In Which Diamond Makes a Decision About a Certain Fool's Errand
Diamond read her brother's letter twice, to be sure that he'd left no room for doubt in his reply.
My dear, darling baby sister. Have you completely taken leave of your senses since you married the Thain's heir? Taking whisky to a DRAGON!!! Is it that you want me to be toasted like a bit of cheese by that great, fearsome thing? Do you have any idea how big a dragon is? Of course you don't, for you've never seen one! Sister, these creatures could gulp down an entire hobbit in one bite! Dragons are HUGE, you dear, daft idiot. I'd as soon march down the main street of Long Cleeve confessing all the pranks I've ever done as to face a dragon! I won't do this mad thing, and if you've got the sense that Illuvatar gave to a scatterbrained hare, you won't do it either. Think of your husband! No, on second thought, don't. He's just brazon enough that he would go with you. Think of your son. Would you leave little Faramir without a mother? Will you have your wee, poor son going through life being called the hobbit whose mother walked right into a dragon's open jaws, and brought her own whisky marinade with her? Don't do it. I refuse to even mention this to Da and Mum or our brother Tig, for fear that they'll march down to Tookborough and haul you away. --Love, your worried brother, Shan North-Took.
"Cheeky," she said.
And she thought, 'It's true that Dragons are huge.'
And she also thought, 'I suppose a dragon could eat up any number of hobbits and still be hungry.'
But then she thought, 'I gave my word.'
And finally she thought, 'It would be a grand thing to see a dragon, even if the dragon ends up being the last sight I ever see.'
"I'll do it myself," she said.
My dear, darling baby sister. Have you completely taken leave of your senses since you married the Thain's heir? Taking whisky to a DRAGON!!! Is it that you want me to be toasted like a bit of cheese by that great, fearsome thing? Do you have any idea how big a dragon is? Of course you don't, for you've never seen one! Sister, these creatures could gulp down an entire hobbit in one bite! Dragons are HUGE, you dear, daft idiot. I'd as soon march down the main street of Long Cleeve confessing all the pranks I've ever done as to face a dragon! I won't do this mad thing, and if you've got the sense that Illuvatar gave to a scatterbrained hare, you won't do it either. Think of your husband! No, on second thought, don't. He's just brazon enough that he would go with you. Think of your son. Would you leave little Faramir without a mother? Will you have your wee, poor son going through life being called the hobbit whose mother walked right into a dragon's open jaws, and brought her own whisky marinade with her? Don't do it. I refuse to even mention this to Da and Mum or our brother Tig, for fear that they'll march down to Tookborough and haul you away. --Love, your worried brother, Shan North-Took.
"Cheeky," she said.
And she thought, 'It's true that Dragons are huge.'
And she also thought, 'I suppose a dragon could eat up any number of hobbits and still be hungry.'
But then she thought, 'I gave my word.'
And finally she thought, 'It would be a grand thing to see a dragon, even if the dragon ends up being the last sight I ever see.'
"I'll do it myself," she said.