(no subject)

O! What are you doing,

And where are you going?

Your ponies need shoeing!

The river is flowing!

O! tra-la-la-lally

here down in the valley!

O! What are you seeking,

And where are you making?

The faggots are reeking,

The bannocks are baking!

O! tril-lil-lil-lolly

the valley is jolly,

ha! ha!

-The elves sing in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit

So remember how I was saying I liked the songs? Okay, it turns out I like the dwarves' songs. In-between the unfortunate march of time implications in one of the elves' lyrics, I just cannot get behind a hearty 'tra-la-la-lally'.

I think they'e stoned. My friend Mallory says: "ELROND, GET YOUR SHOTGUN."

You may have noticed all the names I've mentioned from this book are the oddest names ever. Bilbo, Gandalf, Thorin, Elrond. But fear not! "Normal" (English European) names show up at one point!

On a trio of trolls. William, Tom, and Bert.

I'd really forgotten pretty much all of this, so it's like reading it with fresh eyes that also have a bit of knowledge behind it. Also, noticing little details like Sauron IS mentioned in this book, and now I know what all that nattering about Gondolin is about.

Starting to see how this inspired d&d, too.

I will leave you with the goblins' song:

Clap! Snap! the black crack!

Grip, grab! Pinch, nab!

And down down to Goblin-town

You go, my lad!

Clash, crash! Crush, smash!

Hammer and tongs! Knocker and gongs! Pound, pound, far underground!

Ho, ho! my lad!

Swish, smack! Whip crack!

Batter and beat! Yammer and bleat! Work, work! Nor dare to shirk,

While Goblins quaff, and Goblins laugh, Round and round far underground

Below, my lad!