Marbles by Grey Wonderer
Reviews (18)
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PipMer
· 8 February 2007
· Chapter 1: Marbles
What a lovely little story! It had me laughing out loud at several spots. I just love how Merry and Pippin have a special relationship even this early on. It sure explains their tight bond later in life.
My favorite part was when Pippin tried to get Merry to turn him upside down again. How just like a child! And I also loved how Pippin could tell Merry was talking about taking and hiding his things, the way he teared up at that!
Just lovely!
Author's reply
Thank you! I very glad that you liked this one. I do enjoy writing the hobbits as very young children. I think Pippin and Merry had their differences but I do think there was always a special bond between them. And babies do enjoy the strangest things so I figured that little Pip might like hanging upside down. LOL
Bodkin
· 27 January 2007
· Chapter 1: Marbles
I'm not sure that that wicked baby and the Brandybuck aren't already deep into conspiring against poor Frodo! Although Merry wouldn't willingly have sacrificed his marbles, I suppose - and it would take quite a lot to make him welcome their inevitable return.
Sensible Gaffer. And sensible baby-cage. But it didn't take long for Merry to arrange a prison break.
Most entertaining. With added yuck factor!
Author's reply
Yes, those two are entirely too much trouble and Frodo might have done well to avoid both of them. LOL
I do like to think that the Gaffer was a practical sort and one thing is certain, he did know a thing or two about babies.
Glad you enjoyed it , yuck factor and all.
Lily
· 23 January 2007
· Chapter 1: Marbles
I do adore your wee!Pippin, young Merry and tween Frodo stories. And that one had me in tears - tears from laughing. Merry turning the baby upside down and complaining about his marbles was marvellous! I feel so sorry for Frodo though. As if Pippin wouldn't be enough. Merry is certainly no help.
Author's reply
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed this. I am very surprised that Frodo would agree to take Merry and Pippin on the Quest when the time came. LOL In fact, I'm only surprised that Frodo didn't leave sooner.
FantasyFan
· 23 January 2007
· Chapter 1: Marbles
Such a cute story. I love all the hobbits in this one. Frodo exasperated and completely overwhelmed by a tiny Took, Merry snarky and oh-so-hobbitlad, Sam has some of the best lines, and Pippin is just, well, Pippin: provoking and adorable at the same time.
I'm really surprised reading the reviews that nobody's given you back a story about the things they or their kids swallowed! I can tell the story of the time my daughter swallowed a dime when she was two, at the garage sale we were having. I called poison control to ask if it was dangerous, and they were very gentle while they laughed at me. I eventually retrieved the dime, and it's pasted in her baby book. She doesn't like me to tell that story, but I'm saving it for the eventual boyfriends.
Author's reply
hehehe, I love the dime story! You are right. I did think we might get more of the 'guess what I ate as a child or guess what my kid ate' kind of stories. Merry is snarky in this isn't he? I like to give him and Frodo more of a younger brother/older brother kind of bond and so, naturally I let them argue a bit. I had fun with Sam in this and usually he makes me nervous. I don't write him well as a general rule. Thank you for the review and good luck with the dime story when the boyfriends turn up.
Jeodo Brandybuck
· 23 January 2007
· Chapter 1: Marbles
Oh, I just love this stuff! I've been giggling like a crazy woman here in the teacher's lounge -- oh, excuse me. Workroom. What a great little story, and how well you portray the characters! Absolutely charming!
Author's reply
Hi! So nice to hear from you. Glad you enjoyed it and that it made you giggle. Thank you for the lovely review. You've made me smile!
MaidenofValinor
· 22 January 2007
· Chapter 1: Marbles
SO CUTE.
That's really all there is to it!
Pippin is the most adorable little baby ever. :3
I want one!!
That baby is too wicked to die!
That made me laugh.
This was adorable, and hilarious.
Good job (yet again).
Author's reply
So you want one, do you? Be careful what you wish for. Imagine keeping up with a baby Pippin all day and all night long. Maybe the Gaffer will loan you his play pen.
Glad this made you laugh and thank you for the lovely review!
Baggins Babe
· 22 January 2007
· Chapter 1: Marbles
“He shouldn’t have eaten any of them,” Merry growled. “Why weren’t you watching him?”
“I was watching him!” Frodo objected.
“You were watching him eat my marbles!” Merry shouted.
This story made my day! I laughed so much I nearly fell off my chair. Little Pip is so naughty and yet no-one can be cross with him because he's so adorable.
I love Merry's references to that 'evil, wicked baby' and the idea of shaking him until the marbles fall out.............!!!
Poor Frodo - and sensible Hamfast, wisely knowing that those marbles will return if they wait long enough. :-))
Author's reply
Oh, thank you so much. I am very pleased that this made your day. I always have fun writing 'wee hobbits' so it is nice to hear they were enjoyed.
In my little collection of stories Merry is always referring to Pippin as a 'wicked baby'. I think it might have taken Merry a while to get used to the baby since he was only a small child himself at the time.
Frodo needs to refuse to keep the 'wicked baby' or to watch Merry. He'd be in a lot less trouble. I could see the practical Hamfast coming to the rescue on this one. Thanks so much for reading!
good_one_pip
· 22 January 2007
· Chapter 1: Marbles
That little stinker of a took! I love how he knows exactly what Merry says. Nobody believes Merry, but you can tell, Pip is no ordinary baby. He knows how to get what he wants, and he's so darn cute people give it to him. There's some great one-liners in this one. I love baby Pip stories!
Author's reply
Glad you enjoyed the one-liners! I just adore that sort of banter and I am pleased when it comes off properly. Pip was no oridinary baby and I do believe that he knew exactly how to get what he wanted, even from Merry. LOL
Thank you for reading!
Andrea
· 22 January 2007
· Chapter 1: Marbles
“Thunder, seven of them?” Frodo groaned. “Eating seven marbles might kill a baby.”
“Not that one!” Merry shouted. “That baby is too wicked to die!”
ROTFL!!! Great story, Grey Wonderer!
I love those situations! Frodo has lost control, Merry makes precocious remarks, Sam quotes his Gaffer - and baby Pippin is just *so* cute (and wicked) ;-)
Author's reply
Sam doesn't usually turn up in these but I enjoyed being able to include him in the madness this time. So glad that you liked it. I am going to have to write one of these at some point where Frodo gets the upper hand because I always seem to have him completely lost. It's that wicked baby's fault, or maybe the tricksy Brandybuck lad? Thanks for the review!
TopazTook
· 22 January 2007
· Chapter 1: Marbles
Well, when he can climb out...I have a coworker whose parents turned his playpen upside-down over him to keep him in there longer. Pippin may be the sort of child who would inspire those desperate measures. I see, however, that he is already an expert at getting what he wants, since he stayed in there maybe two seconds before Frodo picked him up again.
Very fun and believable story about a mischievous little one. And poor Merry, having to get his marbles back "that way"!
Author's reply
I think the Gaffer should build Baby Pip a cage of sorts. Poor Frodo could use one for the times that the 'wicked baby' visits. I once saw a movie where they kept a small child in a play pen with a top to it because the chid was so very wild. It was called "Please Don't Eat The Daisies". LOL
I am guessing that Merry considered the marbles a complete loss and I don't blame him!
Pearl Took
· 22 January 2007
· Chapter 1: Marbles
Hehehehe! I adore your "wicked baby"! Great fun as always, GW!
Author's reply
Thank you! I am looking forward to more of your story. The cheeky ghosts appeal to me. Thanks for reading and for laughing!
Larner
· 22 January 2007
· Chapter 1: Marbles
The little scamp! Frodo may not know a great deal about babies, but he's certainly getting a thorough Took education, isn't he? And that little twerp Merry, putting things into the heads of both Frodo and Pippin! Knocking his head on the slats indeed!
Good idea, the play pen.
Author's reply
By the time Pippin gets old enough to talk, poor Frodo will know entirely too much about babies. Maybe it wasn't the RING that kept him from marriage and a family. Maybe he had seen quite enough of babies. hehehe
Merry could stand to be taken down a peg or two because he really does encourage all of it. Maybe Frodo should get a gag for Merry and put that 'wicked baby' back in the play pen. After all, The Gaffer knows best.
Lindelea
· 22 January 2007
· Chapter 1: Marbles
Aw. Very nicely done. Babies can be exasperating and sweet, all at the same time.
“Don’t never know what babies’ll like, do you, Mr. Frodo? Don’t that beat all?”
Sounds so like Samwise.
And so does this
“My Gaffer will know all right. He once got my older brother’s head out from underneath a kitchen chair. It was stuck but the Gaffer greased him up with butter and it slid right outta there quick as you please. I wasn’t there as I’d not been born yet but the Gaffer tells about it enough so’s I feel like I was there.”
Nicely sketched characters, plausible story, and a good way to start a Monday.
Thanks!
Author's reply
Babies can certainly make life entertaining.
Thank you for the very kind words about Sam. I am always nervous when I write him and so it is very nice to hear that he came off well. He is the Hobbit that I am the least comfortable giving dialogue to which is why he appears the least in my stories. Thank you for the encouragement.
Hope the rest of your Monday was pleasant!
GamgeeFest
· 22 January 2007
· Chapter 1: Marbles
I think along with those jingle bells, Pippin needs a face mask or something to gag him! LOL Very cute. I love that Frodo is so hopeless with Pippin, and Sam's helpful observations were adorable. Gaffer has it right though - just wait and you'll get them back! *grins*
Author's reply
I think Merry was the one who needed a gag in all of this. He certainly didn't help Frodo much. LOL Then again, if they had gagged Pip he couldn't have eaten those marbles, could he? It is great to hear that you enjoyed Sam. You know how I worry about writing him. For some reason I could see the Gaffer coming to the rescue with some common sense. I adore the Gaffer almost as much as I adore Saradoc! Thank you for the review!
SlightlyTookish
· 22 January 2007
· Chapter 1: Marbles
Eeee, this is absolutely delightful, GW -- thank you so much! I love your baby Pippin (with the bells on his trousers!) and as usual the cousinly banter is perfect and hilarious. I also liked seeing the Gaffer behaving more gently than we usually see him. I love how Pippin understands and responds to Merry (and that Merry secretly does like that wicked baby) and Pippin snuggling with Frodo at the end was just too sweet! *hugs you* :)
Author's reply
Aww, I am so glad that you enjoyed this one. Hope you had a very Happy Birthday. Yes, Merry does like that wicked baby more than he lets on. I always enjoy writing the Gaffer for some reason. Sam always makes me nervous but I enjoy using the Gaffer in a story. Glad you liked the ending. I figured that Frodo could use a hug after the day he'd just had. (((((Hugs to you too)))))
Dreamflower
· 22 January 2007
· Chapter 1: Marbles
Oh golly! I do so love it when you write them at this stage! Poor Frodo!
This is hilarious! I really like having Sam and the Gaffer thrown into the mix. The Gaffer tickles me a lot. And I love the way Sam is amazed at the things Pippin can do.
Merry shouldn't be so particular about his marbles--they would wash off just fine.
But now, at least when someone accuses him of having lost his marbles, he knows that he can blame Pippin! LOL!
*snicker*giggle*chuckle*snort*
*goes back to top to read again*
Author's reply
I seem to be writing them at this age quite a bit so I am glad that you are enjoying it.
Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed Sam because I am always nervous when I write him. I do have fun with the Gaffer, though. hehehe
I agree with Merry on the marbles. I say, let them go and get new ones. (holds nose tightly.)
LOL Yes, Merry knows where his marbles are! LOL
Thanks for reviewing and I hope you enjoy it the second time through!
shirebound
· 22 January 2007
· Chapter 1: Marbles
"He isn't like other babies."
LOL! Poor, long-suffering Frodo!
“He likes me because he knows that I don’t like him,” Merry said. “He does it to annoy me.” Merry continued to hug the small child and rub his back as he spoke making Frodo doubt Merry’s statement very much. Merry might not be willing to say as much, but he did like the baby a great deal.
Awwww. What a sweet and fun story.
Author's reply
Thank you! I do think I owe Frodo a chance to come out on top before too long. I did let him toss cold water on Pippin that once, but there is still the matter of the sneaky little Brandybuck lad. Thank you for the lovely review!
harrowcat
· 22 January 2007
· Chapter 1: Marbles
*grin, grin, grin* What a nice story to go to work on!
Author's reply
Thank you! Hope you had a great day at work. Thanks for the review!