older branches of the family tree.
Bodkin · 28 March 2005 · Chapter 33: Hide and Seek
Cute little mite.
Author's reply
I thought perhaps that Frodo got his looks from his mother, and his love of learning from his father, with a dose of Tookish curiousity from both of them.
Pearl Took · 27 March 2005 · Chapter 30: The Stubborness of Tooks
Great fun!! Like Father . . . Well Done!! :)
Author's reply
*grin* Well, now you know: Paladin is an even *worse* patient than his son, LOL!
Viresse · 26 March 2005 · Chapter 32: A Young Hobbit's Fancy
I think this is the first "young Drogo" story I've seen. Interesting to think of Bilbo teaching Frodo's father, emphasizes how the ring had kept him young for so long. And a big thank you for the Chronology. I've been trying to keep track based story clues and the summaries giving ages of our Hobbits. But some I did have trouble fitting in properly. I did most of them in the correct order.
Author's reply
I've long been fascinated by the idea that Bilbo had seen the previous generation grow up as well. Frodo, Merry, Pippin and Sam grew up listening to the same stories told to their fathers, mothers, aunts and uncles, by the same beloved person. By the time Bilbo left, he had outlived the majority of his contemporaries already, and to those who were left behind it must have seemed like losing a well-loved *fixture*--perhaps the way many of us who grew up with them felt on the passing of icons such as Capt. Kangaroo or Mr. Rogers. I'm so glad to hear the Chronology was actually useful! I'd been toying with the idea for a while, but I wasn't sure anyone would really be interested. Thanks for the feedback on that as well!
Grey Wonderer · 26 March 2005 · Chapter 32: A Young Hobbit's Fancy
I think that Bilbo would have been a very understanding teacher. I love his assignment for Drogo and I liked the mention of Bilbo's handkerchief.
Author's reply
I think he would have been a very good teacher. We know he taught Frodo, and I believe that it would not have been his first experience teaching his younger cousins. Everybody seems to like Bilbo and handkerchiefs, LOL!